JMG INTERVIEWS PAUL MICHAEL

JMG INTERVIEW

Your name is kinda sexy and unique is Paul Michael your real name and if not how did you come by it?

– Yes.  Paul Michael is actually my real name.

Who is Paul Michael and where are you from?

– I am a disc jockey/ sound selector/ media personality hailing from Providence, RI, a city located between Boston & NYC.

How long have you been in the business?

– I have been in the business for almost 20 years actually.  I started playing music when I was in high school for a college radio station that a friend was affiliated with.

I notice you tend to play mostly Jamaican music or a very vast variety of our music, when did you develop your obvious love for reggae and dancehall?

– I was first introduced to reggae and dancehall music at the very young age of 12 or 13. I immediately fell in love with the music. The first stage show I ever attended was Shabba Ranks and Richie Stephens.

In your years as a dj how have the people, music and musicians changed and is it a change for the better you think?

– I have noticed a shift by reggae and dancehall artists from doing cover versions and adopting melodies of pop and R&B songs to creating music with original lyrics and melodies.  This establishes reggae/dancehall as a form of music with it’s own unique identity and that’s a great thing.

– I do feel, although technology is a blessing, it may also have some negative impacts.  Because much of the time and effort a DJ would have to spend acquiring music has essentially been eliminated by technology, many of the younger DJs and soundmen have never taken the time to actually learn the music.  As a result, I am noticing a lot less foundation music is being played and I fear a lot of very important music will eventually be lost.

You tend to go in when you are on the mic, a little different than American Djs.  What influenced that?

–      I have been strongly influenced by the Jamaican sound system style of play, however, I do inject my own personality and style over the microphone, which is a little different than the traditional Jamaican sound style.  I tell jokes and do my best to create energy and entertain the crowd.

Have you ever been to Jamaica?

– This summer will be my first trip to Jamaica.  I’m excited.

We have so many disk jockeys now, what do you bring to the table that is different as a Caucasian from the boon docks more into the reggae side of the music business?

–      It’s true, there are more DJs out there now than ever before. We all have pretty much the same music and a lot of us have dubplates. One thing that separates us from one another is our individual personalities.  I try to arrange and play music and communicate on the microphone in a way that projects my individuality and allows me to convey my unique personality to the audience.  This is what differentiates me from other DJs. It’s less about being defined by race or nationality and more about conveying your unique personality.  I just try to be myself.

Have you ever been with a Jamaican girl sexually and how was it lol?

– Ha! Yes I have. It was good. I love Jamaican girls. lol

Right now, who do you think is the hottest male and female dancehall/ reggae artist?

– There are so many talented artists out there with really good music it’s hard to really choose.  Right now, as I am answering this question, I would have to say Tifa is the hottest female dancehall artist and Konshens has the hottest current dancehall music out there for male artists.

What are you like on a regular day, I’m talking about the real person under everything, what is your life like?

– I work hard but, in my free time, my life is pretty normal.  I enjoy hanging out with friends, participating in athletics, watching movies etc…  I’m a huge fan of American Dad, Family Guy and Game of Thrones.

Where do you see your career two years from now?

– Two years from now I will hopefully be travelling and performing overseas a lot more.  I would love the opportunity to experience the Caribbean and Europe.