favorite food spot when you were at Temple?
this place called sis muhammads.. it was on germantown blvd like a mile north of temple but it closed now i only got the fish hoagie.. thatis a very underground philly food
im ready kids
'Damn son, where'd you find that?'
lol
When is the Jack U album coming out?
we are doing a mixtape.... its gonna be very cool.. first single is called "take you there" w kiesza i wanna try and get a stream of it out this week
Hey Diplo, huge fan. Couple of questions;
Where do you find new sounds such as New Orleans Bounce, Zef, moombah, Santogold etc.? What's your philosophy on bringing these genres to a larger stage? And when you do find these new songs, is there somewhere you post them so we can hear it? (I learned about Wild Belle through your Spotify but doesn't seem to updated)
My other question is about Riff Raff. I really started listening to him about a month before you signed him, and was pumped when you did because you were one of my favorite producers. The album was highly anticipated. It was rumored to have many high profile features on it. But all the features seemingly bailed on him one by one. What's up with that? Politics? I saw some interviews with Riff and he seemed genuinely frustrated with the industry after all that happened. Real shame and looks cowardly on all the other rapper's part.
Thanks for answering man
we are just startign to update our spotify again for u guys.. in the mean tim i made that diplo approved soundcloud u can check out.. yes and about riff raff.. major lazer just totally suck.. we had a lot of verses from people but its not just the rappers that have to give the gren light its the labels.. sometimes there a lot of red tape that we cant cut thru.. we just want to bild his profile so that we dont need any features the next time
Hey man.
Just wondering, why did Switch leave Major Lazer? Lack of interest/time?
yeh it was never really somethign he loved.. from the begining it kinda was like i would wirte the records he would mix them.. and then as i started touring .. he didnt want to tour .. thats basically it.. so i started to mix them myself or bring in guest for me.. i will say this . switch is probably the best and most progressive mixer ive ever worked with and he works with female vocals like a renaissance painter... hes stil a boss im meeting him tommorow
Is Riff Raff the savior of the world?
tbd
Hello, Diplo, how are you today?
I'll be honest, I actually have no idea who you are. How would you introduce yourself to someone who has never been exposed to you or your music before?
random white dude
Which city has the best twerkers?
gonna say miami, paris, new orleans... im making a video with girls from siberia for "6th gear" tho
Diplo,
Member of the electronic music community here on reddit with a few questions:
When are we going to see Florida 2?
If you could collaborate with anyone in the music industry who would it be?
Have you ever released something under a pseudonym (other than Diplo of course)?
Would you ever go back to teaching? Maybe as a professor teaching the history of dance music?
Thanks for helping bring dance music to the masses. Love your work and your positive attitude. Stay crazy!
florida... we are reissueing the album again in november..i dug up like 3 demos and touched them up . they are very very crazy in that old style i used to work in.. .. there are some pseudonyms ive worked under.. but i jsut kinda became able to do whatvever now and fans dont relaly turn it off .. im kinda lucky that i can make a song w lunice then a song with madonna or major lazer and then some ambient music for a terrence malik film .. i dont think i have to really put my stuff in a box
Any interesting stories about Die Antwoord?
ps. Major Lazer - Can't Stop Now is basically my fav song ever
die antwoord 0 ninja was one of my favorite creative persons ever.. he sole goal he told me was to take the worst most terrible culture in human ancrestry afrikaaaans and make it cool for a lil bit as a big joke .. and his ideas are very huge.. hes using our dancers frmo major lazer in a new video he is working on right now..
As far as the Mad Decent block party is concerned, I have tickets for New Braunfels but you're not on the lineup (or major lazer, or Jack U). I noticed you'll be performing with Skrillex as Jack U in Dallas the day after. Any chance I'll get to see you in New Braunfels? You killed it last year.
major lazer is playign ACL tho
What's up Diplo?
Just wanted to say that I found you through Revolution and I gotta say that I love your other work! Revolution is the shit though!
awesome!
