BIO

As a dj and avid vinyl collector, Shawn has spent over 20 years honing his skills of music selection, taking listeners on a reflective journey in every set played. Amassing a database of vinyl true to the deepest of digger’s taste, they are played in a unique way every time. Helping run Human Head Records for the past few years and throwing or playing some of the best parties in town, especially when it comes to vinyl-centric, Shawn is an integral part of the record community of New York City.

@shawndub365

Can you tell us a little bit about the mix you’ve put together for us (where it was recorded, the vibe, etc.)?

In a basement. My girlfriend and I set up a nice little space for us to enjoy music. So yeah, I recorded it there in the comfort of my home. It's an ode to places that I've played. I miss the clubs. I miss dancing. I just miss the interaction with people. I love taking journeys. I don't think I know how not, to be honest, as far as playing, I like to go from one side to the other. It's a ode to Cedar room . An ode to Brooklyn because I love this place a lot.

How do you see the music you play and djing as a whole impacting the broader audience of today’s music listeners? Do I even make an effect?

Do I even make an effect? I don't know. I'm not necessarily trying to always please who's in front of me. I'm just trying to tell the story. I'm just passing down information. And so I don't know if that's for everyone. I feel like I wouldn't say a chosen few either. It's for the music lovers that want to go down that hole, you know? I'm kind of focused on my own orbit. So if people gravitate to that cool, if not, I'm not too worried about it. To be honest, the effect only happens when someone wants to be affected. I'm not running around trying to change the world with this shit. I'll tell you that right now. This world don't give two fucks about us, but the people around you might. So I just want to be available for those people, but I don't need to go running after them either. I think when you go running after it, it never turns out right. I'm sitting back in the cut. We're in a world of options, man. It's whatever you can imagine or dream up, you can do right now. It's amazing. I think about it like that.

Through your mix’s diversity I can tell your 45 collection definitely goes deep, are they something you’ve specifically sought out to build a collection for or did it come naturally with just being around so many records?

I’m fortunate to be around a lot of records right now. I tell you, I've never been the biggest collector of 45’s. Once I moved to the Bay I started bringing in 45’s into my collection. Then when I came here to New York, it was just like, Oh, there's so many, there's just so much music that's just not on an album or 12 inch. Also just being around good friends like Sticky Dojah, Geo-logy, Butter (Mixtape Shop), DJ Spinna, Alston, Yuki and countless other homies who collect great 45s. 

It seems like what might be the first record / edits of your own was released on 45 via Toshi’s label in 2020, how did that come about and can we expect more from you soon?

Yeah this the is first thing I’ve worked on with Toshi. Hope to do more, sometime soon.

Listen to Shawn’s record: here

Tell us an interesting story about a 45 in particular.

Last year while working at captured tracks during the pandemic we had a bunch of records that we had already pulled from and got all the good stuff out of it. We were going to donate the rest and get rid of it I was asked to go through it one more time before we do. While passing through it I found a stack of a rare gospel record on Jeree’s Records called Clarence Grant Orchestra* ‎– There Is A God.

You played there often, what was one of your favorite moments from those nights?

My favorite night was a night that I didn't play. Mike Huckaby(RIP) was playing, which I missed most of the night. I caught the end of it, cause I was playing that night as well. I heard he started at around 10pm or 12am and he played until 10am in the morning. He banged it out the whole entire night, and then when he was done, he wanted to go get some breakfast. Toshi & I took him to a dinner down the street from cedar room. It was one of first times getting to hang and talk with Mike. Such an awesome person. I miss him a lot. Yuki’s birthdays are always Epic. She always gets the homies like Money Mike (A1) Kamui Chairman Mao and Monk One to play. Scott grooves played there a few times as well. Also The Last one with Ge-ology. Think it was the only time cops ever showed up. There’s been so many special moments in that Basement. I miss it.

You work at Human Head Records, how has working at a record store impacted what or how you play?

Working at Human head has definitely increased my knowledge of music. Records have always been my DJ weapons of choice, my work tools. I’m sitting on a nice collection at the moment. I feel blessed. Looking forward to sharing more of this music as I continue to collect.

Is it amazing to have first access to so many good records coming through the shop or is it a bit painful as if you want to always buy these records and it’s tough choosing?

No. I don’t need every record anymore. The records that i really want always seem to show up. There’s always going to be some unattainable records that show up at work. It’s more fun for me to see it up on the wall first for our customers to consume.  

How would you describe your musical taste?

Funky, I'm a child of the funk. Anything funky, don't matter where it sits. No matter the genre, doesn't really make a difference to me. I dig for the loops and the funk. Things got to have a rhythm to it. And that's me. I'm not really genre based.

What do you think or what do you hope for the future of vinyl and djs playing records?

I hope it stays as authentic as it can. I hope that it can be appreciated as the art that it is. I hope that we can appreciate records more than what we do now. So much of it started here. So much of it is here, but I feel like in my recent small travels, once you step out of the US, there's a bigger appreciation for records in other parts of the globe. It is changing here pretty rapidly though. Feels like there’s more people into records nowadays.

What is something you want a listener to walk away from this mix or you playing live and think or feel?

I would like the listener to enjoy the musical journey. Hopefully wherever you’re listening to this mix , you’ll have room to groove and think.