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DJ CUP MY INFLUENCER - ACE4NIC

By Mdubasa | 2020-08-09

When did you start deejaying and what or who were your early passions and influences.

I started deejaying back in 2012 but was exposed to the ‘club scene’ a year later. My love for music was my biggest drive, as since from like 2007/8, I was already collecting my own music. My big brother DJ Cup has to be one of my influences, as he was the one who introduced me to music from the likes of Ralf Gum, Rocco, Christos, Vinny Da Vinci just to mention a few. From then I fell inlove with the sound which sounded unique and different and that's when I said to myself " now this is the music I want to listen to everyday"

How did you come up with the name 'ACE4NIC' and do you think it still fits with your deejaying brand?

It's actually a long story (Teheheh), it goes back in the day where I fell in love with the Soul Candi Sessions compilations. DJ Euphonick (now known as Themba) being one of my favourites, I decided to Jack the "phonick" from his stage now, but then twisted it to ‘4NIC’ and ACE being my nickname, put those together & come up with the ACE4NIC.

I think this name still fits because the meaning of ACE means someone who is an expert and Euphoria means a feeling of elation. That put together I interpret it as "an expert who brings joy & beautiful moments through deep house music"

Can you tell us about your Pure Grooves project.

Pure Grooves Incorporation is a DJ assembly and clothing movement which aims to be pushing good music together with the love for unique fashion. The music part focusing mainly on deep house and grooming upcoming artists and djs. The clothing department dealing with smart/casual merchandise, ranging from sweaters, T-shirts, caps to formal shirts.

The music department currently consists of myself and Kingheart who is an upcoming DJ. We also work with Tandzisile Kunene, who is part of marketing and also my manager.

How have the people received this great initiative?

I must say over the years the support has been so amazing and overwhelming. With great recognition and love from the local market & even spreading to some of the neighbouring countries. Personally that's what keep us going and having the drive to do better, that one day we become one of the country's biggest & most effective establishments.

What do you personally consider to be the incisive moments in your artistic career?

For me it has to be authenticity and being true to your craft. Nothing can ever beat originality , as long as you are true to yourself and stick to what makes you unique you'll go a long way. Also sticking to your signature style is key, it's okay to learn different views and aspects but you should always make it a point that there's that one trait which cuts you from the rest. Quality and consistency is also important in whatever you do and that's what keeps you ontop of the food chain.

What are currently your main challenges as a DJ?

With the current situation with this COVID-19 pandemic it is very hard for me, as I am no longer getting any bookings which means there's no longer any kind of income.

Luckily for me I am able to push the merchandise side of Pure Grooves and get something from that. Which shows that one should always keep an open mind and try finding multiple streams of income.

What do you usually start with when preparing for a set?

I usually listen to alot of music for inspiration. This helps me select the best tracks which I feel they'll best suit my timeslot.

Then after the selection process I make sure that the output quality is perfect, from there I'm done, I just try getting some rest so that by the time I play I'm allnrelaxted and have a clear mind.

What makes you decide to play a particular record during one of your sets? Is there a criteria?

There's no criteria really. During my selection process, I pick tracks which I personally ‘feel’ , with the hope that patrons also receive the way interpret them.

I also think with time it comes down to experience & skill. On very set I try make sure that I introduce some new music and I'm one person who doesn't believe in playing hits.

What do you think has been the key moment or turning point for you career wise?

I think it has to be the opportunity of being offered the residency spot at eMfuleni Lifestyle. This has played a very huge part in my career as I have grown so much and have been able to meet alot of people who have fell inlove with my sound, craft and actually also have me the chance to play at some of their respective events. Dj CUP being on my side has also helped me alot as a DJ , he has taught me alot on how to be better and grow myself as a brand.

What inspires you, in life as well as in music?

There's quite a lot , I'm a very passionate, self-driven driven fella. This makes me want to do better & be effective with the drive of being one of the best in whatever I engage in.

What other types of music currently inspire you?

It has to be afro pop and a little bit of some RNB & Pop music.

In your opinion. Why has it been difficult for house events to attract the numbers in terms of attendance?

I think locally alot of people still don't understand the music , which makes it hard for them to relate to the sound. Hopefully over time that will change.

I also think ladies play part in this aspect too (Teheheh). Most guys love to attend events where's there's alot of ladies, but in this case there's not much ladies who love house. Thus affecting the attendance in events.

How would you describe your style of play and the music you play?

I like to describe my style as the "heavyhitterz" rendition and that's because I love groovy moving music with some big bass. I've always been a sucker for deep house & afro tech.

What is your in-depth view on the House Music Scene in the kingdom?

I think it is slowly growing & I see alot of lovers who are still loyal to the groove & sound, which for it's a great sight to see the little circle we have believing in the craft.

Morever I foresee a great change in the scene after thus lockdown.

Over the past two years the house music scene has improved a lot. What would you love to see maintained and improved?

Personally I'd love to see more events with a 100 per cent local lineups. It's good investing in our own and there's alot of talented artists inn the kingdom which deserve to be given the right plartform.

I'd also love to see initiatives like music seminars which could help also of artists on growing their brand, also have the insight & knowledge on how the craft could be turned in a "business" and actually being monitised.

How has the pandemic changed your perception in the entertainment scene and yours as an entertainer?

This pandemic has showed me that one has to be smart and not only just focus on the music but also try focusing on the entrepreneurial side of the hustle.

Set goals, work hard, try investing more , and explore other ways of making income. I has also showed that we should also think out of the box, think of what you will do when you are 60/70. You can't be playing music forever, always predict the future and look at the bigger picture.

What’s your view on the so-called fractions in the house scene and how can this be resolved?

I'm one person who doesn't believe in division. We are a very small population and we could go a long way if we could stand together.

Collaboration would work wonders instead of building boarders which hold us back into doing greater things. Alot of minds out together would make magic and remember that TEAM WORK MAKES DREAM WORK.

What challenges have you faced in the entertainment circle?

Our industry is not that easy to penetrate. So one needs to make sure you always have your head in the game, push hard and to get your name out there.

Also event organisers & promoters seem to still not believe in us local artists thus end up exploiting and even underpaying us in the proces, which then becomes demotivating. Furthermore alot of our patrons are still not that used to the type music we play & which sometimes becomes a problem on their reception of the music.

How important in branding for Djs?

Branding is very vital as DJs, This is because it has become the reality of consumers. People identify themselves with brands, and look for something to relate to.

Branding is the reflection of an artists’ overall message, goals, beliefs, and personality that make them unique from other artists. Whether it’s through their clothing sense, sound, marketing materials etc, branding is the consistency of an overall message that is developed and reflected in everything that an artist does. So brand image & identity development is key as that what makes one stand out.

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