Scotchy and Jon Deck. Photo by Geoff Mills.
For many who grew up skateboarding, hip hop and punk have always co-existed and collided together to form a distinct ethos. DJ Jon Deck, co-founder of A Tribe Called Red (now known as The Halluci Nation) is bringing that back to Ottawa by combining the genres at a new live mashup event. Deck joins fellow DJ Scotchy in performing as Fat Wreck Lords, a spin on the independent punk label Fat Wreck Chords.
“We’re just having a fun time and trying to get out stuff that we grew up to and stuff we love,” Deck says. “It kind of goes back to that throwback vibe of like, ‘Well, if I’m playing Wu-Tang—I’m playing old skate punk—stuff I grew up skating and snowboarding to.” Scotchy says skateboarding culture is where he, too, first heard metal and rap played at the same time.
As of December 1, Fat Wreck Lords have been bringing hip-hop heads to the Dominion Tavern’s mosh pit each Thursday night.
“Jon’s a really amazing hip-hop DJ—he’s well known in the city, and I’m pretty well known in the punk community,” Scotchy says. “So, it’s like, we’re just kind of combining our forces together.”
That fusion is a dream come true for some Ottawans. s a m, an Ottawa street artist, started going to Deck’s shows over a decade ago. She says there aren’t many shows that play old hip-hop like Atmosphere after Limp Bizkit or Slipknot.
“Jon Deck is really good at bringing back all your favourite classics that you forgot even existed,” s a m says. “I never realized how much Jon kept me dancing through some of my hardest times and always tries new projects, venues, parties and creates unforgettable moments in our city.”
“A community asset”
Deck’s DJing all began with frequent trips to New York where he started collecting 90s hip-hop records. He discovered a favourite style in those records, but he also stacked up on old funk, country, and experimental jazz albums. He reminisces about those older days, but says hip-hop is starting to revive itself. “You’ve got all these guys now from New York, Buffalo, kind of doing that again. So, it’s kind of turning into a really nice time with hip-hop again.”
Deck’s part of it, too. For the last year and a half, he’s been DJing for Gatineau rapper, Mindflip. He’ll be touring with the national Top 40 artist again in the spring. On top of all of that, he’s currently hosting a residency at Craft Beer Market on Saturdays and continuing to DJ at Chateau Lafayette on Sundays.
Jon Deck and Scotchy. Photo by Geoff Mills.
“Throughout his career, Jon Deck essentially evolved with this scene as well. Like, way, way back in the day he used to host at Barristers,” s a m says. She adds that since those times nearly 20 years ago, Deck has always kept events going, which is “what makes him such an asset to the community.”
Back in 2007, when Deck co-founded A Tribe Called Red, he had no idea that his organically-grown Ottawa show, Electric Pow Wow, would take off. He says he’s proud that the group opened the doors for other Indigenous artists and paved the way for powwow-step.
“We did not know how big that was going to be and what it would turn into and the first ones were insanely slammed,“ he says. “We were just like ‘what the hell like what’s happening?’ We were throwing a party and now we’re on the news, getting interviewed by MTV … it was a crazy time. It became that big because we weren’t trying to do anything.”
“When Tribe popped off we definitely did something huge. And it helped, right? It really helped other artists. From there, there were so many more producers, rappers. We did something special.”
After his split from A Tribe Called Red in 2014, Deck toured with Juno-nominated hip-hop artist Ghettosocks, worked with others like Grammy-winning EDM DJ Diplo, and made some mixtapes. Ottawa, the city that shaped his style, is often overlooked, the DJ says. “There’s incredible artists here…. We’re better than the average. We can pull up and play with the best, and that’s how I feel about Ottawa. I think Ottawa made us unique and very, very good.”
Mindflip and DJ Jon Deck. Photo provided.
Now, he’s ready for new challenges, describing himself as someone who always strives to get better at mixing and being more creative. Additionally, he’s learning new transitions and fades according to the different styles they play with Scotchy. The pair compare their Thursday night event to A Tribe Called Red’s Electric Pow Wow since it has a similar party feel paired with an original mashup concept. They hope it can reel in some of the same success, too.
“We’re trying to do something different in combining the punk rock and metal with hardcore,” Scotchy says. “We’re trying to make it like a DJ night, but more like a live event, you know. We’re trying to get that feeling of mosh pit camaraderie and just having a good time with the good old music that we liked when we were skating back in the day when everyone was listening to punk and hip hop at the same time.”
Fat Wreck Lords spin every Thursday night, with free cover, at 10 pm at the Dominion Tavern. Follow DJ Jon Deck and Scotchy for more details.