Let's talk about your influences. What are some of your favorite movies, TV shows, and albums of all time?
GI JOE
When did you come to the realization of "Holy shit I'm onto something here" and how gushy is that Diplo and Dillon Francis Bromance? I know you guys Get Low together....
still figure out what im on to.. dilllon is just a great guy and funny
Any collabs with kanye sometime in your future?
we did a couple of records around watch the throne i dont knwo what happened to them
What, if anything do you think has changed about the music you play/listen to/produce between the hollertronix days and now?
actually no.. i played a lot of the same records from hollertronix days at the ned of the night in vegas last night.. good music just stays around i hope
You seem to spend your life touring, how do you find time to actually make music?
in hotel rooms.. or studios between shows.. i made 3 great songs in amsterdam last week between ibiza and paris shows... all i need is some time with nothing to do but that.. ill work tommrow night too.. this week im home in LA and suprising i have the least time when im home but i have my son here all i wanna do is hang out with him
Diplo! Went to the MDBP in atl! Was off the chain! Maddecent has grown alot in the last few years. Whats it like getting to work with the many talented DJs on your label?
i think im lucky because they are literally the coolest Djs.. actually fun to hang w.. backstage of the mad decent block party is like a house party
When you come to San Diego for the MDBP, will you have a burrito or some rolled tacos with me? Or maybe we can go to Jollibee?
california burrito is not my favorite
How was playing EDC Vegas this year?
awesome.. i didnt expect anyone to come i went against hardwell and martin garrix but there like 50,000 kids at the hard stage.. shoutout gary from hard for always supporting me and the acts at mad decent
Hey Diplo couple of questions
What's your plan this year to get disqualified from DJ Mag top 100?
Any follow-up collabs with GTA, Boy oh Boy was pretty amazing,they should revisit their 128 bpm electro side.
You dont have to answer both I guess
i have a special disqualifiction trick im gonna use very soon #djmag.. last year it didnt work i still charted :( ... me and GTA did a trip hop record with usher for the new major lazer album.. or usher album which ever one get is.. also GTA are from florida too which makes them my bros for life
Hi bae. Just wondering what you favorite thing to eat/drink pre and post show? Curious and non music related...
water
where can i buy the strawberry heads that you + skrill + dillon had in the hard summer trailer?
they wer e like paper mache.. go to micheals and do an arts and crafts run
Hey, i'm a massive fan!
How many dub plates do you have? I saw the madonna one of Major Lazer and got curious :)
Do you have any plans on touring the UK? We're getting fucked this year, no gigs :(
What's your dirty pleasure music?
Thanks :D
edit: guess we're not getting a tour :p At least I go back to 'murica next year :/
i have lik over 100.. some are just crazy.. some reggae classics.. but i still cant compete (wit major lazer) against peopel liek stone love or rodigan.. i just have a few pop dubplates that no one has.. .. wyclef played me some crazy ones too when we worked on "reach for the stars"
Favorite pair of shoes?
these old visvim shoes that got holes in em.. or MR HARE. sneakers
What made you decide to move out of the USA for a bit and experience living in Brazil / Jamaica / wherever?
everyone should leave america for a lil while.. also central florida was soo depressing that i thought i was gonna end up in jail or somethign if i ddidnt leave and try and do somethign with my life..
Huge fan here, big question. How many children do you have? Rough estimation?
7 or 8 i cant remember
Hey Diplo, another huge fan! I listen to your tracks every day. Because you and they are awesome! How do you manage to mix... everything - every gendre, every song? Do you intend coming to Bulgaria some day? I will the be happiest person on Earth!
definitely my manattee with an aka 47
pats or geno's? also, push-ups or sit-ups?
i like ishkabibbles and pushups
Which city, that you have preformed in, has the most thots?
ft thoterdale
Seeing that you and Skrillex have both worked with G-Dragon and CL...
What do you think of the Korean dance scene and the KPOP scene?
we might have a cray Kpop thing on mad decent i hope to tell u about soon
are you gay?
everyone is a lil gay
What are you predicting for the Clippers this season?
they will win the superbowl and the triple crown !
