Ghetto-Tech - Ethan Brown

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CALLING OUT AROUNDTHE WORLD. ARE YOU READY FOR A BRAND-NM
BEAT? IN DETROIITHE GIRLS WITHTHE BUMPS ANDTHE PUMPS SHAKETHEIR
RUMPSTOTHE SOUND OF GHETTO-TECH. CAN YOU FEEL IT?
BY ETHAI{ BR('YyN
he Bras l(ey Club seems Ike the lst place on ealth you d
expect to find a new breed of electronica emerging: The
rundoM stfip club is on an inner-city Detroit. street so
deslate you could imgine tunbleweeds roling by.
But alrnost every night, lhe Brass Key rocks to the beat
of Ahetlo-tech, the latesl srund io eherge from a city that
always seehs to be innovating new musical styles, from
Moto$n io the psychotic punk of lggy Pop to the agit'pop
ofthe MC5 to the 21st century luludsm oftechno, and, most
rccendJ, the absudist sickcnp of Eminem-
Anive too edly al the Brs Ket! dd you could be at any tilty
bd in the Unit€d Slates. Stdpp€F IsUessly perfom theb X-rated
conloftions on a long rDway with flashing lighis, shile a DJ plaJs
twical lap-dece fodder like R. IftIy's "When a Woman's Fed Up."
Well pasl midnight, however, something incredible happens:
DJ Fles, a short, shaved-he3d€d, gaptoothed young nan outfitied
in a FUBU irscksuit, takes over the derka. Inside ne'(x's cra.bped
booth perch€d high above the stdppers, he brings R. Kelly's
snooth gmoves to a halt. "When a DJ'B fed up," Fles announces
cfrer the PA strtem,'1,h@ aint shit you ce do about ii "
Riflinsthroush seveml cmtes ofrecords, Fles pulls out
G@rge KI@'s eely''80s electrc clssjc "Din Du Da," slaF it
on the tuntable, and jack ii u! to an abnormally speedy 45 rpm,
transfonjns the sonds Tbutnnic chant int a Minnie Mouse-fke
squeal. On the other turntable. FIea cLres up a r2-incb froni the
Metalheadzlabel run by drum'n'bass don Ooldie. Then, C
Trl.. lF6 rh. 5.cx.r.t (cr4Lwr- rEE roe biF c.rt
ch.ndr.r.. wu m@Fr rumo .rr.|dh' I,, Fr.ro.i D, ob@
D on dek hrxnarr ch.hdr.r wtErrh, .nd .r..nn'.
Photoqlaph3bylNILcs

nnl)hbahh Flcspedectll nixesrhrruiT
neck. pfemillcnnial dnrn h,bass trnh rhe
(;cfmanirl[st disco etecrro.
\\h!t's hapFning oh rhe Brass Ke].,s
funwal is e\en nore mind-bloeins.
tJpon hearing the ni\, thc sript4rs bend
orer g.ab ihen.ankles, and *isgle !hcn.
runps into a rlujrerins Iiehzi. sehding
the Brass licJ's patrons scrambling for
Suddenlr a frield of Fles's appeds nt
tlrc booth. imnticrlh {avinga rccord...}b,
! lcxx,lou gorta plal rhis: 'be Iells or.r
thc din. l los ihslrcrs thc rinJt, ptaces it
on tle hrrntablc, and listens tu it on his
headthones. A hnge grin creeps aooss his
lice, and he hdngs the song 18-iear old
gherb tech prodigt l)J Disco Dis iiwherf
ThcI At?" into thc mi\. ..wllere mJ .logs
ali where nv husrlcrs at? Wlere nv plar''
eNatl" intones, deep. henacihs lojce on
tho r€cont. The ho\'ler-har {eannA, g.td
me.lalln)n spofting h,sses at the Bfass
Ket ansNer lh. song's call, raisihs rheir
tluLs ol.hnnpagne in apprclat.
