2023 has been a whirlwind to say the least! Starting out with the celebration of being included in a mural painted in Philly celebrating Hip Hop and some of it’s loved practitioners to ending it with the final travel date of the year in Salt Lake City combining my loves of both film and music. From embarking on 3 Japan tours to making overdue returns to Beijing and Shanghai China and Seoul Korea to building my monthly New York residency at Studio 151. All while being able complete projects with Record Breakin’ and The Preservation Project labels for cassette releases. But what would a year be like for a DJ, traveler and music lover if they’re not able to write about the things that they love in print magazines? With all of the up’s that happened throughout the year, there are sure to be a few down’s sprinkled in between that threw a bump in the road which disrupted otherwise happier times. But with that being said, it’s been an amazing year in general with unique and unexpected experiences being had, new people being met who have become like old friends, more passport stamps and a ton of frequent flyer miles earned. But it wouldn’t be a year ender if I didn’t catch up with the homie and Skeme Richards documentarian, Mossimo Chao for his annual catchup and chat. So let me pass the baton over and we can start the show.
Mossimo Chao –
I’ve been following Skeme around for years now both as a fan and a friend and have been putting pen to pad interviewing and documenting his stories and travels. As one of the most interesting people that I know, Skeme is a unique individual with broads tastes and interests, some you would expect while others not so much. As a lover of life and culture, art and traveling, trying to find someone who isn’t a celebrity or silver spoon recipient as well rounded and connected as he is, is almost impossible. He’s known to know the who’s who that’s making moves far off of the radar of those in the political circle of the industry, yet his circle are the cool kids that eventually get noticed via social media and suddenly become accepted. It’s the age old story of the jocks versus the nerds where the nerds always win in the long run. Being famous has never been his thing but presenting things that are dope and personal to him are the reason why you most likely know who he is and what he’s about so it’s an honor to have the opportunity once again sit down and talk with him about the past year and what to expect moving forward.
Mossimo: Wow, it’s actually been a year since we last caught up longer than a few minutes and talked in length and detail but just like always, you never stop moving and always seem like you have something going on which is great. So many people can but don’t but you have an will seems to be the reocuring theme in your life. You never waste a creative moment or talent when it’s time to put things into motion.
Skeme: I’d say that I attribute that to being a one man operation. For myself it’s being an artist and creator, manager, booking and agent then doing outside things like writing reviews on the Nostalgia King site or magazines like Disco Patricks Hot Stuff and OG Press Magazine. There’s only 24 hours in a day so I try to fit as much in as possible while still getting enough sleep and relax time in which is valuble to ones health.
Mossimo: Speaking of creating, you’ve really been going heavy with the cassette tape releases over the last few years. What did it look like for you in 2023 with your output?
Skeme: Every year I always think to myself that I haven’t done enough and then when the year is over, I’m like oh man, I don’t think I could’ve fit more projects in. But this year I was on par with previous ones and released 5 different tapes. Two from my direct-to-cassette series (Diggin’ New Deep Funk and Weird Wonderful Wild!), Digging For A Future Generation and A Modern Day Maestro “The Misha Panfilov Catalog” both released via Record Breakin’ and to close out the year I did a compilation mix of releases from the Preservation Project discography called Preservation Project Selects. So it’s been a great year and already I’m figuring what releases I have on deck for 2024.
Mossimo: You’ve always been pro print and physical media and have been pushing it for years now. You still believe in buying books and magazines and you’ve been writing for the more these days. You’ve been contributing to Disco Patrick’s Hot Stuff Magazine for several years now and most recently this year for the newly launched OG Press Magazine. How did that all come about?
