Nearly six years after it happened, the impromptu 2011 set from Talib Kweli and the rapper formerly known as Mos Def is still the singular Ol’ Dirty Sundays (ODS) memory that stands out for co-founder Justin “DJ Casper” Layman.
The pair — collectively known as Black Star — performed at Tampa’s Straz Center that evening, and Kweli was scheduled to guest DJ for the fledgling Sunday night party in the small courtyard of Ybor City live music venue Crowbar. Long story short, Mos Def (now known as Yasiin Bey) wanted to tag along, and revelers ended up getting treated to an unbelievably close-range performance from living hip-hop legends (Bey’s recent retirement shows, for comparison, happened at the Apollo in New York City and Washington D.C.’s Kennedy Center).
“It really put us on the map and solidified us a the real deal,” Layman told CL in a message. “But honestly every week is special. There have been so many memories these past six years.”
Indeed. Over the years, ODS has hosted several stables’ worth of world-class turntablists. Z-Trip, DJ Scratch and Rob Swift have all manned the ones and twos at some point; mash-up pioneer D.J. P just did an all-vinyl set in April. On Sunday, ODS goes big as it marks six years of celebrating old-school hip-hop, soul, funk and reggae by letting Large Professor man the decks. The 44-year-old producer broke into hip-hop in the ‘90s as a member of Main Source, a Toronto trio whose ‘91 debut introduced the world to Nas. He would go on to work with other luminaries like A Tribe Called Quest (Midnight Marauders), Big Daddy Kane (Looks Like A Job For…) and more en route to cementing his own place in rap history.
“Being able to bring someone like that to Tampa on a Sunday will never get old,” Layman wrote to CL, adding that he’s only been able to book so many outstanding guests because of the way Crowbar staff and ODS attendees vibe with visitors. For DJ Fader, ODS’ other resident, the party was truly life changing.
“ODS was introduced to me at a point in my life where I wanted to put DJ-ing behind me,” Fader, a long time hip-hop scene staple, told CL. “However, seeing other DJs push the envelope musically, the way I envisioned since the days of Masquerade in Tampa during the 90s, inspired me in many ways to want to continue.”
“It's kinda surreal man and extremely humbling,” Casper said about it all.
It’s also surreal that the party has never leaned on a cover to make itself happen; but that doesn’t come with its own set of complexities. Layman is dead set on seeing even bigger names like Jazzy Jeff and DJ Premier on an ODS poster one day, but that’ll cost the party a lot of bones.
“Being free is always great for the party people. In the future we will have bigger guests quarterly that we will be charging a cover for,” Layman said of ODS’s ambitions for the next six years. “ODS has changed my life. I wouldn't say there was a void or something missing before , but it has def made my passion for the music, culture and scene really grow. I'm just trying to make dreams into goals."
Read our full Q&A with DJ Casper below. Get more info on the show via local.cltampa.com.
How do you actually get in touch with all these DJs?
It's usually via a text or a simple phone call. When guests come they see the vibe and they see how myself, Tom, Fader, the staff treat them and the crowd treats them and they immediately want to come back and have their friends come back to rock. When these guests come and vouch for us to their peers that's all you need. The contacts in my phone has become a who's who of DJs and just keeps building.
Is there still any one singular memory that stands out in the history of all this?
The Talib Kweli & Mos Def night still resonates strongly with me. ODS was still young when they came to play and it really put us on the map and solidified us a the real deal. But honestly every week is special. There has been so many memories these past six years.
\\
Talk about the hole that this party has filled in your life? Was your life missing before ODS came to fruition?
ODS has changed my life. I wouldn't say there was a void or something missing before I started ODS but it has def made my passion for the music, culture and scene really grow. It's also forced me to be more organized professionally especially when you're dealing with national artist bookings on a weekly basis.
Fader: ODS was introduced to me at a point in my life where I wanted to put DJ-ing behind me; however, seeing other DJs push the envelope musically, the way I envisioned since the days of Masquerade in Tampa during the 90s, inspired me in many ways to want to continue.
Will ODS always be free?
That's a tricky question. The party has been free since day one which I think has been a gift and a curse since jump. Being free is always great for the party people cause it's free hahah but I don't think people realize these guest DJs aren't cheap and someone has to pay for them. In the future we will have bigger-name DJs as guest quarterly that we will be charging a cover for (think Jazzy Jeff, DJ Premier) just ‘cause bigger names cost more money and I'm dead set on having the bigger names come through.
Any special surprises outside of the already killer lineup of DJs and performances?
Expect a lot more ODS clothing and accessories for people to buy and support the brand. Also working on taking ODS to a city or two outside of Florida before the year is done and possible radio show… not podcast but an actual show on the dial.
Talk about getting a guy like Large Prof to hit the decks for you at six years?
It's kinda surreal man and extremely humbling. My good friends Boogie Blind and Breakbeat Lou reached out to him after I expressed wanting to have him DJ the anniversary party and a few days later he called me on the phone like "What's up Casper?"Crazy… this is the guy that discovered Nas and made Illmatic happen. He's one the most legendary people in the hip hop scene. Period. Being able to bring someone like that to Tampa on a Sunday will never get old.
What do the next six years look like for ODS?
The next 6 years at ODS look very bright. Still gonna continue to rock every week and will continue to bring guests each and every week. Expect lots of bigger names (old and new) and more things ODS to be popping up. ODS has become it's own brand and I'm really looking forward to seeing it grow bigger. I'm just trying to make dreams into goals.
This article appears in May 25 – Jun 1, 2017.