It can get lonely for a DJ standing out there alone behind the turntable spinning and scratching a record until every beat, melody, and lyric is disfigured, repositioned, and ultimately reassembled into a new sound of sonic wonder.  So it’s no surprise that DJ Statik Selektah, one of the most promising and talented DJ’s on the mixtape scene, has now enlisted the company of over thirty rappers for his debut as a producer on his album, Spell My Name Right.  Released on his own label—the confidently titled, Showoff Records, the album features Q-tip of A Tribe Called Quest, Styles P, Cassidy, Freeway, KRS-One, Jadakiss, and many more. 

DJ Statik Selektah recently spoke to Sixshot.com about magazines that spell his name wrong, the historical elements of his album, making the switch from DJ to producer, his relationship with DJ Premier, and why with over thirty rappers not a single female appears on the album.

How does it feel to finally have the album released after so many delays?

It feels good.  It’s a long time coming.  I’ve been working on the album for a good five years.

The title Spell My Name Right is humorous but it also seems to be a declaration that you’re here and that you’re not going anywhere.  Is th at message part of the focus with this album?

Yeah, I want people to be aware of my production.  A lot of people know me as a DJ but they don’t know me as a producer.  Also, just spell my name right.  A lot of promoters and websites spell it wrong.

I think The Source was one of the magazines that spelled your name wrong.

Yeah, The Source has done it.  I mean it’s funny because it’s spelled right there on the CD.  So it’s funny when people spell it wrong.

What do you feel like you’re bringing new to the game as a producer?

I think that I have a different style because I keep that New York sound and update it for today’s style.

The album is being promoted as making hip-hop history.  Plus, you managed to get a little over thirty artists on the record within a two month period.  For those that may not know please put into perspective just how historical this project is.

The historical part is really a lot of the collaborations like Freeway and Cassidy and Styles P and Q-Tip—people that have never worked together before.  Just getting them together is real interesting.  Plus no one’s really put out a compilation like this in a long time with the exception of Alchemist.

Which collaboration means the most to you from the album?

I’d say Q-Tip and Styles P.  They’re two completely different kinds of rappers.  They came together and bridged the gap pretty good.  Obviously Q-Tip’s a friendlier rapper and Styles P is one of the hardest rappers out there.  So it’s cool bringing them together and making a real solid record.

With so many rappers on the album the glaring omission is the fact that there are no female rappers.

I mean it’s really—I don’t know personally any female rappers that are that good.  That’s no disrespect but it’s not that easy to get an MC Lyte or someone like that. I actually just produced a song on Foxy Brown’s album.

What’s been the biggest challenge or change from going behind the turntables to behind the boards?

Not really much, it’s all the same thing.  I would say that I have more control over the actual sound as opposed to just playing the records.

You’ve collaborated with Nas in the past so what’s your take on him naming his upcoming album after the N-word?

I think it’s gonna be dope.  Hopefully he, uh—I mean I’d love to see him work with Premo [DJ Premier].  I don’t think it’s happening but I hope that he chooses the best beats he can. That’s usually where Nas’ downfall is—his choice of beats on the album.

I read that upon hearing DJ Premier on HOT 97 at the age of thirteen you immediately wanted to be a DJ.  How heavily involved were you in hip-hop culture prior to that moment? 

I used to break-dance and I actually used to rap when I was like ten.  I had already been mixed up in it [hip-hop] but when I heard Premo and Funkmaster Flex on the radio at thirteen years old it was the thing that really made me want to be a DJ.

How does it feel years later to now have DJ Premier co-sign your project?

It’s great.  He’s a good friend of mine and it means a lot to have his co-sign.  Basically he’s just a real dude.  He’s very honest and upfront.  When you watch someone like him who has the success that he has--you want to keep it real.  I’ve always been a real dude so since we met we really clicked.  Plus we have similar ideas about music.  He told me to stick to what you want to do.  A lot of these guys switch up their styles trying to make more money.  Premo’s approach to it is make good music and when it comes it comes.

The internet is a major factor in the success of mixtapes these days.  Being that you’ve put out mixtapes over the years with such artists as Nas and G-Unit, what are your thoughts on how the internet is influencing the game?

It’s like people’s attention span shrinks to the point where a record gets old real quick.  People get sick of it by the time it comes out since it was in advance and people kill it. There’s so much music coming out everyday that it completely shortens people’s attention span--that’s the bad part of it.  The good side is that you get to market your music and you get people to listen to your CD’s.

I read some talk about a Big Pun project you might be working on. 

We’re gonna do a Big Pun duets project. Basically me and Termanology will be putting it together.  We got a lot to go over before we start that.

I heard that your artist Termanology is about to sign a big deal.  How is that looking?

Yeah he’s got a couple of offers on the table.  One of them is like real close to happening. The person that was gonna sign the [previous] deal fell through with the distributor, but there’s a couple of deals on the table.  You’ll be hearing about a deal in the next couple of weeks.

You’re also working with Jon Hope, another rising rapper.  Any chance you’ll be putting out his album?

We talked about it.  Right now I’m just helping him out [and] supporting his moves because he definitely has a unique style.  I’m definitely behind him but we haven’t really gone over any of that yet.

What else can we expect from you?

I got a mixtape CD with Q-Tip coming out--the first mixtape he’s ever done called The 23 Breakbeats of Death.  It’s gon’ be real crazy.  I got a CD with Joell Ortiz coming out where I produced like fifty percent of the music.  That’s gon’ be a big CD too. 

For more information on DJ Statik Selektah please visit: 
http://www.myspace.com/statikselektah