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Thursday 8pm - 2am Friday 8pm - 2am Saturday 8pm - 2am

The Get Down

My Conversation With Prince.

It was Friday, October 30th, 2015. I was back in my hometown of Minneapolis for a show at The Union on Halloween. I had been visiting family all week, and decided I would go downtown on Friday night to catch up with some friends. I met up with John Nathanson around 11pm and we caught up, then headed over to The Exchange. After saying hi to the DJ, I got a text from my friend Ben Quam, the general manager...saying that Prince's people had contacted him and that he wanted to come check out the new club, but wanted a private place to sit. Quickly, I met Ben in the back stairwell of the Lumber Exchange Building with Prince's DJ... Dudley D. We proceeded to wait for his car to arrive in the back parking ramp. It was maybe 5 minutes later, and a black SUV pulls up….and there he was. Simply him, his driver, and a beautiful younger female.

To Minnesota, Prince was a Hometown Hero. The story of his rise to fame at First Ave in the early 80's gave downtown this sort of magical, mythological quality. He truly felt like a higher being of sorts. And through the years, his private parties at Paisley Park really expanded on his mythological Legend status. Especially after the Dave Chapelle episode. Dudley D would be DJing a lot of those parties, and I would hear stories from him about how amazing his performances were, or also about what kind of weird things went down. If you got invited to Paisley Park, you were part of an exclusive group, about to witness a Prince performance in a very intimate setting.

Prince was also known for never allowing photos or videos. When he went to clubs, he didn't want anyone to know he was there. I remember he came out to Spin in 2004 and Aqua in 2007 when I was playing at these residencies. It was always soon after a club opened. Both of these times, he sat behind curtains with his driver. Both of these times he sent the GM of the club over to me to request James Brown.

Ok back to the story. So we are walking into The Exchange. And it was at this moment, that I simply just HAD to take a video with my iPhone, no matter the risk. I wanted some sort of documented evidence that I had been in the same room as a musical genius. And this is the video above.

So...he sits down inside the club with his lady and driver acting as additional security to the club's security. Dudley D is speaking with him for about 10 minutes or so, and suddenly he texts me to come join them. Immediately, I got nervous. Butterflies. So I walk in....Prince and his girl are sitting up against the wall on some higher bar stools. Dudley is in front of them on a couch on the left side. Prince immediately waves me over here's what ensues next:

Prince: "How do you make money?"

Me: "I DJ & I produce music for a living"

Prince: "Yeah but who pays you?"

Me: "Well I'm self employed, the clubs I work at pay my agency and then he pays me. The labels I do production work for also then pay me a rate for the work"

Prince: "Ok you're cool. Sit down.”

For the next 15-20 minutes I had an intimate conversation between Prince, his girl, Dudley D...and myself. Dudley had been trying to sell him on the idea of having his latest album remixed by my brother (Gigamesh) and myself. He sent me the album a few weeks prior, and there were a couple of songs on there I thought would be really fun to rework. However, I also knew that when it came to Prince....remixes just didn't ever happen. He was very adamant about protecting his music. As far as I'm aware, he almost never allowed sampling. I'm also not aware of his music being synced in any sort of commercials. However, Dudley had told me that he was open to new things. So the next thing he asked me was what I thought of the album as it relates to music today. Having now DJ'd across the United States for about 10 years and in Minneapolis for several before that...I gave him my honest opinion. I felt that there were only a couple of songs that were strong, and it was those two that I wanted to remix for him. I also said that perhaps he could find a way to collaborate with newer artists or transform his sound without compromising it’s original integrity. He appreciated my honesty and was happy that I wasn't bullshitting him.

He then spoke about how it was up to "people like you" to shape and continue the "Minneapolis Sound". To NOT play music and make music that you don't believe in. To “start our own thing”. He said we should throw in music like James Brown or his new protege Judith Hill. We explained that as much as that sounds good on paper, it's much easier said than done. I just remember all I could hear when he was saying we need to make and play amazing original music with soul and funk…..was the trap music being played at the club we were sitting at! There's also the small little issue of us not being musical geniuses who can play 6 instruments, sing, and song write at a world class level. However, I was definitely inspired. I remember literally telling him I just didn't have those abilities, and he responded by saying...."make it happen”. He made me believe I could.

The remainder of the conversation was about his dislike for record labels and corporate radio and their power over artists. He talked about his battles with control of his music and said that we are in a new era. A new time. Where the artist can dictate and reach fans directly. Where musical creativity and expression doesn't need to be compromised.
Of course, all of these things are much easier to transcend when you are Prince.

He again stated the importance of us continuing the legacy of the Minneapolis Sound. Then the lights at the club came on. He said good bye, and that was it. Dudley said he would be in contact with him regarding the remixes.

I wish that conversation could have lasted 5 hours. It seemed like only 5 min, but it had been about 30. I left the club that night and was texting all my friends and my brother. Hadn't felt that inspired and moved in a long time.

A special thank you to Ben Quam & Dudley D for that moment in my life. I will never forget it!

04/22/2016

The Get Down's fav DJ Joe Maz spent some time with Prince!

