DJ Rectangle taps into the vibe

DJ Rectangle aims to keep his shows as spontaneous as possible.

So much for shaggy-haired maniacs, falsetto-warbling comedians and reality TV singers.

"The producer is the new rock star," says DJ Rectangle, aka Scott Kluesner. "Or the DJ, or the combination of both."

He's not being egotistical - just pragmatic. It's hip-hop producers who are more sought after than rap stars, he says. They make more money because they're not necessarily affiliated to one record label.

Kluesner, an American battle DJ, producer and remixer, has his own label, and he is in demand.

He recently DJ'd a private party with Nate Dogg "at this really nice mansion" for about 100 people, and has headlined gigs of up to 2000 fans.

He's also Warren G's full-time DJ, and has produced tracks for Snoop Dogg, Xzibit, Dillinger and Jurassic 5. And when he's not exhibiting the skills that earned him the title of DMC Champion in 1993, he's finishing up his first original album with guests including Eminem, the Liks and CrazyTown.

"I think the best producers are DJs," he says, on a solitary drive from Vegas to LA. "Most people that make the hit records in hip-hop have been DJs or they're very familiar with DJ'ing, like Dr Dre. It's a natural progression."

That's because DJs experience first-hand how people respond to music, he says. If you DJ for long enough, "eventually it translates to your production".

Kluesner's first foray into hip-hop was as a 15-year-old living in San Diego.

He can't remember who gave him the mix tape, nor exactly what was on it, but he does recall the blending of two songs as "the most incredible thing I'd ever heard in my life".

After a stint as a DJ at a local nightclub when he was just 16, he made his name as a battle DJ. Alongside his DMC win he claims to have released the world's first DJ battle record.

Since the mid-90s, Kluesner has released several party-friendly mix cds that favour West Coast artists. Last year's Who Framed DJ Rectangle, for instance, was a 31-track, scratch-happy journey through the Game, 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg, Fabolous, Ludacris and the late B.I.G and 2Pac.

Once you factor in the licensing costs, that can make for an expensive profession. Occasionally he'll hook up exclusive cuts from people like Dr Dre and Eminem - the rest of the time he'll wait until the music ages to make it easier on his pocket.

"I invented unskippable scratching on vinyl, a lot of visual things," he says.

"If you're just playing records and you've got your head down, it's boring but if you do it with one hand while you're drinking a beer, you're giving them something interesting to look at. I've invented quite a few visual stunts similar to that, and I see a lot of people today copy the same things.

"I never do the same show or plan a show, I just vibe it. I do tricks but if I'm feeling more of a club vibe, I'll do that. I think if you kind of structure it you mess it all up."

Who: DJ Rectangle
When and where: Fu bar, tomorrow night, with local support from DJ Sir Vere, DJ Manchoo and the DL Crew (Logikal and DVS)