DJ Collector, selector, icon and one of the godfathers of the rare groove scene, Set The Trend, sits down with Desi G, formally one half of the "Original Bad Boyz", with his brother Barry White. Desi also graced the decks for other street sounds, Latest Edition, Touch of Class & Hi-Tension.
We discuss his Christian values, promoter techniques in the early days, and his years growing up in Brixton as a youngster listening to reggae music in the local shubeens before landing on his passion for that revival, soul boogie rare groove vibe, slow jams, to soul and boogie.
Desi G is undoubtedly one of the greatest selectors of our music culture, he would say "the greatest". It would be hard to dispute those facts whilst acknowledging an illustrious career spanning four decades, many of those as the undisputed No1. Hell, they even held a rare Groove Cup clash and ended up presenting Desi with the trophy, and he wasn't even there. Such was the admiration from his peers.
Desi G has broken many more records in the scene than he has found along his journey as a selector. His talent for spotting a hit is one of the skills that set him apart from others; his partnership with his brother Barry White was instrumental in keeping the scene alive, another hit built, another track for others to chase, and another two-step tune for you to dance and sing to.
An insight into a street sound culture that laid the foundations for many DJs and inspired far too many DJs to mention. When we talk about rare grooves and slow jams, we need to realise that back in the day, this scene was by far the most influential way of discovering and making hits.
Notable mentions:
FAZE ONE FM
KISS FM
JM
TOUCH OF CLASS
BOOKER T
FABIO & GROOVERIDER
FUNKY EXPRESS
BAM RECORDS
BIG GEE
CONTINENTAL WINE BAR
POWER JAM RADIO