Diplo, you are my favorite DJ ever and I totally study all of your mixes and song selection. Are you ever gonna release your Demons/Like A Pimp mashup? I want it!
isnt that out there?
Why did Jillionaire leave Major Lazer? And is there a new member?
the whole crew is just a bunch of us . some time jilly . osmetimes oliver rodigan there about 4 dancers that we use.. and other people behind the scene like ferry gowe our artist and main designer.. he is the most important member!. btu once we get LP3 out and get our new show together it will be somethign spectacular i hope for 2013.. do u ahve any suggestions?
Hey diplo, huge fan. I have a few question:
Who is your favorite producer right now?
What do you think of ghosts producer, how they affect the spirit of electronic music?
I saw you @ the Concorde Atlantic in Paris, you played that song with Skrillex, with huge vocals on them. How this song is called, and who did the vocals? I had a great time seeing you in Paris!
Are you planning a tour /w Skrillex?
Peace!
fav producer...sophie, eprom, calvin harris, lunice, skrillex, dr luke/cirkuit, dj snake, tchami. man there soo many .. ghost producers.. i dont think they have any effect on the spirit of electronic music.. maybe the spirt of electronix music is actually a ghost?? the father the son and the holy spirit of electronic music
If you do ever 'turn down', whats your favourite way to do so?
smoke a L
What does your son think about you being on the road, making music, and partying? Is he interested in DJing/music as well?
he just started to collect music on his ipad he has 4 songs.. his favorites are good kisser and everything is awesome.. i love to drive with him and here the random songs that he likes on the radio.. he always try and play this ukelele i got him..
So stoked to see you play at Hard Summer this weekend. My question is, how did Jack U come to be?
ive been working with sonny for about 5 years.. he was one of the first producres i met when i moved to LA.. and we jsut always been really close musically with our ideas. we made a song for his EP around bangarang that we never finished called amplifier that was remade atually and was pretty cool.. he even sang and played guitar on a few major lazer demos for me.. i have about 45 songs in the pool for the new record so im not sure whats gonna make it.. but jack u we just make the songs really randomly in DTLA or random places in hotel rooms very quickly
Hey thanks for the awesome music, keep up the great work.
What was your first original or remix where you realized you were on to something? Do you remember that moment when you freaked out and got all excited because things were looking up?
when i made :florida" i was nervous and i didnt even know what would happen next. and it wasnt really that well recieved. but funny enought 10 years lates a lot of kids that are like 18-22 (the age when i made it) hit me up like wow this is crazy... my heros back then were shadow Rjd2 and dilla.. .. i think once i did my mixtape did i find an angle that no one else was really doing.. making mixtape and finding new ways to mix music .. like hollertronis of MIA santigold mixtape.. i foudn out i was good at that .. i think i was good at producing too i just knew that no one was mixing music with a new idea.. so i tried to just filter everythign into a new style that i hope is still evolving.. im just lucky that im workign in a time with so many cool kids also making music and inspiring me and i think 10 years later the peopel taste i music is a lot more developed with new ways to llisten and hear music and im ready to be part of it
What's your favorite festival to perform at and why?
mad decent block party... jsut cause its ours and the kids know exactly what we do
How did you gather the courage to say fuck it to teaching and become a dj?
when i got fired from all the other jobs.. back when i started there was NO WAY u could be famous as a Dj.. not youtube .. soundcloud.. no way to have a instant hit like these days.. i would be lucky jsut to pay my rent in philly from a few jobs a week... its crazy that kids aspire to be a DJ now.. back then the ceiling was so low.. now its like endles how far producers or Djs can go .. its like insane
Got to see Major Lazer at Sasquatch! this year. Amazing show and I was excited the time to see it all close with you guys. The vibe at the festival was light and happy the whole time but during your set at least 5 bro fights broke out in front of me. Does this happen often? Is it an american thing? I want to be where people know how to dance and have a good time to your music. Where do you think that place is?
