Facebook Pixel

DJ Rate's Recent Rap Picks Playlist

With an all-star hip-hop lineup tonight at Exit/In for Red Bull Sound Select with Mick Jenkins and Smino, we had to ask DJ Rate to hook it up with a killer hip-hop playlist to set the mood. Check out it out!


DJ Rate's Recent Rap Picks


Hear DJ Rate's set tonight at Exit/In... RSVP and info below!


And now, a little more about the curator in our latest segment of:


Do615ive Questions Featuring DJ Rate

Interview by Lindsey Thompson


Do615: How did you come up with the name DJ Rate?

Dj Rate: I used to write graffiti in high school and "Rate" is the word that I chose. The reason was because I happened to like to write the letters in that particular word. I don't know that I would have chosen this as my DJ name but when I stared DJing, I was a senior in high school and my friends called me "Rate" anyway so it just stuck.


Do615: How long have you been in Nashville?

DJ Rate: 30 years!


Do615:  What is your opinion of the Hip Hop scene in Nashville and how does it compare to other cities?

DJ Rate: To be honest, I don't know much about the local hip hop scene in other cities. Obviously I know about the mainstream scene in other cities. Nashville doesn't quite have a mainstream hip hop scene yet. Key word being '"yet!" I do believe that it will happen soon though. We have a lot of talent here! I think the majority of the hip hop acts here were never taught how to get themselves out there to be seen on a national level like the rising country music stars and rock bands out of Nashville. I see all of that changing these days. A lot of them are now getting agents, managers, publishers etc and booking shows in other cities all while putting out quality projects including mixtapes, videos and official releases on major music platforms. Also a key detail that has been missing in this city that attributed to other cities' hip hop scenes succeeding is coming together as a whole instead of trying to make it on their own. Take Atlanta for example (the closest and most obvious example): the scene has been working together since the early 90's and are now arguably the biggest local hip hop/rap scene in the U.S. All of that is changing here as well. The scene has took note of this and are trying to work together as a whole to get national shine and I think its going to work! I'm involved in a show that will be announced soon where you will see exactly what I'm talking about. Tons of local talent all working together. Writing, rehearsing and sharing ideas for a big show called "Elevate Nashville" that's going to showcase a lot of talent on November 3rd in Nashville. Be on the lookout!


Do615: How did The Boom Bap come into fruition?

DJ Rate: Nice years ago Case Bloom and Coolout approached me and said that they wanted to do a party where we could play the music we all loved which was old school hip hop. I had recently "retired" from DJing around that time because I did a weekly hip hop event for a few years prior and got tired of the grind and was just burnt out. They told me that it would be different though. They had an idea to have four DJ's on two setups this way we could all work together and play off of each other. I liked this idea! We started the party a few moths later at the Blue Bar. It went great and was well received right from the beginning, also it was so much fun! After a year or two at Blue Bar, Coolout and Case moved to Philadelphia. Coolout parted ways with the party but Case and I kept it going in Philly. Case and some awesome local Philly DJ's handling DJ duties usually while we worked together on booking and bringing new ideas to the table. When Case moved back to Nashville two years later we started doing The Boom Bap at The 5 Spot. With the show being away from Nashville for a year, people were really excited when we brought it back! We started traveling and at one point were doing The Boom Bap in Nashville, Philly, Miami and Atlanta every month. We aren't taking The Boom Bap on the road but we do plan to again in the future. I must say, it's been quite a ride so far. I have met and DJ'd alongside some of my heroes that I never thought I would get to even meet, let alone play records with!! Also, I have met the most amazing people and DJ's whom I didn't even know existed before this. The constant huge crowds that we get at the event and the recognition that we have gotten in this city has been absolutely unreal! Case and I are forever grateful for this. We never thought in a million years that The Boom Bap would be this big! We were just happy to see some people come out that wanted to hear us play the music we grew up on.


Do615: What's it like working with Red Bull?

DJ Rate: I believe the first event that I did with Red Bull was in 2013 when I competed in the Red Bull Thre3style event in Nashville. Since then I have done recruiting for Thre3style, DJ'd their annual "Red Monday" party and performed at several RBSS shows. It's been great! They are an awesome company that has really unique "out of the box" ideas in all areas. With Thre3style they give any bedroom DJ a chance to compete on a National level and really make a name for themselves if they have the skills, and many have! I'd have to say that my favorite event I have done for Red Bull was DJing the Red Monday party that they threw last year. Red Monday was a party they threw in early January for the local service industry to celebrate New Years since 99% of the service industry is working on New Year's Eve. The party was at an undisclosed 10,000 sqft warehouse in Nashville on a cold Monday night. Red Bull hired all local contractors and decorators to completely deck the warehouse out! They had Jaime Lidell perform and Case & I DJ. They invited all of the Nashville service industry to come party at this "secret" event where EVERYTHING was free!! All the drinks, all the music...FREE! I thought that was so cool! It was their way of saying thank you to the people of the city who sell their product day in and day out. Red Bull didn't have to do this by any means but they did and to me, that speaks volumes about a company.