Suprema
Occupation:
DJ/Producer
Background:
Becoming one of Los Angeles’ hottest DJs was never Suprema’s lifelong dream. She initially moved to the city of Angels to pursue her acting career, but her sincere love of all types of music and her natural ability to select and blend songs that move and inspire a crowd soon gave way to a different career path. After working on TV, djing everywhere from New York City to Latin America to Europe, and after a very successful stint at L.A.’s top radio station, KIIS-FM, she’s finally settled in Los Angeles for the moment. In the coming month’s she’ll be getting ready for 2008 and preparing to start brand new residencies at one of the hottest clubs in Italy, and new monthly event right here in Los Angeles. She’s currently Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s go-to DJ, as well Eduardo Lucero’s chosen music tastemaker for all of his fashion shows. Suprema has also shared the stage with some of the most notable artists of our time, including Erykah Badu, Common, Lil’ Jon, ?uestlove, the late Jam Master Jay. She’s also the co-owner of Supremacy Worldwide, a burgeoning entertainment/consulting agency based in NYC and LA.
Suprema
What professional accomplishments are you most proud of and why?
After 9 years on the 1’s and 2’s I am happy to be a well rounded DJ, well skilled DJ a seasoned DJ. I am happy to have attained complete creative expression, leaving behind technical worries and having my skills work for me naturally, innately, it’s a beautiful thing to be able to pefrom confidently from your proverbial “bag of tricks” It’s been a lot of hard work and it doesn’t develop overnight. I am most proud of having performed in the four performance mediums for DJ’s - Touring, TV, Radio and Clubs. Not many DJ’s have done all four.
Describe your songwriting and production processes and philosophies. What part does technology play? Keep it simple. Be content with your technological investment and exhaust its resources with your talent. Use only what you know well and create prolifically, if you yield one beautiful piece out of a thousand attempts then your doing as well as Beethoven or Schubert did. Myself, I create not to be great but to now develop myself as a producer and realize my own potential. Technologically my studio is a work in progress, Ableton is my next step however I love the MPC 2000xl and have had a great time sampling the songs I am able to affect using Torq’s features. Of course I feel very at home with the trigger finger and am also exploring interesting ways to manipulate various sounds and incorporate them into my beats. I use Protools LE for recording (a lot of bouncing going on).
Describe your personal studio and live/stage rig including all M-Audio gear. How do you use M-Audio’s equipment conceptually and procedurally? Why M-Audio gear? 2 Technics Turntables / 1 RANE 56 – I am getting the Pioneer DJM 600 as well / 1 MacBookPro TORQ / Triggerfinger / EX66 Monitors / Torq / Xponent (I always have this as backup in cases of faulty turntables and also when I need to make an immediate live recording of what I am doing. For example, designers need the real mix that is played during a fashion show in order for their video people to sync it up in post. Rarely do they connect a live feed. The X-Ponent is excellent for this.
Are there any M-Audio products that have allowed you to replace any older or vintage pieces? Any highlights or positive experiences you’d like to discuss? My EX66 monitors replaced my booty home speakers and I no longer need to use my Yamaha NS-10’s (Which I have no intention of selling ;-D)
When you tour, what does your laptop-based mobile studio consist of? When and how do you use it to keep up on current or on-going projects? I only use TORQ on my laptop, everything else is on my good ol’ G4 desktop studio.
How has using software like Pro Tools M-Powered, virtual instruments and effects plug-ins changed the way you make music? Which do you use? Have they helped you to better collaborate with other musicians and producers? Can I get some plug ins and virtual instruments??? I am really archaic with the sampling here. Haaaalp!!
What comments do you have about the aforementioned hardware and software you use? What usage tips can you share with other musicians? Discovering Torq has been the best thing that has happened to me as a DJ. Its super user friendly and it soared through my 186 gigs last year with flying colors.
How would you describe M-Audio’s role and accomplishments in the music industry? I don’t know any producers or DJ’s that don’t have a M-Audio component in their studio, not one. I myself started off with the audiophile 2496 soundcard in 1998 when I was on cubase.
What projects are next on the horizon for you? How do you see M-Audio products playing a role in them? I get asked all the time to do workshops for youth about DJ, so I am in the midst of creating a curriculum to break it all down for an after school program. Using Torq is going to make it easy for the young people to see, not just hear, what I am teaching. I have a mixtape coming out in July called SWANK through my company Supremacy Worldwide and am launching a new monthly club residency in Los Angeles so I always have at least one show a month in town. One LOVE to M-Audio
