Wayne Williams Interview

« Continued From Page 2

WAYNE WILLIAMS: I probably did the second House record produced, which was "Undercover". Jesse obviously did the first one, and I did the second. I think the experience of doing that session knocked me out. Plus, I just went in a different direction with my life and my career. I knew that one of my greatest attributes was picking music rather than making it. I never really dove off into it like a lot of other DJs.

See, I'm a DJ first. It kills me sometimes when these musicians wind up becoming DJs. Obviously, they make good records, but that doesn't mean they're a good DJ. And when people go to see them at a party, they might walk away disappointed.

Any good DJ thinks he's the best DJ in the world. I think I'm the best DJ in the world. I think any good DJ, when that's his craft, is going to feel that way. You should be competitive, but not cocky. I don't think I'm the best DJ in the world and no one else is at my level or anything. I love to hear other DJs play. I always go out to hear other DJs play.

Here's an example of what I'm saying. Frankie Knuckles - he's a good friend of mine, and he's an excellent DJ. When he got to the Warehouse and started drawing the crowds, I'd go down there and listen to him play all the time. If he was playing something, I'd always ask him what record it was if I hadn't heard it. He'd tell me, and also tell me where to get it.

Now when I first met Frankie, he had no idea I was even a DJ or knew the kind of crowds I was DJing for. As just an ordinary person to him, he treated me with respect, not even knowing who I was or what I did. That's something that shows you his character and what kind of a person he is. He came from New York and spun at a lot of big clubs there before he came to Chicago. I imagine he could have come with an attitude. But he was very nice and was always very approachable, and to this day we're good friends and I love him. When I find DJs who are cocky and don't want to talk to people who might ask them about a record - well, to me they're just losers.

I know I'm a legendary DJ from the length of time I've been around and what I've done throughout the years. But don't treat me one way and someone that's just trying to get into the game another way. You need to treat all people with respect. I treat every DJ, new or old, the same way. You never know who's going to be that new hot kid. Right now for instance I have a great relationship with Quentin Harris. He came into my office and I had no idea who he was. He said he wanted to do some House Music. We have a great relationship. If I would have treated him like dirt, I wouldn't have that relationship with him right now. You never know who that person might be.

WAYNE WILLIAMS: No, it was a long road. But House Music has gotten me into everything, and it got me into Jive Records. Before I was with Jive I was at Trax Records with Larry Sherman. I picked a lot of their classic songs like Marshall Jefferson's "Move Your Body," Adonis' "Too Far Gone" - stuff like that. At the time these were hot records over here but the were like pop records overseas. Jive wanted to find out who was picking all of these popular House records out of Chicago and came and met me. At the time I was managing Adonis and he had a hot record, and I knew Marshall and we had a hot record over there. They wanted me to come work over there. I brought Mr. Lee with me and did the Get Busy record.

Then they had this rapper named Will Smith, the Fresh Prince, who was coming off a record that bombed - I Think I Can Beat Mike Tyson. They were doing a new record, so I said "Send him to Chicago, I'll see if I can get some of my guys, some House Music producers, to work with him." He came here and did the Summertime record, which wound up being a huge record for Will Smith - I think he was the first rapper to win a Grammy. Then we did Boom Shake the Room and Ring My Bell, which were both huge records, especially overseas, for Will Smith. So we kind of brought him back from the dead.

Then Jive told me they wanted to get into R&B. I said all right, there's someone in Chicago who might be a good R&B person for you guys. So I turned them on to R. Kelly, and the rest is history.

5 MAGAZINE: What's your official role right now?

WAYNE WILLIAMS: I've been with Jive for eighteen years. I've proven myself throughout the years, because as an A&R person, you're only as good as your last record. I've had a lot of success with a lot of projects with the label.

I deal with all of the acts to some degree, picking what songs should go, what songs shouldn't go, give them advice on what deals we should do, if we should do videos, what singles we should do - things like that. So I've worked... from Britney Spears to Justin Timberlake to whatever. Our label's very big and very popular so we have to make major decisions every day with some of the major stars we have. You have to be on top of your game.