My Conversation With Prince. It was Friday, October 30th, 2015. I was back in my hometown of Minneapolis for a show at The Union on Halloween. I had been visiting family all week, and decided I would go downtown on Friday night to catch up with some friends. I met up with John Nathanson around 11pm and we caught up, then headed over to The Exchange. After saying hi to the DJ, I got a text from my friend Ben Quam, the general manager...saying that Prince's people had contacted him and that he wanted to come check out the new club, but wanted a private place to sit. Quickly, I met Ben in the back stairwell of the Lumber Exchange Building with Prince's DJ... Dudley D. We proceeded to wait for his car to arrive in the back parking ramp. It was maybe 5 minutes later, and a black SUV pulls up….and there he was. Simply him, his driver, and a beautiful younger female. To Minnesota, Prince was a Hometown Hero. The story of his rise to fame at First Ave in the early 80's gave downtown this sort of magical, mythological quality. He truly felt like a higher being of sorts. And through the years, his private parties at Paisley Park really expanded on his mythological Legend status. Especially after the Dave Chapelle episode. Dudley D would be DJing a lot of those parties, and I would hear stories from him about how amazing his performances were, or also about what kind of weird things went down. If you got invited to Paisley Park, you were part of an exclusive group, about to witness a Prince performance in a very intimate setting. Prince was also known for never allowing photos or videos. When he went to clubs, he didn't want anyone to know he was there. I remember he came out to Spin in 2004 and Aqua in 2007 when I was playing at these residencies. It was always soon after a club opened. Both of these times, he sat behind curtains with his driver. Both of these times he sent the GM of the club over to me to request James Brown. Ok back to the story. So we are walking into The Exchange. And it was at this moment, that I simply just HAD to take a video with my iPhone, no matter the risk. I wanted some sort of documented evidence that I had been in the same room as a musical genius. And this is the video above. So...he sits down inside the club with his lady and driver acting as additional security to the club's security. Dudley D is speaking with him for about 10 minutes or so, and suddenly he texts me to come join them. Immediately, I got nervous. Butterflies. So I walk in....Prince and his girl are sitting up against the wall on some higher bar stools. Dudley is in front of them on a couch on the left side. Prince immediately waves me over here's what ensues next: Prince: "How do you make money?" Me: "I DJ & I produce music for a living" Prince: "Yeah but who pays you?" Me: "Well I'm self employed, the clubs I work at pay my agency and then he pays me. The labels I do production work for also then pay me a rate for the work" Prince: "Ok you're cool. Sit down.” For the next 15-20 minutes I had an intimate conversation between Prince, his girl, Dudley D...and myself. Dudley had been trying to sell him on the idea of having his latest album remixed by my brother (Gigamesh) and myself. He sent me the album a few weeks prior, and there were a couple of songs on there I thought would be really fun to rework. However, I also knew that when it came to Prince....remixes just didn't ever happen. He was very adamant about protecting his music. As far as I'm aware, he almost never allowed sampling. I'm also not aware of his music being synced in any sort of commercials. However, Dudley had told me that he was open to new things. So the next thing he asked me was what I thought of the album as it relates to music today. Having now DJ'd across the United States for about 10 years and in Minneapolis for several before that...I gave him my honest opinion. I felt that there were only a couple of songs that were strong, and it was those two that I wanted to remix for him. I also said that perhaps he could find a way to collaborate with newer artists or transform his sound without compromising it’s original integrity. He appreciated my honesty and was happy that I wasn't bullsh*tting him. He then spoke about how it was up to "people like you" to shape and continue the "Minneapolis Sound". To NOT play music and make music that you don't believe in. To “start our own thing”. He said we should throw in music like James Brown or his new protege Judith Hill. We explained that as much as that sounds good on paper, it's much easier said than done. I just remember all I could hear when he was saying we need to make and play amazing original music with soul and funk…..was the trap music being played at the club we were sitting at! There's also the small little issue of us not being musical geniuses who can play 6 instruments, sing, and song write at a world class level. However, I was definitely inspired. I remember literally telling him I just didn't have those abilities, and he responded by saying...."make it happen”. He made me believe I could. The remainder of the conversation was about his dislike for record labels and corporate radio and their power over artists. He talked about his battles with control of his music and said that we are in a new era. A new time. Where the artist can dictate and reach fans directly. Where musical creativity and expression doesn't need to be compromised. Of course, all of these things are much easier to transcend when you are Prince. He again stated the importance of us continuing the legacy of the Minneapolis Sound. Then the lights at the club came on. He said good bye, and that was it. Dudley said he would be in contact with him regarding the remixes. I wish that conversation could have lasted 5 hours. It seemed like only 5 min, but it had been about 30. I left the club that night and was texting all my friends and my brother. Hadn't felt that inspired and moved in a long time. A special thank you to Ben Quam & Dudley D for that moment in my life. I will never forget it!

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Telephone

(443)7083564

Website

http://www.getdownbaltimore.com/

Address

701 S Bond Street
Baltimore, MD
21231

Opening Hours

Thursday	8pm - 2am
Friday	8pm - 2am
Saturday	8pm - 2am