Cardiff born Jason Farrell is a major DJ in the Welsh music scene. He regularly performs and has a wealth of experience. He has performed all over the world and has helped many artists get their music heard.
Check out some mixes from DJ Jaffa below:
We had the chance to ask DJ Jaffa some questions. Here’s how it went:
How did your journey with music start?
I got into Hip Hop through Breakdancing in 82. After being beaten in a battle by some BBoys from Bristol I started going to Bristol every weekend and hanging out with a crew called Bush Ploy. One of the members of Bush Ploy was a guy called Dennis Murray, he went on to be DJ Easygroove a pioneering Jungle DJ. By watching Easygroove DJING, he started out playing Hip Hop and Soul. That inspired me to start DJing myself. I started DJing in my local youth club before I had turntables of my own in 85, when I got my own turntables the first gig I did was in 86 at Rudys Donut Stall in Queen st, Cardiff.
What music are your listening to lately?
Bang Belushis new album, Mace the greats EP, Blue Citys album are some I’ve had on repeat. I get sent a lot of music every month so music has to have something special for me to give it multiple plays.
You are a prominent name in the Welsh Urban Scene. What drives you to be so active?
Firstly, I absolutely love music. Old, new, it doesn’t matter as long as it’s good. I’m not one of those stuck in the 90s type of guys who say “music was much better back in the day”.
I’ve always embraced new trends in Black music. Don’t get me wrong, I love 90s Hip Hop as well as 80s and 2000s. But for a music scene to Stay alive it has to evolve, morph and grow.
What artists do you enjoy listening to in Wales?
Mace, Unity, DW Smith, Benji Wild, Manlikevision, Yazmean, Dirty Alex, Magugu, Faith, E11ice and many more. I try and keep up with as many releases as possible and give them a play on my radio show, This That & The Third, which is a one hour MixShow I do bi-weekly on Radio RapTz based in Paris.
What inspires you most?
Creativity, I love to hear something with a twist. If I hear a great edit of a well-known track or a great beat flip in a new track or a great bar that makes me rewind the track. That’s what gets me hype.
Where have you performed? What are your favourite venues?
Just about every venue in Cardiff. I’ve DJ’d in the Chip Shop in Brixton, Brixton Academy, every major festival in the UK. I did a week DJing in a shopping centre in Hong Kong, I did a mini tour of mainland China, a festival in the north of Spain. I think my favourite gig of all time was on the China tour, I DJ’d in a club called Mingos in Beijing. It was a rooftop, open air, nightclub that started at 6pm and finish at 6am. It was me, my friend DSK and the promoter who were the only DJ’s for the night and we played everything from Hip Hop, Funk, 90s House, Reggae and everything in between.
Can you tell us about the last gig you performed at before lock down?
The last gig I did was at my residency at Peppermint, Cardiff. I’d play there most weekends playing RnB, Hip Hop, Afrobeat and Dancehall. It was a great gig as the venue never tried to micro manage the DJ’s, they just let us do our job.
Do you have any upcoming shows?
I’m doing a couple of sets for the Inkspot fundraiser that’s happening soon and I’m doing regular sets on Twitch.
Which famous musicians do you admire?
My top 5 DJ’s are Jazzy Jeff, J Rocc, DJ Premier, DJ Spinna and DJ Scratch. As for artists, I’m a massive Earth Wind & Fire fan, Stevie Wonder, Gang Starr. But mostly I’m into records more than artists.
What one person in Hip-Hop/Rap that has inspired you the most? Why?
DJ J Rocc, I loved the fact that has such an open mind when it came to his DJ sets. He literally plays anything that’s funky. I love that.
How do you see Hip-Hop/Rap changing in the near-future?
I think after all that has be going on since the murder of George Floyd, I have seen and can see continuing more conscious and political rap, Which is great.
What’s next for you?
Continuing with my radio show, more Twitch sets and eventually get back to DJing live in a club. That is my happy place.
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