And R. Kelly - he hasn't stopped yet. I talk to him every day and we're very close. R. Kelly is someone I love very much and probably one of the greatest human beings I've ever met.

5 MAGAZINE: The other day when we were setting up the interview, you mentioned that he's a househead.

WAYNE WILLIAMS: Oh yeah, Robert's a big househead. He used to go to the Playground, take his shirt off, be up on top of the speakers...

5 MAGAZINE: I saw a picture of him at the picnic a few years back with his entourage.

WAYNE WILLIAMS: Yeah, it's unfortunate because he's so big now that when he goes out in public people want autographs and pictures and he can't enjoy himself the way normal people do. If he could, believe me, he'd be walking around there just listening to the music too.

When I work with Robert, we're like peas in a pod. That's why people are like, "You sure you don't live in Chicago?" because I'm constantly coming to Chicago to work with Robert. We're very close and we're working on stuff all the time together. I'm really excited about the new record called Double Up which is coming out on May 29.

I'm also doing a House Music project. R. Kelly has a beautiful song called "Africa" and I thought it'd work good in House Music. He said sure and gave me the record. So I got Terry Hunter, Maurice Joshua, Emanuel - we're all doing House mixes with it.

I also do House mixes on some of our records, like Terry Hunter's doing House mixes of a Justin Timberlake song. Any artist on our label that needs dance mixes, I always take it to my guys in Chicago - Maurice, Craig Loftis, Terry. That helps keep dance music alive too. A lot of people hear R&B records and might not really be into House Music, but then they hear the dance mix of it and they get into it.

5 MAGAZINE: Who among the younger DJs do you like?

WAYNE WILLIAMS: I love Chicago DJs. I even love the DJs I don't like! I know it sounds kind of crazy but there's a reason for it. Some DJs play b-side records and I don't get it - but, in doing that, they've created their own audience, and I love the courage when they tried and gave it a shot.

As far as Chicago DJs, I think they're the best DJs in the world because of the energy and the soulfulness. Most Chicago DJs are going to have both elements - they're going to have energy but they're also going to have soul. Especially Southside DJs - I'm not saying Northside DJs don't, but Southside DJs are the ones I hear the most. I love to go out and hear Chicago DJs play, and I can't say that in other cities that I've been do. I get disappointed a lot. But in Chicago, at a lot of spots I go to, I can have a drink and just listen to the damn music.

Sometimes Chicago DJs play a little too much old school and get too caught up in that. You might as well just play a '70s night if you're just going to play old school. The ones who play both, I can definitely appreciate and get with. There are a lot of talented young DJs in Chicago. A lot. I can give you names, but I know I'd be missing somebody, because there are a lot of talented Chicago DJs.

5 MAGAZINE: I want to ask a cliché question but I think you're better qualified to answer it than most. You not only have that underground credibility, but you're also making decisions at a multimillion dollar record company. Say a young kid is just starting out: what advice would you give him?

WAYNE WILLIAMS: Work hard. You can't work hard enough. Work your ass off. Hard work is going to pay off, I guarantee it. It sounds like a cliché but it's the truth. And be around your craft. Just being around places, I've gotten gigs. I love the music. I'll go out to hear Frankie play, hear Emanuel play, and I'll get invited to spin just by being around. You want to be around your craft. Go out a lot, be around your craft and work hard.

5 MAGAZINE: What would you say to the heads?

WAYNE WILLIAMS: To think positive and talk positively. It's easy to dis people and talk negative about them. It's hard to talk positively about people. It should be the opposite, but unfortunately it's not. I'd say that to my House people and my DJs that I have nothing but love for - it's something we should all try to do.

Page 1 | 2 | 3 |

5 Magazine is supported in large part by the patronage of our readers. If you like what you see, consider subscribing to the 5 Magazine Digital Edition and receive the complete contents at the beginning of every month as well as access to members only stories for only $1.50 per month!