The DJ Ayres Episode

This week we are joined by DJ Ayres, co-owner of T&A Records and co-founder of The Rub, one of the longest running and arguably best dance parties in New York City. We talk about his start in Mississippi, the mid-nineties music scene in New York, building with Mark Ronson, Darshan Jesrani (Metro Area), and Dan Bayless (Escort) in college and how that influenced his career. Plus: How The Rub was started and the art of 'going in' and bringing the heat as a DJ, developing an audience and engaging the crowd, linking up with Turntable Lab and creating a movement. We also discuss the start of T&A Records and the origins of Moombaton (shouts to Dave Nada!), building a roster and making moves as a DJ-run label, ghost producers and EDM music, and why he started the Small Talk podcast. All that, plus dust and The Roots, Iverson, Marco Polo, Childish Gambino, Wale, Beyonce, catfish and December album recommedations. Thanks to DJ Ayres, it was a blast! He can be reached on Twitter @djayres or at djaryres.com. Aspiring producers, please be sure to check out the Beautiful People remix contest (more info here). Thanks to BrooklynRadio and Ishlabs.