After Paul Johnson and K Alexi Shelby, our next installation in the Legends Of House podcast series comes from the hands of New York icon in house music: Mr. V. The creator of such tracks as Jus Dance and sweaty hip-hop anthem Da Bump, his own Sole Channel label and myriad collaborations with peers from across the field.
Mr V is also known as Victor Font, and experiencing his magical DJ sets, original productions or remixes is like taking a trip back in time to dance music’s golden age. It is with this classic sense of spirit and enthusiasm that New York City’s Mr. V targets today’s dance music world as a throwback to a better time. Growing up in the 1980s the open-minded Mr V was heavily influenced by house, hip-hop, Latin, garage and disco classics, rhythm & blues and jazz. Mr V was enticed by the role a DJ commanded over a crowd and was taken by the talents of his friend Lord G., who had a weekly Thursday night party in New York City. Despite wanting to be a professional DJ, it wasn’t until he met the legendary Louie Vega that he found his calling.
Louie saw the drive and potential in Mr V and hired the young Nuyorican DJ/producer as his assistant at the world famous Masters At Work label, and in this position he was given a rare insight into the global dance scene. Before long he was taking to the decks alongside his mentor and is now one of the top DJs in his field. In addition to his busy DJ schedule and ever finer production credits Vega Records, King Street Sounds, Flamingo Records, Defected Records, Play It Down, Strictly Rhythm and many more, Mr V launched his own label Sole Channel Music as a way to release music with complete control and artistic freedom.
Like with every LOH podcast, we asked the artist 5 questions:
According to you, what’s been the most defining moment in house music history?
Depends on who you ask but my defining moment was meeting Todd Terry, the guy paved away for house music to dominate radio waves on many occasions and his records are still played everywhere today. Truly is a pioneer of the sound we all love.
Can you tell us a little something about how you envisioned your mix for this series? What’s the musical message you wanted to portray, if there is one?
There really is no message, I just wanted to play songs & tracks that got me into house music and inspired me to really get into this with two feet.
What would you like to see changed in today’s dance music scene. And why?
I think more organic productions, way too many people using pre made music stems and not creating from the heart or at least trying… also that answer also applies to a lot of these DJ who play sets that are strictly just 1 sound, i’m from NYC where the music changed constantly the entire night.
Which record will never leave your gig bag?
Mr. V – “Jus Dance” The original mix!
Which record should every self-respecting artist know from front to end?
Anything by Masters At Work, Todd Terry, Marshall Jefferson, Frankie Knuckles, Ron Hardy or Larry Levan…. seriously. If I had to pick 1 song.. it would have to be “Follow Me” by Aly-Us on Strictly Rhythm.