no we dont see fights at all .. its pretty peacefull . .but yes american crowds are more agro i would imagine and NW is a more dubsteppy testosterone ish place.. i can see that at a festival but not at a major lazer show.. the fans are pretty much all smiles and lots of girls they dont relaly fight but i have see weaves pulled out on stage by dancers
How do you feel about FKA twigs and/or Arca? Do you know them?
yes very inspirational.. especialy fka attention to detail in her style and image and video .. love papi pacify one of my favorite songs this year
Shit! The first time I'm ever mildly on time for an AMA and I got no real pressing questions... Umm, okay, what was the first time you were making a song and you played it back and thought to yourself, "holy shit, this is good" and how did that moment feel?
i love when a song gives my goose bumps.. music is really amazing when it can make u feel that way .. its one of the only things that can really lift me up and take me to another place
What is up with the Olsen twin posts you have? They're hilarious, but I don't get the context.
i have never really had an context for anything or maybe i do and it will al make sense one day
What was it like collaborating with Sia for her recent album? Can you give any insight into her mysterious personality? Elastic Heart is awesome!! One of my favorite songs of the year
wow.. shes one of my favorite people in the world and yes shes ever mysterious IRL.. i really love her.. we probably made like 30 songs together over the past 2 years..
Hey man, I send you music all the time and you never listen to it. No hard feelings though, Where is the best place to send you some music?
When you went tubing with Lorde who fell off first?
we both stayed on
What can we expect at MDBP Toronto this year?
top szn
Just wanted to say, huge fan. I've been listening to your work since the AEIOU Tapes and seriously, you're like Midas in the game.
So, as for the question. I know that you've gotten a lot of inspiration from getting hooked up with folk and travelling the world. From heading down to Brazil and bringing back Baile Funk and setting Bonde Do Role up, and then bringing Dancehall and the Major Lazer concept back from Jamaica. Not to mention all of the various city based club/dance music (Bmore, Philly, Juke, Detroit, Bounce) you've worked into your production.
So, I'm wondering, do you have any travel plans on the horizon? Any new styles you're going to be shining the light on?
Oh, and PS. Grats on picking up Slick Shoota. The stuff he's been doing with Footwork is amazing, really glad to see it getting represented.
i hope that the new major lazer is where we are gonna go and just be so crazy with the inluences that it can be a place where everything is represented.. im very influenced by Stromaes album .. he relaly made a world album in the same way that manu chao did it a decade ago.. really seemless and progressive and every song is GREAT.. slick shoota is crazy.. also check out lenkemz... hes a boss
Hey Diplo big fan here! 2 questions Who is your favorite person to collab with in Mad Decent? Who is the funniest in Mad Decent? (name some stuff they do)
well dillon and snake have me laughing so hard. and we are all really close.. .. floss isnt on mad decent but. damn . ive been Djing with them for liek 10 years.. they opened for me liek 10 years ago at smart bar and got me so drunk i couldnt even use the mixer i went full retard.. they also played the very first maddecent block party 7 years ago .. that set was recorded online somewhere..
What's the most amount of drugs you've done with a famous person?
dont do rdugs
How was working with Iggy Azalea?
shes really dope.. and has a good attitude in the studio and she looks like me with long hair
Why can't you type out coherent sentences?
in a;j.skfgl/ghasg
You're a legend but seriously, is Riff Raff some sorta inside joke or am I just missing something?
ur missing something
I'm a huge fan! You easily had the best set at EDC 2014
Are you interested in doing a Coffee Run with Joel?
yes!
Why aren't you bringing along Walshy and Jillionare to mad decent block parties this year?
they are both playing MDBP as them selves! .. right now im wrapping up the nw album with them both.. jilly in toronto walsh working in jamaica.. but we all be together next year when we have new stuff
Diplo, will there ever be anything like the Hollerboard again? I didn't know about it until after its peak but it seems like a really unique spot for growing music styles.
theres a story about the hollerboard history on vice i need to read it..i jsut have whatzapp and email conversations now a days.. with different Djs
Do you use Push or Maschine when you are creating music? How often?
i was supposed to do a song on push with claud von stroke but we never finished...