Skeme: I love reading print mags, there’s just something about picking it up, flipping the pages and seeing the sweat that goes into them from the writers, photographers and publisher. But there’s something even more special when it’s your own work that you’ve contributed. The connect with OG Press happened when Lee, the creator of the magazine reached out to do an interview with me which I was excited about but I also told him that I wanted to write an article for it as well which he gladly accepted. That was the first issue and I’ve been writing for them for 4 issues now. Just like with the Nostalgia King site, I enjoy hipping people to dope shit and being the connector of dope creative people. I don’t think anyone else does it like me, especially not in the DJ /music scene.
Mossimo: While we’re on the subject of connecting people, I see you were recently in Japan with comic artists, Ed Piskor who does that Hip Hop Family Tree Book and a few other heads. That looked like it was an amazing time connecting with other artists outside of your DJ world.
Skeme: Yeah that was definitely a highlight of the year for sure. I met Ed in Korea some years back when he first started doing the book and I told him that he has to go to Japan so for the last few years leading up to the worldwide lockdown, we had been trying to do a tour together. So fast forward to this past Novemember where he usually goes and does Tokyo Comic Con, this was the perfect time because he had invited a few friends along who are also artists and in the comic world for what has become known as Manga Quest. I hipped Ed and he in return passed the knowledge down to his circle which has ultimately become a circle that I’m in. It as amazing meeting this new group who we all overlap in interests and things that we enjoy. From comics and art to gaming to food, we’re all diggers and collectors.
Mossimo: Speaking of Japan, you spent quite a lot of time there this year. It seemed like every time that I turned around, your were there.
Skeme: It’s funny because I felt like I never left! I did my annual Magma Taishi Returns Tour for 5 weeks in March and April then I returned to Osaka for a week in July for the All City Flava tour then right after that it was to Seoul Korea then to Beijing and Shanghai China. Before I knew it, it was November and I was back in Tokyo again with Ed Piskor and the Manga Quest fam.
Mossimo: Let’s bring things full circle to wind things down. You started 2023 by hosting and presenting the screening of the once lost Blaxploitation film, Solomon King at the Ritz Theater in Philly and you ended the year presenting one of your favorite Kung Fu flicks, Snuff Bottle Connection on VHS in Salt Lake City, Utah. You’ve always loved film so it’s great to see you connecting your love of both music and film together.
Skeme: Both film and music has always been a part of my life and if you remember when I first started doing the Hot Peas & Butta parties that I would always screen some sort of footage during the nights that I would chop and edit from my VHS collection. It’s been quite some time since I’ve done anything film related with the last time being in Köln German for the Butta 45’s tour and doing a double feature screening of the Fred Williamson classic Blaxploitaiton film, Hell Up In Harlem paired with The Master of The Flying Guillitine. So when the LA homie Movie Mike asked if I’d be interested in presenting the newly released Blu-ray to Solomon King, I was estatic! Being able to stand in front of the Ritz Theater and give a little background of the film was amazing. But then closing the year out with the final travel date of the year to Salt Lake City and present Snuff Bottle Connection on VHS to an audience was the the perfect way to close it out. I’m really trying to do more of that in 2024 and get back to being the Quentin Tarantino of the DJ world. There’s no one that has done it like me in that aspect with the exception of The RZA which of course given his status is easy to do.
Mossimo: So how are we kicking the new year off and what’s in-store for 2024?
Skeme: I’m steam rolling into 2024 the same way I kept it going in 2023. I’m relaunching the $2 Soul Show mix series that I started back in 2007 on the podomatic platform and did until 2013 or so. Kicking that off on January 1st then going from there. I’ve got more cassettes to drop, hopefully I can get a 45 or two pressed this year as well. I’ve been sitting on a couple of releases that I’ve been dying to get out but we’ll see. Of course I’m going all in on the touring and gig schedule as well. So you know, it’s more of the usual and just taking what I’m already doing up another notch. For me, it’s always about staying authentic to who I am, what I’m doing and the things that I present to the audience.
Mossimo: It’s always great to catch up and kick it with you, hope you have another amazing year as always and let’s not make it it so long before we link up for a burger and beer.