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WEEKLYPRESS.COM ·
UCREVIEW.COM · JULY 11· 2012
A Philly DJ who stays true to his Roots: A profile of Champé Simmons
By Nicole Contosta Staff Reporter
R
ude Boy DJ Champe´ Simmons learned his trade the old school
way. From original Jamaican Rude Boys who taught him how to spin with old 45 re- cords. In fact, according to tradition, the way people refer to DJs today is incorrect. “The DJ was the person who called out the songs on the mic,” Simmons explained. “The per- son who played the records was called ‘the selector’ and that’s what I am.”
Champe Simmons. Photo: Nicole Contosta
DJ Simmons is also one of the last of his kind. In a world where “DJ’s” play pre-selected play lists from their laptops, Simmons carts his extensive record collection from venue to venue. Like his trade, Sim- mons stays true to his roots by playing a mix of Reggae, Rock Steady, Dance Hall, Skank- ing and Ska. With a French father and Jamaican mother, Simmons made his way to Cambridge, Mass. from Kings- ton at the age of nine. It was there, that Simmons began DJing at the MIT college radio station during the late 1980’s. From that point on, Sim- mons’ life has never veered far from music. By 1993, he
played his first Reggae festival in Queens, New York. He was hooked and continued to play at many clubs throughout the five boroughs. Then, in 1996, while he worked as an in-house sales rep for VP records, Sim- mons received the chance to perform on stage with some of Reggae’s most revered per- formers. They included legends like Beres Hammond, Morgan Heritage, Beenie Man, Gregory Issac and Shaggy. By 2006, he had worked with legends such as Lee “Scratch” Perry (Bob Marley’s original producer). In 2007, he performed at the Bob Marley Festival in Delaware. “I don’t have an ipod. I’ve never owned a CD player. And I never will.” Simmons explained. “Everyone does everything from their phones today. A lot of people will tell me to get a computer but com- puters can crash. The worst thing that can happen with a record is a scratch,” Simmons explained. “Besides, records have a better sound quality and have longer lasting power.” Unlike a song that’s saved on a computer, vinyl is some- thing you can hold, something that can stay with you for decades, Simmons explains. And for Simmons, part of the joy his profession brings him, derives from the fact that the music can introduce listeners to things about the Caribbean culture and its history. Because for Simmons, the music isn’t just about the dancing beats
found in genres like Dance Hall and Ska. For him, it also says a lot about roots and culture. Take for instance Bob Marley’s message about living off the land. For Marley, “You don’t go out and buy corn, you grow it. You’re connected to the natural world,” Simmons relayed. Then there’s the fact that you can hear the influence of Caribbean music in other genres. “Look at the British invasion of the 1980’s,” Simmons explained, “The Police, the Clash—that was all influenced by Ska and Rock Steady.” Listening to reggae music also helps people feel better,” Simmons continued. “They forget about their troubles for awhile.”
DJ Champe1 Simmons cur-
rently lives in Philadelphia. He has established a following on West Philly’s community radio station, WPEB, 88.1 FM.
Simmons can also be heard EVERY THURSDAY
from 9 p.m.-midnight at Caribbean94. com. Now through October,
Simmons spins EVERY WEDNESDAY at XChange,
located at 10 South Twenty Street.
House of
Assembly. An Interview with House of Assembly-Mark Campbell
By Karimu Abena Hamilton Special to the Press/Review
R
eggae is an Afro-Carib- bean art form that was cultivated in Jamaica in the late 50’s and 60’s. Its rhythmic roots are grounded in sounds from West Africa, New Orleans Jazz and Rhythm and Blues. There are quite a few theories as to how this form of music was coined as “reggae”. Bob Marley is said to have claimed that the word reggae came from a Spanish term; the kings music and that reggae was derived from the Latin prefix Regis which means; to the king. Mark Campbell of House of Assembly expounds on this “The word Reggae means regu- lated rhythms for the God or King of a Great People. During the late sixties the music origi- nated as an expression of the Rastafarians as an appeal for
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