21 Questions with DJ Freddie B.
One of LA's Premiere Hip Hop Deejays Speaks with QV.
—By Robert “Paw” Sotello

DJ FREDDIE B is one of the most talented deejays in the Los Angeles club scene today. The 30-year-old’s mix of Hip Hop beats can be heard all over the city at places like Circus Disco. He spoke with us about how he got his start and what his goals for the future are.

Freddie developed an interest in deejaying when he was very young. He recalls, “In the late ’70s, early ’80s, there was a group of three guys in my neighborhood and they owned a mobile deejay. Back then, the parties were cracking and pretty big, and the music was different—mostly disco and early 80s. I’d go there and always want to be in the mix of things.”

Freddie says he admired the fact that the deejays were always the center of attention. He explains, “I’d see the deejay was the one that was in control of the crowd. He was the one you’d look for if you wanted to hear music.”

In addition, just the concept of how a turntable worked fascinated Freddie. He says, “I wanted to see how the needle and turntable worked. I wanted to see how putting a needle in a groove made sound. It sort of got me wondering if it was something I was interested in doing. Once I started, I just thought it was fun to do. Then, later on, I realized that it was an art form—deejaying is an art form.”

Freddie first started experimenting with deejaying when he was a kid. He says, “I had a double deck boom box and I’d always try to use it to mix two tapes at the same time. I’d pretend to be a deejay at a radio station and record my voice and rewind it and hear it.”

By his senior year in high school he had already started doing house parties. “I remember I got my first two turntables and a mixer. I actually made a couple of bucks with it,” he recalls.

Today, Freddie has been deejaying for 11 years, and professionally for about the last six.

Freddie’s list of favorite artists is long, but among the top are Tupac, DJ Quick, and Warren G.

As for other deejays that inspired him, he says, “I guess one of the biggest deejays that inspired me was Grandmaster Flash. More recently I’d say (veteran Los Angeles club deejay) Ernie Pearl. We’ve shared the same chemistry and have exchanged ideas. I look up to him. I used to dance to his music back in the day when he played house music at Circus Disco.”

When asked whether he prefers to deejay for a QV crowd or straight crowd, Freddie says, “I don’t have a pick. But I’d say I like the vibe more at a QV venue than a straight venue. But I like them both.”

Freddie B. has come a long way in his deejaying career. Having started at house parties, he now deejays at some of the biggest venues in LA. He says, “It makes me pretty proud of myself. I give myself props for that. I just hope that people keep on listening to my music. I hope to make everybody feel good all of the time.”

One of the highlights so far in Freddie’s ever-growing career was when he played for the Golden Globe Awards after-party a few years ago. He reminisces, “I was very excited to meet people of that caliber. I never thought in my life that I’d be playing for people like that. It’s been very nice.”

So where does Freddie see himself going next? “It’s hard to say,” he says. “I believe I’ll be producing remixes for other people— maybe collaborate on projects with somebody famous. I’ve always wanted to do that. I want to do that because that’s what I see myself doing. I also want to open up a music studio, which is right now in the works. I’m calling it South Central Studios.”

To the QV community, Freddie expresses his sincerest appreciation for their support: “I guess all I have to say to the QV community is thanks for their support.”

Freddie then jumps on his turntables and begins spinning a loop of 50 Cent’s “21 Questions.”

Feeling the vibe of the beat, Freddie says, “When I play music, it makes me feel good inside. When you’re dancing and you can feel what I’m playing on the turntables, It makes me feel good that I’m making you happy dancing and that you’re expressing yourself by having a good time. It’s a great feeling. It releases all the tension I have inside me. It makes me feel good when someone comes up to me and shakes my hand and says, ‘Freddie, you’re working it out!’”

Freddie then slows the turntables to a halt.