nce onlJ.'the soundrrack il) a nighi ol
boolx ogling in clubs like rhe Bfnss
Iie$ eheti&Lech lus bcco e the soun.t
oi Drhlit, hi{d nos at rbe dtJ-\ r?Ios
and nish.cluhs, and even on oainsrrcan
It& B,tip holr sations like ihe highl). rate.l
ur.ILB 1r?.1,.lhough it ofr.n incor.I)orares
druh n' bass, hjp hop. and Miami b!ss,
Ahetto tech is essehrialtJ a fusjon.frhe
rrunchy \rics and sped up bealc ofgbetro
h0use pr.duc€rs like DJ t\nk ahd rhe
techno bass ofDetfoit artisrs tike scotr
(;rooyes, rvhose femix of parliaocnts
''Mothehhip Connecrion" sf,q a sortdq,jde
Ghettolech enersed in lhe earlX,90s
when Dethit radio nixjocks tike WJLB,S
Gafl'' Chandier trking a cue froh sr.ip
dub D,ls like Flexx began nrixihssnch
techno reco s as Juan ArkinJ classic
(rr''botron track Clear" trith Miahi bass
rccords like the hison Cla.'s ,,Shake What
Ya MlDa cavc Ya" !t absufdh high
speeds, Like ganesta |at, gheurrtech
C
[00ty Aill ffi [tAt A film0ffflt $Aitpttfl
ol Assaulr Lfl&rh.rarft. €r.ctro,
funk/Ass.u I n b t prcb'bty rh. rin.sr !h.to_
r*h .rbum out tlerc, rrdarr.Fur:/Q bingr
ro!€h.r th. huric s ncr t.scMou. cuc (ik€
'as3.n-Iihi.t" "Ho.: G.t r{skod," .nd ,&r.,
lislin") int Ep.u.i *ith .n uninl.,nina ny hit.r
skrl rrch lh. €€rti5py Ass'lt
'oue
hihsctt
(.h.cr oul a Rc.t Nr.$z p.Ep..riE,, in $tch
th.Drdiecusr.itFdm.Ehc.b.tu.i.rfiy
sr 6nd a arc.k tsnn. h .t.o rs.luE I mn_
dcrtur. 6nry.ii.D.rEir dd .rh! tu.. Arkins rrop_
D' D|SCO o C.nd ltr.r rrrr 12 {co.r.-
hin,rod) rnd rh. oaoD EP (it!n: D,5
pdu.rjon .rdk h.6 r m.rlErr Ft and rh.
ttoa" rcieisc.d "|Nn r€ Th€yar?".€m,
lke .i 6byio6 6 ot|X blr rh. 18-F.rord
Dl a€ knft h@ 'ifi
ro nrit . etcny h6k lnd
th. srun..$n6 or .Fuk rh.t r.jck Dff.
3h6 fEt oi. ro.n h* pl€.ty 6t F.!ni*.
o, GoDFATHER t Lr.r rl.t.E [r rn
no@, rdhrri.c co txddy (D.i.b.3r): codtdn./.
try.r pe'sr is mn. r@ ir .Ertn!,
rnd h. cdld @. pFducdon*i4'd nk ||l D€'
or. rid€ tr.ck hrE . eihish. qo.rit dDt ooer
p€@durt homy th.to-l*h r'.ck....t iolch.
DlFUxx6,t.|'ofloErbr''Dr'2
(o.hc.tuni'):Cht..9o.b*.dqh.tio.hout.
n.rr.r ol Funk p.Ed lh. *!y tor th.to.t*h,5
.rr.incrustE $n.ib riy wior tr.e. b,ini..t clrrr
whi.h bre I rrit trb.h ehpr€. ot D.n hlnk,
ln. c.p 6.nd, Am..d lAn H.tds, $d s. .
$und birc ot John B.bsni r .horhi.c ir oEr
unli||..yil'sm,.3Fch'M/r'@d,Hd...
fioE inlfution .bolt k * tu ods c.h h.
fo!"d .r wsuhnuo.ffi, ot th.r.,n b.
@Ed t@n R..otd fttu, .t (a1o) 77r155O

is ruled bI a handirlol thducef. rr(l
rccod'label oqrefs. ihdr,ln,s IrJ l-sd'h
tnd DJ c(llfrthei innfr orr c fftte
neurs \hose nri\ oll,rsinfrs ra\r1 rnd
slrcf! sm,.ts hrs.un.rLlhfD l,i{ 11{,1
rel)s rs \fllrs lhrl\rng srrxll rIsin.:s.s.
r).J .\riulr \f!r,,l,lliaig \.h,ns)
'l,j
is pefh!r'i rherr' ft'dr'i rDrr \isibl€ iiree.
