When artists declare that "the music comes first" it normally sounds cliched – and it rarely rings true. Yet when Vincent Williams makes the claim, it’s impossible not to believe him.
Over the course of his career as DJ Spinna, Williams has openly celebrated musical greats through compilations and parties dedicated to the likes of Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder (the latter through his long-running ‘Wonder-Full’ tribute nights). And over the course of our half-hour conversation, it’s clear that nothing animates the 42-year-old more than speaking about his musical heroes.
Our interview takes place a few days after the tenth anniversary of J Dilla’s death. Spinna has already released two singles dedicated to the pioneering hip-hop producer – ‘Dillagence’ and ‘Dilla is the G.O.A.T’ [Greatest of All Time], in 2007 and 2008 respectively – and he has more to say about his late contemporary than he does about any of his own work.
“Dilla was my greatest inspiration in hip-hop when it comes to making beats and style. He came in and, in the span of 10 years, he turned the genre inside-out. He flipped it on its back and spun it around. He was like the Tasmanian Devil – you never knew where he was going to go next,” he says with a fond laugh.
“A lot of us [DJs and producers] coming up at that time had the same kind of music collection – the same jazz records, the same funk records. And there were countless times when Dilla would sample something that I had in my collection, but he’d use the most uncanny, off-kilter, awkward part of the album. Most of us would just hear this ‘go-to’ thing and be like: ‘I gotta sample this.’ But he’d hear that and bypass it – then go for the least obvious, weirdest part and use that instead.
“When I speak to a lot of my beat-making music friends from that era, they all say the same thing. Dilla just saw things differently. He was unique, man – a special guy.”
Williams was fortunate enough to meet Dilla early on in his career, during his time at WBAI Radio in New York City (the legendary producer came in with A Tribe Called Quest for an interview in 1996). He also got to perform with another of his idols when Stevie Wonder crashed a Wonder-Full party in Washington, D.C. and proceeded to sing and play keyboard over Spinna’s beats.
Read any of Williams’ previous interviews and you’ll find that this is the musical partnership he long dreamed of. His list of collaborators may include names like Mos Def, Masta Ace, Pharoahe Monch and Eminem, but working on a track with Wonder was the goal.
And with that, he drops a bombshell.
“You’re the first person I’ve told this to: I did a track with Stevie Wonder,” he reveals with a dramatic pause. “It’s a dream come true. Or half a dream come true because he played harmonica. I didn’t get him on vocals this time, that’s still my ultimate goal. But it’s an official song with him featuring on it.”
Set to appear in summer as part of a Miles Davis remix project, the track is one of many Spinna productions due for release in 2016. While he continues to work on solo material, the first half of the year will also see new records from two of his collaboration projects: Jigmastas (with Brooklyn's MC Kriminul) and Domecrackers (with veteran producer Joc Max).
Despite Williams’ prolific output as a producer, however, DJing has always been his first love. His website alludes to the size of his record collection – but I want numbers. So how many vinyls does it take to qualify as “obsessively extensive”?
“I’m in the 60,000-plus range. I’ve got them in two locations, one of which is the basement of my house. I’m always buying and ordering stuff online, it doesn’t stop. It’s kinda nuts,” he says, before revealing plans for the forthcoming Asia tour, where he’ll play hip-hop alongside the house music that his shows are now known for.
“I’m coming with a case of 45’s [7-inch singles] and possibly another bag of big records – probably close to 200 in total. But I’m going to Japan right after and I’ve gotta save room so I can buy more records!”
It’s no surprise that someone so vocal about their influences has the music collection to back it up. Spinna’s deference – reverence, even – for others’ music combines with his apparent lack of ego to keep him as an underground name, despite his high-profile work. I suggest to Williams that his tribute nights reflect his indifference toward being in the spotlight – an idea that he seems to partially accept.
“I think it’s important to acknowledge those who paved the way and who have influenced all of our lives,” he says. “Music is here for us to celebrate. I don’t think it’s creative for you to just hover over it and keep it to yourself.
“My goal is never really about me per se. Honestly, I know that I’m good. I know that I’m a great DJ, but I’m not promoting that. I’m promoting the music – that comes first. That always comes first.”
And that’s how you say it without sounding contrived.
Shanghai: Mar 11, 10pm-late, RMBTBA. The Shelter, see event listing.
Beijing: Mar 12, 10pm; RMB80 (on the door), RMB50 (limited pre-sale here); The Bar at Migas.
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