Black Hole Interview: DJ TradeMark

DJ TradeMark from "Over Ya Head", WSOU, Seton Hall University College Radio

by Alex Castillo

Tell me about yourself and your experience in the music business?

[DJ TradeMark] I've been involved in the business of hip-hop for roughly five years now. I started working in promotion and advertising at Point Blank Promotions in Seattle when I was 15, and have been doing so elsewhere ever since. I've dabbled in everything from distribution to production, but consider myself first and foremost a DJ dedicated to supporting independent artists.

You are one of the DJs with Seton Hall University Radio (WSOU). How did you get stared?

I started messing with records -- collecting and mixing -- when I was sixteen, but didn't really get down on 1200s -- didn't really start DJing -- until I was 18. I became involved with WSOU last year as a freshman at Seton Hall. I didn't have a clue what I was going to do there (WSOU being a hard rock station and all), but I knew it was the best college station in the nation and that my work there could lead to bigger and better things. When I joined the station there was no hip-hop show and no hope of starting one, but this year, with a change in management, I found several influential people who were willing to support me and I lobbied for the show. The result was "Over Ya Head".