He lx- ferdr|terl l,)!rl tr Aherto re.h s
:rfil) rl!r, ! ,ri: ir: Irrr. he mafkers his
Ele|lf ;r.rL \.sirlt Ri11,, r,lfrn,s likc
_H,ir
1;fi \rl.rl rn(l -l)nk bJ $c
Puri t:r' triLh rhr n'il, (lLrl)s
''Il i { r lniz C.nrC tbrd fecord, {e'11
fr !. .r rhnf libels l.lemo pt€ssinss ibr
lr.l. !:i i rake them .lo$r t.r the st|it
.r:l -. e\t)Lir. Aslult. r chunkl B lror
r l' , JDik: snh rhr s,na, sibihn! list) rh,t
r,rke: his ftlis on songs likc'Ass n lil
lh€ i{k{ olnud llstinghis Druhass label
(lcuses incldins thr ehetto tech classic
''Plaver Hate.s in l)is House in suil
lrs sr(h t{rlcrse l)k'asurcs. "StriDchrLrs clubs. -Sone ghetio tech DJs(ant lo iest
rrf rr rnrtiflrnt because iheJ-\i11take a ihen reco|ds witl' soippers, hesals, hut
.!r(
'!, r,nder|4ound I think the grls should t€st their r/r,16- t{)
''Trr. !tfl. l,^e our rnusic. igrees D,I nJ Fcorls.'Putling theif diitcring nrr
l; ,liir::'f rLa Bfirn .lelfries, 2;l). F,!- kf tins strutrsies usiile. Assault and Godtil
rlieri. :r. rIf fr.r.r thr be(tcr Anrlour ther reccnrll untcd to lbrm Gheito Tek
rhn n ,r./ liLrt l;.{lhth€rchuckl€s at Distribution. a companv thel hope will
bringltteniion (ahd re.otd sale, to ghett!
lech fron l)e\old the Nltn0f ( itr
Ii l(! d sales arc anr i.dn rt,)h. (;dlfalhfi
Assrult, and olher ghcrtrrbch aiisls
could rcplacc bNs tlves likc 9t South and
the 69 tlolz belond the cit\"s bo ers.
"Ghetto iech sells tuster than house.
t€.hDrpreitl rDuch anl1hing $e stock,
erlhins Mikf Huck,br nanrgef oitbe
dance room al lcgendar) I)ciroi! rc(ord
shop ttecord Time. Klar Ap!leberr), a
bul?r {ho speciilizes in ghetto iech atthe
Detroii recor.l shop Danon\, concuN:
''We can l ever$bins fron R&B to claasic
soul, and ghetto-rech anages to consti
luteaholl?0 l)er.ent of oursales.'
ln othcr cities,lhc hir!hori, R&tl, and
rave scen€s tcnd to be
'nusicrll!
(and
mcialll) stratified. nakins ghetto tech\
all encon'passins lesthetic seem rerolu
lionarl, lDrticuladl in a cit) {ith such a
t(,1ufous his!).J ol face rehtions. \'e 1l
ncak anllhinc," oJTcrs Ar)r)leb.q,
\\'f ll
speed up an Ii&lJ traek..the latlst tunc
bv Master P \\ hat€vef \orks. {e-11 do it. '
AJn then, rs if to prore gheito iech s C
vaRrous, tils ttF.ohr
i.r) IrD! ft Mdq 3nrr..,
rdAr.t lL ra^|G sp.do6..d
.r.ilqIr.. ta Evid|ith.mrr
l@r. FtOn 3mu& Ao.c d[t
ron A*ii..nd r(!|tl snnd.|$,
TEian r [b.t dfi' D.dqk r.r b
d oror. HotTn'dt or Dddr
b.lhs fl ririgYoui.rnc'|De
LnE'Yq I h.ri $d Drrd( f.t't
@b.olStnil.olLt'6E lt
DETAIS TEST-DRIVES FOUR INTERNATIONAL TECHNO MODELS.
