Free 6Blocc
In the summer of 2012, Raoul traveled to Mexico for a multi stop tour. This was not his first experience touring the country: “When I go to Mexico, I get so comfortable because I’ve done three or four tours there now,” he tells DJ Mag USA. “Nobody stamped my passport,” he says, “but when I finally got to immigration, they told me that it’s my responsibility to get my passport stamped. Of course, there is a part of me that knows that, but when you’re in Mexico it feels so free, I just got really comfortable,” admits 6Blocc. Unfortunately, that sense of comfort was about to be stripped away and he was detained.
Once word spread about his situation, loyal fans from around the world expressed their concern for his well being and release. He had an army of support with events thrown in his honor via LA’s tight knit dance music community. Inspired fan art and hopeful messages reading,“FREE 6BLOCC” flooded his Facebook wall. He tells DJ Mag USA, “Money talks down there. It’s just a game that I got caught up in.” He was later released after the 30 day ordeal.
Snoop Lion
The 6Blocc moniker is known for its sub-heavy basslines, and reggae and dub influenced rhythms. So it was no surprise that one of his tracks caught the attention of fellow So Cal native Snoop Dogg. What Raoul did not expect was the timing of this.
“It’s a track I made back in 2006, which I put it up for sale on my Digital 6 label. Diplo really liked it, because back then he was playing a lot of reggae infused music. He played it almost every set. I saw him at the Winter Music Conference and he played it, and it was weird because he dropped it between all of this high energy stuff, like a breakdown, because it’s really minimal”. The track morphed into something much more than he ever expected.
“I guess somehow Snoop Lion heard it because they were working on an album together. He heard the beat and they actually completed the first two verses and arrangement without telling me at first,” he tells DJ Mag USA. “Diplo called me on a Sunday evening and told me they’re using my ‘Run Tune’ song on the Snoop Lion album and after we spoke I hung up the phone thinking, ‘holy shit, I’m gonna be on the Snoop Lion album!’” The track was reworked and renamed ‘Here Comes the King’.
The Junglist Survival Tour
6Blocc, under his R.A.W. moniker, has announced a return back to his sacred roots, jungle. He speaks to us about distancing himself from slower tempos, and putting focus back to higher energy drum and bass. “I felt like I ran into a dead end with dubstep, there was nothing more that I could do that would excite me. I always run away when things get too trendy and get back to the street level”
It’s obvious R.A.W. feels at home in the genre, which has been gaining popularity in the US due to the commercialization of “EDM”. Dubstep fans are now becoming d&b fans.
I think people are ready for it,” he says confidently. “I really want to keep pushing that word ‘jungle’. Back in the early ‘90s, jungle became a cultural thing here in LA, it was something that people took really seriously. Los Angeles has a really tight connection with jungle, and for me it feels good to get back into something that’s meaningful and not trendy.”
When DJ Mag USA ask about his upcoming tour he says, “It’s called the Junglist Survival Tour and I called it that because for me, it is pretty much survival. I’m doing what I want to do, and I know that I have to make it work because I’m going against the grain this time around.” He’s been keeping busy in the studio, managing his various labels, gigging and hosting his weekly
Sub.FM show, Heavy LA Radio, every Wednesday. Ready to take on his European tour, he’s also touching down in Belgium, Lithuania, Germany, Holland, Switzerland and France .
“Musically, as well as in my life in general, I almost feel like there is something else in control of it,” he share candidly as he signs off. “I don’t plan it out, I go with what I am feeling and I’m making the music I want to make.”
I n f l u e n c e s Herbie Hancock
‘When I saw his performance with Grandmixer DST on the turntables, I knew instantly that was a vision of the future.’
4 Hero
‘Hands down the best jungle musicians who can lay down some sweet chords.’
Egyptian Lover Remarc
‘West Coast B-boy electro specialist who laid down the foundation for underground urban electronic music.’
‘Untouchable breaknology warrior from the future. His tunes will last for centuries.’
E s s e n t i a l G e a r Emax II Sampler
‘I made my first jungle tracks on this keyboard sampler using under 30 seconds sample time total! Somehow I made it work and learned how to cut and filter breakbeats on it.’
Cubase SX 5
‘I started on Nuendo long ago and moved onto Cubase. Haven’t even thought of changing programs. Cubase is made for jungle!’
Electrix Vocoder Yamaha CS01
‘You can run any synth through this vocoder and get some insane sonic modifications.’
‘A vintage synth I learned on and still have. This tiny synth can make some super deep sine bass though! This is like my teddy bear from childhood... ha ha ha.’
djmag.com 063
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