In 1999, Z-Trip, along with DJ P, dropped a now classic mixtape titled Uneasy Listening. Cut into four segments, the sonic collage fearlessly merged numerous genres into a seamless blend. Uneasy Listening was an indie smash, paving the way for the now ubiquitous mashup.
Underground flicks like Scratch and Brainfreeze, the DJ Shadow/Cut Chemist performance DVD, immortalized Z-Trip’s talents. But the California DJ isn’t done innovating. He’s now altering the typical DJ gig. Besides live drummers and a cast of MCs, his set uses the latest in video technology, including a VJ who manipulates imagery on a massive screen.
The visuals on this tour feature clips from the video game All-Pro Football 2K8, the soundtrack of which contains tunes from Z-Trip. Whether he’s pairing metal with old-school rap or synching sound and vision, the dude is a mixmaster.
This article appears in Aug 8-14, 2007.