DJ Induce is no stranger to the local music scene ... in fact, he is the scene. Having started his burgeoning DJ career well over ten years ago, Induce (a.k.a. Ryan Smith) has DJed for anyone and everyone, in every night and day club, selecting records varied and vast, from EPMD to Metallica.
Induce recently made some noise with his side project, Casual Sax, with cohort Sven Barth. Their 2007 underground noir hit, "Baby I'm Black (But Only from the Waist Down)" even got a mention on Perez Hilton and boasts over 255,000 views on YouTube.
Besides rhyming about Bootyland BBQ and faking a German accent as techno-producing alter-ego Ulrich, Induce can flex his vocal chops like a good boy singing in a church choir. His latest venture on his label, the Wonderful Sound, finds him singing soul songs about love, heartache, and redemption. All this, while being the unofficial -- and now official -- DJ for Chi-town hip-bop queen, Kid Sister. You can easily say that Induce has got a lot on his plate.
Crossfade caught up with Induce this week for a quick Q&A, and found out, among other things, that he's not a Lady Gaga fan and doesn't own an iPod. Consider it further proof that he's an original all in his own.
DJ Induce, with Kid Sister and Maluca. 10 p.m. Saturday, June 26. Grand Central, 697 N. Miami Ave., Miami. Admission is $15 in advance from wantickets.com; age 18 and up. 786-371-8742; epoplife.com
How did you end up being the DJ for Kid Sister?
We have lots of mutual friends, but I would have to give the biggest thanks to Jake Jefferson (of Poplife) and Magic Baby Clara.
Any wild and crazy stories of being on the road with her?
Not really, although we all tend to joke around a lot and she is one of the funniest girls I've ever met.
You have a new album coming out with another local musical favorite, Manuvers. Tell me a little bit about the project and when it's expected to be out.
It's actually a solo album, under the name The Wonderful Sound Of Induce!, and is titled Halfway Between Me And You. Manuvers produced three songs, along with three more that we produced together. It's got a song produced by Jack Splash, who produces Alicia Keys and John Legend, and another local production team called Mr. Familiar.
Manuvers has been there from the beginning and is one of the main people that got me to move into this next step. The album was originally slated to come out this year, but it's looking like January/February of 2011, though we are starting the campaign now to build steam. The song "Her & I" is like the first leak. Then we will have a disco 12inch release for a song called "Pretty" backed with a cover of an obscure disco song called "Get Down Saturday Night."
What's the one thing you love about the Miami music scene?
Uhmmmmm. We have a music scene?
What's the one thing that you hate?
Lady Gaga. Ain't nothing but Avril Lavigne in Alexander McQueen.
Besides traveling around the world with Kid Sister, any future plans/projects you have going on?
Hopefully, this next album will let me go on my own tours. I have a few things I'm working on with some heavy hitters in Miami but they're top secret!
What's currently playing in your iPod right now?
I don't have an iPod, although in my car I got this new Jack Splash beat that is buggin' me the fuck out!
