Fela x Pharrell – Happy Mentality
“Your mashup is brilliant! Best I’ve ever heard (and I’ve heard a lot!)”
– Rikki Stein (Fela Kuti’s former Manager & close friend of many years)
“We’d been waiting for this one to come along. Seattle’s dj100proof comes through with the inevitable mash-up of Pharrell‘s massive hit “Happy”
– OkayAfrica / Okayplayer
“The world is filled with both dark and light. Fun and serious. And that’s true of the music of Fela Kuti, the late Nigerian music legend. His songs were chock full of serious themes: Corruption and dictators. Upbeat? Yes, actually. And now, there’s room for more happiness in Fela’s music. Jeff Lawrence, a.k.a. DJ100Proof, came up with the idea of colliding Fela’s song “Colonial Mentality” with Pharrell Williams’ song “Happy.” Lawrence wanted to remix “Happy,” he says, and the not-predictable choice was Fela.”
– Marco Werman (PRI’s “The World”)
“dj100proof of Seattle has taken the jam to new heights by mashing it with Fela Kuti’s 1977 hit, “Colonial Mentality.” …The baritone sax is the bread and the trumpet melodies are the butter. That, coupled with Pharrell’s immortal good looks and affinity for musical gold, makes for a snazzy blend.”
“Among the most standout spin–off tributes to “Happy” surfacing from around the world is dj100proof’s Afroblend mix of Pharrell’s smash hit with revolutionary Nigerian musician Fela Kuti’s “Colonial Mentality.”
“These parts fit so well together, in fact, that you’ll forget that they’re from two completely different wholes…This is definitely one of the song’s remixes that you’ll want in your own collection.”
“Just when you thought you’d have to kill yourself to get Pharrell’s infectious new ear worm “Happy” out of your head, DJ 100Proof mashed it up with the vintage Fela Kuti track “Colonial Mentality” to transform the pop tune into “Happy Mentality,” the most welcome new Afrobeat single in ages.”
Usher ft. Nikki Minaj – She Came To Give It To You
The latest to flip Usher is one of our favorite blenders, DJ100Proof…While Pharrell’s ’80s-influenced production already made the original a dance floor filler, this blend bumps that up a few notches with a light, airy disco groove that glides and swings. Especially genius is DJ100Proof’s repurposing of the chorus’ backing vocals as a rhythm line among the shimmery disco songs, further marrying the tracks as one.
(R)awkward Phase
“Got the most amazing tweet from DJ 100 Proof yesterday. This mix is off the hook! So good! @dj100proof: If you listened to @1077TheEnd & @notmarcocollins religiously in the 90s, then this will make your day. My tribute.”
– Marco Collins (Former 107.7 The End Music Programming Director / Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee / Seattle Alternative Radio Royalty)
Backyard BBQ vol. 7
“Stuck in the office? My advice to you: get the fuck out of your chair, lay on the floor. Listening to this gives me sensory fantasies of pinner joint smoke and In-N-Out’s grilled onions on the way to Venice.”
– Lar Mizell, Jr. (The Stranger)
“The new dj100proof Backyard BBQ Vol. 7 Mix is perfection. Absolute perfection
– Dee Phunk (RareFormNYC)
Art Battles Seattle
“The Seattle ArtBattles event was more of a party than a typical art world event, complete with local mix-master dj100proof spinning hip-hop and funk tunes and a high-energy audience cheering the contestants.”
Jet Set
“DJ 100Proof, the man behind the man, turntable, record label or party, as the case may be. IMO Seattle owes him big-time for creating/DJing the ongoing Monday night ‘Jet Set’ rappenings at Capitol Hill’s Capitol Club.”
– Andrew Matson (Seattle Times)
“If you’ve been to a club in Seattle in the past year, simple probability makes it likely that you’ve seen these two [dj100proof & DJ Swervewon] at work. There’s hardly a day of the week that these local impresarios don’t find their names attached to a DJ showcase, club night, or concert bill, including some of the biggest hip-hop events in recent memory.”
– Todd Hamm (Seattle Weekly)
“In 1993, just prior to the release of Nirvana’s In Utero, a friend and I were walking down Broadway, talking through a list of bands we wanted to see that month, including Soundgarden, TAD, Heatmiser, Mudhoney, and Nirvana. It wasn’t just the sheer scope of our live-music itinerary that reverberated, but the fact that you could simply feel it in the atmosphere. It was a unique moment, and I felt fortunate to be experiencing it firsthand. I began picking up on a similar energy last Monday night while checking out the Jet Set at the Capitol Club, the increasingly popular night hosted by DJs Swervewon and 100 Proof.”
– Hannah Levin (Seattle Weekly)
Backyard BBQ vol. 5
“Encased in 100% Proof product (all design and photos courtesy of the man himself), the record is truly listenable from beginning to end. And with a proper mix of soul, funk, hip-hop, R&B, dub, and local sounds, you’ll be consistently entertained–not to mention educated, recognizing a sample here or an original version there.”
– Nick Feldman (Seattle Weekly Music Blog)
“If you don’t want to crank the AC but still need something to hit you in the face like a cool ocean breeze, check out my man DJ 100Proof’s latest mix, Backyard BBQ Part 5. It’s an annual summertime mix that seems to show up right on time each year and consistently get better.”
– Jonathan Cunningham (Last Night’s Mixtape)
“A perfect blend of old, new, and exclusives, 100 Proof’s mix creates a vibe that you can listen to straight through with ease. Proof also flexes his skills as a photographer and designer, as his presentation goes beyond the music.”
– The Roy Ayers Project (RoyAyersProject.com)
Backyard BBQ vol. 4
“To get prepared for the inevitable return to sunshine, your first step should be downloading the fourth installation of the Backyard BBQ mixtape series from Seattle’s own dj100proof…The mixing is fantastic, and the vibe is perfect for exactly what it sets out to accomplish.”
– Nick Feldman (Seattle Weekly Music Blog)
“You’ll know most of the songs, you’ll love most of the songs, and now you’ll have them in one spot… Hundy did a good job of picking songs that most people wouldn’t play at a backyard BBQ, but probably should.”
– Jonathan Cunningham (LastNightsMixtape.com)