DCist Interview: Major Lazer
It's not every day we get to interview a cartoon. OK, we've never interviewed a cartoon. But that ends today with Major Lazer, the creation of DJs Diplo and Switch. The Major's cartoon backstory is that he's a Jamaican commando who lost an arm in a secret zombie war in 1984. He was rescued by the U.S. military, who replaced his arm with a laser, and now he flies around on a rocket-powered skateboard fighting monsters and partying a lot. He owns a dance club in Trinidad and makes dancehall and ragga-influenced electronic music sung in Jamaican patois, with help from friends Diplo and Switch.
Major Lazer's had some funny press recently, too - photos have been distributed of him hanging out with Jack Nicholson at a Lakers game, Angelina Jolie, and Rihanna. He also has his own iPhone application called iDrum: Major Lazer, where users can remix the songs, and there are two amusing videos for "Hold the Line," with Santogold, dancehall star Mister Lexx, and lots of cartoon action, and "Zumbie" featuring Andy Milonakis (NSFW).
Diplo and Switch are both known for experimentation. Both DJs worked with M.I.A., Switch is a noted remixer, and Diplo helped produce and popularize the Brazilian baile funk genre, which combines samples and dirty lyrics in Portuguese. The duo came together for the Major Lazer project, and the first album, Guns Don't Kill People... Lazers Do is out now. They'll be at the Rock and Roll Hotel on Saturday with Matt and Kim. Unfortunately, it's sold out, by try Craig.
After the jump, we talk to the Major himself via email.
So how did Diplo and Switch find you?
Yuh mean yuh waan know how me find dem. Mi did link up wid Switch in Trini, and vibe jus flow from den.
You lost your arm in a secret zombie war in 1984 -- are there any secret zombie wars going on now?
Nah man. We lick off all di zombie dem inna 84.
Why'd you decide to go from zombie killing to music?
As a yute mi used to deejay sound system and dem ting deh, and me had di idea inna mi head from long time, suh when mi link up when dem yute deh, mi jus decide fe mek it happen, zeen.
Are the lazers helpful with your music? How about doing everyday stuff?
Yeah man, di lazers dem wicked yunno! Mi use dem fe cook mi jerk chicken.
In one of the songs, someone sings "me am zombie from Kentucky," but you're from Jamaica, what's that about?
Bwai fe some big time magazine yuh nuh gwaan too bright, yunno. What about di song have to do wit whe mi come from? And Lexx chat bout 'bush to di bone, mi fresh from California'? Me nuh undastan dem tings deh my yute.
So are zombies fast or are they slow? Different movies show different things.
Zombie nuh have nutten to do wid speed. Is ah living dead man ting, zeen.
What do you think of all the zombies in the media lately? Movies, books, and so on?
Anyting fe ah man mek ah dolla, mi cyaan mad wid dat.
Why Lazer and not Laser? Is that the Jamaican spelling?
Ah nuh you Merican people whe change every ting innna Z, Z, Z? So how di man dem stay pon my case?
For folks not familiar with it, can you explain the Dutty Wine, the dance contest you're having?
Ah dancin competition yunno. It deh pon Youtube. Sen een yu best video dancin to one of my record dem and yu can win some big prize. Or prise, fe di fool fool Yankee dem.
And there have been photos sent around of you hanging out with Angelina Jolie, Rihanna, and courtside at a Lakers game with Jack Nicholson, what's the story with that?
Jack Nicholson ah mi fren. Angelina ah mi fren. Di naked ting wid da one Bajan gyal deh, ah Photoshop ting dat.
What do you hope to accomplish with the album?
Bwai mi nuh know wha yah chat bout. Whe every man hope to accomplish? Me waan sell ah million and tun movie star, bredrin.
Who or what influenced your music?
Ah yard mi born an grow so me lissen nuff producer and sound system and dem ting deh over di years so mi infulence come een from old school producer like Digital B and Sly and Robbie and dem man dem straight up to di new ting, Di Genius and Daseca and dem yute deh.
I've been hearing about a rocket-powered skateboard, how'd you get one of those?
Yuh nuh see mi have lazer arm my yute. Mi can get anyting.
And finally, would you recommend other people get lazers for arms?
If di govament aguh pay fe dem ting deh, run go get it. Ah dat mi seh.