Sort:  

Yes, I think collage is an advanced art form, or language communication of substance, and DJ is an arranger and compiler, texture-er of sounds. I heard that even Van Gogh made collages. Yes DJ is artist.

Hmm...interesting. I was thinking it was more of a skill. Nothing is created in a sense. The machine is there, the effects can be done and is just waiting for someone to do it. I had to bring this argument from facebook. It's a fun argument though. I like how you put that..."an arranger and compiler of sounds..." Interesting.

Sound is eternal, sound is time... And because we can't grasp it, it flies beyond the bounds of product... I think it's hard to make music for money... But some music knows no bounds, and here we are... What I mean is the product is the action, the wider influence an artist (DJ) makes by choosing to act on the impulses inspired by creative will...thus freeing up the collective incentive to act in harmony with life, is like as valuable to the community as any recording of music...thanks for the opportunity to explore my articulations

I like how you put that. So the creativity is his unconscious/conscious impulse if you will to guide the sound...At least that's what I'm getting.

Yeah, music is like a river that flows through me like a song leads to another for a key or a rhythm or a image association, like songs stuck in my head make a playlist (just me)

In a sense, nothing new is ever created. At least since the creation of the universe which we know little about, everything seems to just be energy switching states.. ^^

Art in my opinion is just us combining things around us in a consious way. That makes DJing a very nuanced art. There's a lot of consious decisions beeing done and that's why it's also very appeciated.

Examples to be more clear on my point of view. Highly subjective of coarse!

If a mountain is really beautiful it could be appreciated LIKE art because it looks as if it was created by consious decicions.

If something is created by our subconsiousness I guess that could be seen as similar to collective art as it's probably influenced just as much by others concious decitions as everything else we do conciously which makes all art collective art because we're all one peace love and unity 420

logic!! haha!!

I think art, as beauty, is in the eye of the beholder, not the communicator.
The word 'artist' has definitely been warped to the point that it could mean anything! Dont ask me tho, I did a post claiming birds singing is art once I've recorded them!! .. the hypocrisy of that concept!! ...Now THAT is art!!!! haha
Also, what is a dj? I dont consider myself a dj at all, because I couldnt give a s**t what anyone else wants to hear!!!!

HA HA...lmao. Your logic is funny but DOPE. Hey...we gotta talk about that though man...Birds' signing is an art?? Come on Bro...isn't that reaching a bit?

haha!! Its not just reaching it a bit!! The art becomes the asking of the question "is this art?" and 'artists' have been playing that shit out for years!! For me, either everything is art, or nothing is! Depends on my/everyones mood! as I say, its 'in the eye of the beholder'. An artist has to justify what they make is art, a creator just creates. And each side seems to want to be seen as the other. ... Thats enough 'thinkin' on that subject for me tonight!!(5am) haha.

True indeed. But Jam Master Jay was also a producer.

A really short, but effective question. I do think a DJ is an artist. For a DJ it is the art to create a good vibe in the room, to create a set that will bring the people in the room from A to Z, get them to really enjoy, and I mean, enjoy the music, not each other. There are so many DJs around, and a lot of them think they can create a great set, but there are not so many that can create a great set, almost every time when they play IMHO. Being a DJ is therefore definitely an ART.

Hmmm....Well why not is it just a skill, though? In perhaps which one can just be "very skilled"?...

Good question. In anology, you could then argue if a painter is an artist, or a scilpturer is an artist. The activities are in the end also a skill. A good DJ creates something unique; He/She doesn't just play recorded music, but creates something new, every performance.

The original foundation of djing is unquestionable considered art, i.e, scratching, juggling, and etc. Whatever the modern DJ is doing could still be considered art because it's also their responsibility to engage the audience with the appropriate music. Granted the technical aspects may be laughable, but it's still considered art. Whether they succeed or not is a different issue. Hip-hop heads will disagree. I could say the same thing about a lot of "rappers" who are unfortunately still classified as art. I can also say the same thing about those who doodle on toilet paper and those who take photos of mundane scenarios. Skill is not necessarily required to create "art". All objectively a certain degree of art. Subjectively, the majority is not art.

How many times have you heard "that's not hip-hop"? The unfortunate truth is that it is indeed hip-hop, just not under our personal preference and definition of hip-hop. For example, have a listen to "Rapture" by Blondie. Wouldn't that be classified as hip-hop to a certain degree? The same applies to djing.

Hey... I love this comment, it brings some things into focus for me... If I can share, there is a quote it reminds me of... This is part of a story called ten bulls, I inherited this old book from my dad, and it has some dogmatic aspects but the perspectives are underrepresented in my life and that might be why it has such personal value for me. So the part that your comment reminds me of is the segment titled the taming of the bull -- maybe because asking a DJ if she is an artist is like trying to tame the DJ, be she male or female, or undefined... You mentioned this "All objectively a certain degree of art. Subjectively, the majority is not art." Anyways, here is the excerpt : " 5. Taming the Bull -- The rope and whip are necessary, else he might stray off down some dusty road. Being well trained, he becomes naturally gentle. Then, unfettered, he obeys his master. Comment : When one thought arises, another thought follows. When the first thought springs from enlightenment, all subsequent thoughts are true. Through delusion, one makes everything untrue. Delusion is not caused by objectivity; it is the result of subjectivity . Hold the nose ring tight and do not allow even a doubt. " ( 10 Bulls by Kakuan, transcribed by Nyogen Senzaki and Paul Reps, illustrated by Tomikichiro Tokuriki) I guess I wanted to examine these statements closely together to observe the similarity of the subject matter... :)

Excellent quote. Very fitting and relevant. I'm going to have to look into 10 Bulls by Kakuan now. Thanks!

Thanks for your good insights.... those take focus. I dig it

Very good answer. Leaves much to be considered. Thanks for that.

I think that depends on what the DJ is doing, if its just playing tunes in front of an audience i would say no, but if he/she is being creative in the way of producing something new, i would say yes. But then again you could also call such a person a producer. :D

EXACTLY...You got it. You would call them a producer...and my thing is...a producer is an artist in my opinion. That was my biggest argument on Facebook. A DJ simply spins records for the most part...Yeah they may switch it up, slow it down, even queue it in at the right time...BUT....where is the creation of a new element within all of this?

Hm i dont know at some point i would say its something new, but thats not easy to specify without having an example to explain it one.

I think turntablism is very much an art!!!
I wannna also stick up for 'real' djs tho, everyone thinks they are a dj, but real ones are few n far between!!! That is def an artform!! By that, I mean those that 'read rooms', those who push the boundries, those that make it a performance and those who are so crafted in what they do, that they create great things!! As a beatmaker, the dj is very much an extension of what I do!!

Just want to pay respect to the real DJs ... Agree few and far between: clarify I am not one of them, at least not the way I consider real DJ to be...but music making is a part of my life, deeply inspired by the different interpretations of old rules for producers, for radio disc jockeys, and as the years progressed, the beat makers and hip hop artists...

"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet"