Where else can you find a show that will give you a live performance and a mixtape at once? There are many who call themselves DJ’s, mixing up top 40 records in a cookie-cut rotation a few nights a week. But, there are those who harness the artistic capabilities of the craft; experimenting with timeless artists and enhancing the listening experience by inducing a different perspective on a song you would have thought to know well. Not only is J. Period capable of doing such things with the use of some hardware and some good music, it is his specialty to do so.
Brooklyn-based since the beginnings of his career, J. Period made a name for himself amongst some of hip-hop’s heavy hitters. He has created thirty-five plus mixtapes since the year 2000, collaborating with emcees from Common to Dead Prez. He could be seen as a magnet for the mixture of flows and instrumentals; the Wake Up! Radio mixtape, featuring The Roots, John Legend, Blu, Mary J. Blige, and others, exemplifies his dedication to providing the public with originality.
J. Period has taken strides to diversify the way a person will listen to a mixtape. Introducing a style of tribute mixtape to some of the all-time greats such as his March 9th series (a tribute to Notorious B.I.G.) and J. Period presents…The Legacy of JB (a tribute to James Brown), he makes it possible for the listener to ride along with his interpretation of the artist’s music along with providing interview commentary for added biographical side notes. In addition to giving a new home experience, his live shows incorporate a setting that he has dubbed “live mixtaping”, in which he scratches and mixes the instrumentals of some classic hip-hop and surprises the audience with appearances from the artists. During the Manifesto Festival in Toronto of 2010, he and Black Thought recorded a mixtape live on stage, later titled J. Period and Black Thought present Live Mixtape: Illadelph Edition EP, encompassing a thirty-minute non-stop recording of Black Thought violating J. Period’s mixes.
http://youtu.be/fT3iy4R2IjI
When not participating in the regular DJ curriculum, J has found ways to become entrepreneurial about his craft. He created the theme song for the Brooklyn Nets 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 seasons, along with being on-call during the games. He’s also scored the music for the television biopic of Julius Erving titled “The Doctor” on NBA TV. He has even found time to have an entry on Ted Talks, giving a showcase on the beauty of the crossfader.
http://vimeo.com/87779436
As a man of extraordinary keenness of the eyes and ears, Period’s greatest gift seems to be his ability to enhance. His position amongst the important contributors to hip-hop is unchallenged. Not only is he unchallenged because he knows when to play a song, but because he knows the value of the moment for everyone involved.