DJ Sheriff Rosco
Presents Top Billin'
How did you first connect with Triple R?
After years of listening to Stewbakka and Bias B on their various hip-hop shows (Wordburner, The Formula), I eventually began filling in for them on the odd occasion alongside my friend MC A-Love. Once Bias and Stew decided to move on, the timeslot was trusted to the Top Billin' crew and we've been holding it down ever since.
What's your favourite Triple R story?
This actually happened last night. While we were on-air and deep in the mix of some serious hip-hop tunes, we began receiving phone calls from people telling us that someone was talking over the music. As it wasn't coming from our studio, it took us a minute to realize that someone had accidently gone on-air in another studio and pre-recording voice overs for another show. We invited this person, who shall remain nameless, into our studio to explain to listeners exactly what was going on and we all had a good laugh. What was most surprising is that it wasn't us that had messed up for once!
Your favourite other Triple R program and why?
‘Can You Dig It?' Why? Because Gavin holds it down every week with the dopest music! His taste is varied, yet he covers the genres of hip-hop, soul and funk like no-one else in Melbourne. His extended interview with US producer and label owner, Peanut Butter Wolf, was one of the best things I've heard on community radio!
What does Triple R mean to you?
Triple R is a very supportive organisation and friendly environment. Hip-Hop can be a very sensitive issue for most people and quite often ends up with you being pigeon-holed or misunderstood. On Top Billin' we are so focused on supporting the real hip-hop scene and the station is very appreciative of our efforts, which is quite an unusual experience for a bunch of hip-hop boys who are used to copping flack from everyone. Triple R gives hip-hop the respect it deserves, which you won't find on many other stations, so we couldn't be happier about that.
The studio door has accidentally jammed shut with you stuck inside. If there was only one CD in there with you what would you want it to be and why?
I would have to say R. Kelly's, ‘Trapped In The Closet'. If you are not familiar with this, it's described as a ‘hip-hopera', and is basically an hour of R. Kelly ranting non-stop about gay lovers and strip dancing midgets hidden under the sink. You can watch all 12 songs and their film length video on youtube. Yes, it's so bad it's good! This is the basis of the Tom Cruise / R. Kelly South Park episode about Scientology. How did this man ever become popular? Yet another thing to be angry at America about.
Give us a bit of an insight into what goes on behind the scenes at Top Billin'?
Well here at Top Billin' we obviously have very high standards as far as playing the freshest hip-hop around and interviewing some of its most interesting and talented stars. However, on the odd occasion things can go a bit awry.
Such a show will usually consist of Son-Zu arriving 30 seconds before air. After playing 20 minutes worth of music from CD-R's with no tracklisting, we will attempt to back announce songs that we have never heard and have no idea what they are called. The use of untitled CD-R's can also result in our intro being played at random any time throughout the show. This has to be my favorite unconventional broadcasting technique!
‘What more can I say?!'
For those unfamiliar with what the name ‘Top Billin' refers to, click here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_Billin'
