Return of the Boom Bap

Induce

Miami's own DJ Induce is something like the ultimate selector. You can catch him on any given night playing any given record for any given crowd. He spins at venues from the Shore Club and the Standard, to the Pawn Shop and Studio A. He's been known to rock a party by infusing the likes of Steely Dan, Louie Vega, A Tribe Called Quest, and Justin Timberlake into one seamless flow. How does he manage such an eclectic mix? "I have a lot of free time on my hands," says Induce.

A lot of free time and a lot of records as well. In fact "a lot" is an understatement. Induce's house is a virtual music library, where one can easily mistake a crate of records for a side table. "I have over 10,000 records," he notes. "I'm a bit obsessed."

Compared to the zillion other DJs, in personality and habits, Induce also stands out. He doesn't drink, smoke, or eat meat. While many South Beach club DJs are known to be arrogant drunks, Induce seems genuinely nice. He smiles a lot and always seems to be having a better time than anyone else.

Born and raised in Miami, Induce grew up listening to the likes of De La Soul, Faith No More, and the Cure. His participation in hip-hop ranged from freestyle MCing to gung-ho b-boying. He later stuck to DJing, a skill he has honed for nearly a decade.

His most recent mix compilation, titled More Iconic, Less Ironic, is a statement on how he appoaches his audio undertakings. The track list comprises everything from My Bloody Valentine to Ol' Dirty Bastard to Stereolab to the Last Poets; it's safe to say Induce's musical knowledge is wide-ranging.

But besides his turntable magic, Induce also gets dirty behind the boards, playing beat architect for his own label, Wondersound. His latest LP of original material, Cycle, sounds as if J Dilla met Boards of Canada, an aural universe of beauty, serenity, and the occasional club banger.

As for Miami's music scene, he remains guardedly optimistic. "It's been in its infant stages for about 15 years," Induce says. "Although it seems like people's ears are a bit more open these days, with hip-hop kids listening to indie rock and indie rock kids listening to house music. And by getting out of Miami, I've noticed how in some ways we have it a bit better than other cities, even New York and L.A."

Indeed Induce is proud to call Miami home and can't see himself doing anything else besides music. "If I wasn't doing this, I'd possibly be writing, but probably not. I would have found another way to do nothing and get paid for it." — Esther Park