DJ Mick Boogie comes home for performance in the Valley
His mix tape ‘Viva La Hova’ layers Jay-Z over Coldplay.
Mick Batsyke’s career as a DJ began innocently enough.
His parents bought him a turntable while he was in high school, and after teaching himself the basics he deejayed a few dances and church events. But it was basically background music in halls where kids socialized.
After graduating from Poland Seminary High in 1996, Batsyke moved to Cleveland to attend John Carroll University. While earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees from John Carroll, Batsyke also took more and more DJ gigs. His talent blossomed, and the rest is history.
Today, Batsyke is known as Mick Boogie, and he’s one of the most-sought after DJs in the country. Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone and Spin magazines have all recognized him for his technical talent and song selection.
Mick Boogie is frequently called on by sports and music celebrities — including Lebron James, Venus and Serena Williams and Jay-Z — to play at parties. He was the house DJ at Cleveland Cavaliers home games for several years before moving to New York.
Musically, Mick starts with a base of hip hop and R&B, and mixes rock, reggae, soul, disco and other styles into his sets.
But he’s best known for his mashups — songs that combine several artists through technical wizardry. His most recent is the critically praised “Viva La Hova,” which layers Jay-Z’s raps over Coldplay’s atmospheric rock.
Despite being a regular at A-list parties on several continents, Mick Boogie still remembers his Mahoning Valley roots.
“One thing from Poland that definitely influenced me was my involvement in the instrumental music program in high school,” he told The Vindicator. “Symphonic band, jazz band, marching band ... I played drums in all of those during my high school career, and loved every second of it. Al Colella and Don Stimple were the directors — and among the nicest guys you could ever have as teachers.”
The Mahoning Valley will get its first chance to see Mick Boogie in action Friday night when he brings his DJ act to Downtown 36. In anticipation of the show, The Vindicator caught up with Mick for an e-mail interview:
Q. You have become a celebrity DJ, but what was it like in the early days when you first got started?
A. It started slow and for no money, like every good success story. I started doing college radio, which led to small parties, which led to big parties. That led to commercial radio, which led to mix tapes. That led to out-of-town events, which led to bigger and better venues. Which, years later, became what I am today.
Q. I have to believe that you always have songs in your head, and are constantly thinking about putting them together in ways that will move a nightclub, party or sporting event. What is your creative process? Do you experiment and “practice” before playing something new?
A. Yes, my head is nonstop music. Whether it’s something I want one of my producers to create, something I want to adjust on someone else’s song, or something I want to mix with something else at my next event ... it’s 24/7/365. I’d imagine it drives my wife nuts. Ha ha.
I deejay so much, that practice often takes place live at the event. Some of the best ideas and mixes are the ones that come to you in the spur of the moment, and take your event to the next level.
Q. With CDs from artists like Girl Talk finding their way onto the year-end top 10 lists of major music magazines, it’s clear that music mash-ups have become a legitimate art form. Talk about this emerging form, and your role in it.
A. It’s great, an amazing thing. One thing we do is we don’t make things just for the sake of making them. There has to be a logic to it, a reason, a spark of creativity. Girl Talk captures that aesthetic as well. Our “Viva La Hova” project made a lot of sense from many angles — Jay-Z and Coldplay are good friends, musical collaborators, and share a lot of the same viewpoints. So it was a perfect fit.
Q. With your personal projects and the nationwide travel, your life must be a whirl. What is a typical week like? How do you keep the business and personal demands under control?
A. Well, when it’s hectic, it’s definitely hectic. But it is also a blessing and super fun. I was gone for almost two weeks in November, including Thanksgiving. And that sucked. But you make it work for you. I was able to do amazing events all over the country, including Atlanta and something for The Grammys in LA. So I’m definitely not one to complain.
I try to coordinate things to work to my benefit when I can. For example, the week before Thanksgiving, I had a show in Detroit, where my wife’s family is from. So I had my Ohio-based family meet us in Detroit and we had an early Thanksgiving with both families, and it was fantastic. As far as balance, my Blackberry and iPhone are invaluable tools. I also have a great support structure of friends, including my deejay partner Terry Urban, who definitely helps keep everything together. Plus, my wife is the best: my No. 1 fan and my No. 1 critic, all-in-one, so that definitely helps.
Q. What can Youngstown expect at your upcoming show at Downtown 36?
A. It’s just going to be a good time. Expect everything. A musical trip. ’60s, ’70s, ’80s, ’90s, mashups, rock, disco, house, and of course, the hip-hop classics that helped me make a name for myself. I hope everyone comes out!