I heard you told riff raff he had to focus on the lyrics in his songs because I lot was riding on his album. Is this true?
this is really tru
What is the biggest culture shock you've ever experienced?
mybe performing in jamaica and actually having fans there lol .. that was crazy. like 6000 kids ... back again dec 19th.
Can we please get some more boaz? You don't know what his shit does to me
boaz did 2 songs with me for major lazer!! also go get not going hom on mad decent .. and a song with riff raff called Guap that comes out soon
dude, do u love Russia?
yes
@diplo How many people do you have working at Mad Decent?
7893
hey diplo!! you were so amazing at Big Day Out in Auckland, New Zealand. How different is it making music and performing as Diplo to Major Lazer? Any plans to come to New Zealand again???
diplo is just random.. major lazer has some small hits haha so we just get to have some real fans out there checking our stuff and its great to make a show around that
Hi diplo I am a girl from Indonesia. Can I feel your ass?
yes
How do you feel about being one of the major icons of a genre of music that basically evolved from garage band? Do you take pride in being an EDM artist?
i wouldnt say that.. i learned on cool edit pro! .. also electorni musix is old.. form georgio morodor to herbie hancok making rock it.. to 303s to mantronix ... theres so manysteps to get where we are now.. a lot of the new comers dont have the history and its a lot easier to get into it now but there is definitely evolution
Blondre, you changed my life! After watching you preform with Major Lazer at Hard 2010 I've wanted nothing, but to control the dance floor like you do, anyway was just curious if you could share how to get a great sounding 808?
steal it from skrillex or dj snake or lex luger
[deleted]
im on twitter
Ayoo, I saw you when you came to visit Stockton, CA not too long ago in March. How did you feel about playing in a scary city like Stockton?
haha that city actually was scary.. it made me feel like i knew very lil abotu california.. LA is such a bubble. ;the rest of this state is CRAZY AZ Fuc
When you coming back to turn up in New Orleans man?
soon!
Why did your parents name you Diplo?
it was a really late night and they just got back from the bowling alley i think it was a misprint on my birth certificate..
Hey man, I'm a huge fan.. I'm a 16 year old dj/producer and I just wanted to know if you had any advice about getting noticed? And also what software do you use and what plug ins do you use for mastering? Thanks
Dylan soundcloud.com/ddasgupta
dont worry about gettin noticed.. just worry about making music that will last forever.. u will get noticed for that
What do you think about UCF? I heard you use to go there
that was my stomping ground
what do you think of jai paul?
love him.. i think i sent him some songs this year i gotta check back on email.. i met him on myspace!
Hey Diplo.
How much do you find yourself using UAD plug-ins vs. VST's? What are the VST's you use the most?
its hard on the road cause they just gave us the appollo i cant travel with its...and i always lose chords that connect to my sattelite but man if u get it running its the BEST
Would you like to work with Burial?
yes
Who would win in a fight, M.I.A. or Chippy Nonstop? Also, is Riff-Raff really still a virgin?
man chippy would just throw mad haymakers
Hi Diplo,
I'm a big fan of Mø (sorry if I disappointed you), what was it like to work with her?
we have made like 6 songs. two amazing ones with major laer and i think a bunch for her project.. her voice is soooo sick
Diplo! We need that Jack U mixtape as soon as possible. Do you think that El Cuco w/ G-Dragon and Skrill will ever make the cut?
its with maluca! and i hope we can get that out
What if Flosstradamus never remixed Original Don?
no trap would be run
Least favorite fruit?
kiwi
What's the next big new sound that not a lot of people have heard yet?
silence
What's your all-time, no. 1 favourite remix? (By another DJ.)
some great recent ones ... like aluna george / snake flume/disclosure.. but my favorite all time might be this one -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qvMLon2MXs first that comes to mind
THANKS.. im out