FAn soNrc. | (r!r.) IIDC rr
tuilqHnr.hdr rGs e,
Ghs crdlns . \5lrr, ||orci
$ou!: Ln|b.r tllk tlnlo dd
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r{th ddD ihr . r.Nl
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..doi ot th. boottch Dnoon\
Crn Or.l,.,k . Dl (h.n, ATlm
lla..d Blz2 O,O., h.r dr. hud6d
Eld$. Fdr hi. b.h.
fiFirStYoun.RErDs ure
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rit $o.ridn, s*d.n InE
Ctob+dld.rcrollk .C.ddy
wiih . ch.na..nb ndn.r lorDi
!|olls: hld Pl.i.t'. Slmn I l|.n
hl{..ndbkr.lt.lrFld h Ht
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n

eclecticism, Appleberry answers a question about the sound's
mots by grvirg props to strip-club DJs, 2 Liv€ Crew hstermind
Luke, and U.K. el€ctronica prcducer SqDarepNher'
Can ghetto-tech transcend Detroii's ciF limits? Gabriel
Shuldirer, an A&R and sheet represeniai'le of Ashalwerks
Records in New York Clt]:, thinks so Astnlwerks is ttte label
respoBibl€ for breaking The Chemical Brodlen dd Fatbov Slin
stateside. 'Sbettctech i6 a brilidt challeng€ to a lot of nualc out
ther€," Shuldiner contends. "Like bi8 beat or trance, it will become
an important subgenre of electronic mNic." And unlik€ t€chno
tufore it, gherto-tech benefits from massive honeio*n support.
Ircnical\t the Metmplet lhop that Atkins opened to much fanfN
in 199? clo*d just a few nonths aJt€r it was crt€d in the national
lress as a srmbol of Delraitk techno renarsmce. "Thev didn t
carn ehough ghettGtech," Dis@ D surmises. DJ tufather C!€s
eren tunner '"@ple think Detrcit is techno ctty," h€ sals dismre
sirel!:'but it's actDally ghetto-iech oty"
rhe
For
rime being, ghelLo tp.h rehains. well_kcpt Dcrroir
l
sFL ldsply b.euse gherlGl,ech records ha\ e yet lo @pr
I
tlp ${d sryle pDergy or a live DJ se(. Gherl,o tFch fnFbe&
I Garv Chandl.r's f.eneric.ur and-mix sryle and ability lo
brea} new nusic on his *eekend mix show on WJLB have earned
hnn the l.ind ofsiatus that DJs like liuhnasbr rbx eDjov in New
York Citt4 But outside Detrcii, his nane escapes recognitiot ft'on
even the most discerninq electmnica hesds Chandler hopes to
Eise his prcile wilh a series of DJ dat€s abrcad. (Stranse\l botit
ghetto-t€cb ed ghetto-house @ hugely popdd in Berlin. In fact,
Atari Teenage Riot frontman Alec Empire rccently brougbt DJ
Fhnk over to Gmany to spin with him.)
Chandler invites ne to wilness an inpmmptu nix s$sion h€'s
arnng€d wiih his ten prctage, prcducer DJ Ds.o D, who* tracks
m in heaw rctation on the citys popdar ghettet€ch weekend mix
shom. WlE I arrive at his tiny brick house in the sleepy Detrcit
subu* of Southffeld, Chandle4 a hulhtg 31_ye3{ld man wit} t}e
toarDe ofa club bouex $€€ts me at tlre door with m impGing b€ar
hug. After dEctinane to r€move my sh@s, he ush6 ne inio hjs living
Inon. Its waDs re overcd wilh Sold ed platinm lwrds (pr€snt€d
to ChanUer by Death R )w and Bad BoS among other labels),
in thanks for supporting va.rious artists'rcleases on his WJLB
shN. I follow O)andler to the ba^senent, wherc he intrcdu@s me
i, D, a lsky*hit€ hd whos hmds s€em io b€ perp€Urally DJ ing.
After e8aing eacl other on with lla}{ln insults (Chandler cals
his pmtege "Cdso D"), Chan.Uer takes over ille tmtables in irue
gheito-tech f$hion. nirdng Motricat syrupy ballad'Angel of
Min€" erth the spstic blips and bleeps of the lat6t release on
Atkins'iecbno lab€l, Meiroplex. The pair discuss a ghetto-t€ch
remixtheyhaveinmindforbluesmancla€nceCarier'sclsic C

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