DJ Ai-va

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..For DJ Ai-va, the number one priority is musicality. Drawing his influences from Soul, Funk, Rock, Reggae, HipHop, Breakbeats,etc- DJ Ai-va extracts the essence of all these styles, blending and arranging them in a way that’s captivating and entertaining to his listeners. ///
After a few years’ practice at home, in 1991 DJ Ai-Va started playing at schools’ parties, small clubs and bars. In 90s DJ Ai-Va plays tapes (reel-to-reel tapes), later he switches to vinyl and cd format. In late 90s together with Ozols and Gustavo, he is one of the first and very few hip hop party DJs in Latvia. At the same time, he is starting to organize first hiphop events together with Ozols: parties in various clubs in Riga – “Pulkvedis”, “Jim Beam”, “4 Love & $”, “Ultra”, etc///
Has been organising many hip hop events such as Hip Hop Fest LV (2001-2006 so far), Baltic Graffiti festival, tours all over Latvia for local hip hop acts, first ever in Latvia Hip Hop and Extreme Sports Awards. Warm up for: Slum Village, Onyx, Guru, Wu Tang Killa Beez, Jazzy Jeff, Premier, DJ Cash Money, etc, and for many local hiphop live acts. Has also played numerous sets in popular Latvia and Baltics festivals, night clubs, bars and parties (Nautilus, Fashion Club, Pulkvedis, Piens, Illusion, Prive, Pacha, etc). Currently (for about 5 years) a resident in Latvia’s biggest and the most popular night club: „Essential” (www.essential.lv/dj/). Plays hip hop, r’n’b, funk, soul, breakbeats, baltimore club, mash up, etc ///
Also have resident nights in clubs: Pulkvedis, Amber Night, Piens and Mojo Cafe.
As a travelling party rocker, he has played in many countries including neighbouring Lithuania and Estonia, as well as USA (Chicago, NYC, California), Canada (Toronto), Sweden, Norway, UK and Germany. ///
Since 2000, DJ Ai_Va is producing weekly hip hop radio show: THE REMIX SHOW 97,3 FM (Radio QBS). Ai-va runs opened a music school (Rhythm Institute) - www.ritmainstituts.lv – with programms such as: cd, vinyl or radio DJ, music producer, vocals, percussions, etc ///
Has released various mixtapes such as:
Re:Imagined 2008,
Eastern Block 2003,
Beats of the year (2002 - 2005),
European Urban Hiphop 2004,
Converse Your Life (2006), etc ///
Supports/WARM-UPs-
BUSTA RHYMES
SPLIFF STAR
GZA (Wu Tang)
DJ PREMIER
JAZZY JEFF
Killah Priest
Slum Village
Onyx
Guru (Gang Starr)
Vanilla Ice
Young Buck
Lloyd Banks
DJ Cash Money
Wu Tang Killa Beez
Lord Jazz (Lords Of The Underground
non hip hop related
Digitalism
Kid Loco
Adam Ficek (Babyshambles)
Chris Geddes (Belle & Sebastian)
Gary Powell (Libertines, Dirty Pretty Things)
Events-
Resident/Host - MTV B-day 2007 (28 000 attended)
Resident/Host - Positivus Festival 2009 (30 000 attended)
Resident/Host - Tele2 Baltic Beach Party 2007, 2008 (62 000, 55 000 people at the fest)
Resident/Host - Undercover Moonlight Party 2007, 2008, 2009 (10 000 - 12 000 people)
Resident/Host – The City Festival 2009
Resident/Host – Baltic Graffiti Festival 2006, 2007, 2008 (5 000 - 8 000) (w/Mattafix)
Resident/Host – Hip Hop Awards Latvia 2006
Resident/Host - MTV Latvia Grand Opening 2006
Resident/Host - Dance Summit (main guests: Pete Tong, Dave Spoon, Admiral P, etc) 2007, 2008
Host - Ung08 Festival, Stokholm 2006
Resident/Host – Re:Loud 2006 With Latvia’s most popular artists
Resident/Host - Hip Hop Festivals 2002 – 2006 (local hip hop culture contest)
Resident/Host – Open Street sessions 2006 (hip hop and extreme sports street sessions)
Host – various open air party’s in Riga and Latvia 2000 - 2006
Has made edits and remixes for various artists.
He favourites these artists:
THE ROOTS QUESTLOVE JURASSIC 5 STEVIE WONDER KANYE WEST LUPE FIASCO ALICIA KEYS BEENIE MAN OUTKAST THE STREETS DIZZI GILLESPIE MUSIQ BIG L DJ NEIL ARMSTRONG BILL WITHERS ANTHONY HAMILTON COMMON JOHN LEGEND MARY J BLIGE NAS J DILLA A TRIBE CALLED QUEST PETE ROCK MOS DEF WU AMY WINEHOUSE JAZZY JEFF PARLIAMENT RICK JAMES TALIB KWELI DJ PREMIER BEASTIES HI TEK
and the list continues...
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