By Sangeeta Kumar

DJ Kayper is on her way to becoming a phenomenon on the DJ circuit. She recently played at the “Kush Lounge”, among other venues, in New York. EGO recently had a chance to talk with her about her music and her views regarding the desi music scene. Apart from her talent, her unassuming manner coupled with her stunning good looks and crisp accent only help her expand her growing legion of fans.

Tell us a bit about yourself, the Hype Show on the BBC Asian Network. Do you see yourself as a crossover artist?
I definitely think of myself as a crossover artist though my roots are not desi but in fact hip-hop, reggae and “turntabalism.” I was heavily influenced by Jazzy Jeff. The first time I did a desi gig was when I was showcased at the Asian music awards in 2004.
and that’s when BBC Asia noticed me. My style on the show is Hip hop mixed with desi influences something like Punjabi MC.

Is there ever a disconnect between what you want to play on your show and what people request? What bands do you wish people would request more?
Yes sometimes. Some of the daytime listeners will want to hear the cheesiest Bollywood and Bhangra songs but the show is not about that. If it was up to me I’d want to play anything that is Hard Bhangra. I love that. Some request Surinder Rattan. He was on of the 1st people to mix desi music with garage but then the music became cheesy. I like DJ Rekha’s taste it is raw and rugged. My listeners are on the same level.

How do you find and select the South Asian pieces of music that you incorporate?
I get a lot of stuff from the BBC Asia network. Some people send stuff to MySpace. Much of it is “crappy” but 1 out of 10 might be good. I keep lookout for good music.

Is the mainstream public in the UK resistant to a ‘desi’ girl DJ or see political significance where none is intended?
When I started 11 years ago people were like, “Who are you? Just Leave it to the guys.” To this day there are some who have the same response but not as blatant but then there are others who balance it out.

You list various influences crossing different genres, on your MySpace page. Can you tell us what or who else has influenced you?
Hip hop and 80’s soul have influenced me the most - all the stuff made way before I was born. I’m just a music lover. Also, where I live in London, Brixton, has a larger Jamaican and black population – something – like Brooklyn Flatbush so Reggae was a big influence.
DJing was always around me. I grew up with cousins who were road show DJs. Asian music was big in the 90s in. As a kid I was not interested in activities usually associated with kids. I’d watch a lot of MTV and told my cousins that one day I’ll be a DJ so when I was 11 I decided to try it out and told my brother. He got me a turntable and my parents got me a “crap” mixer .I also played the drums so beat matching came naturally. While at university in Cambridge in my 1st year I won the Vestax competition and that got me a lot of press.

What is your degree in? Do you ever want to pursue that instead of DJing?
I just submitted my senior year (as they say here in America) papers the week prior to coming to New York for my degree in music technology in sound engineering and music production.

How long has your family been in the UK? Do you visit India often? How are female DJs treated in India?
My parents have been in the UK for 35 years. I visited India for the 1st time when I was 9 with my parents who were visiting after 20yrs. Last year I did one gig each in Mumbai and Punjab (Chandigarh) and Delhi. It was a mini tour with DJ Hardcore. The experience was amazing. India has changed a lot but is still the same as well. It has progressed and not progressed. It is as corrupt. The most interesting thing was seeing Black people in the club in Bombay so that was good.

What does your family think about you as a professional DJ?
It was hard at first. I started young. Coming from a typical “gujju” family my parents didn’t understand and insisted that DJing is not for girls but they weren’t too strict. When it came to the point of DJjing clubs they were not happy at all so my brother (he’s 8 yrs. older) would cover for me. I would sneak records out and he would say he was dropping me to a friends house. I felt bad about lying but then when I went to university I felt free. Most Asian girls get that feeling of freedom at university but I was different I felt that now I can go out and DJ instead of getting drunk. They saw me in a magazine after I won the Vestax prize and they came around.

Do you often get asked to DJ weddings? Do you do them?
When I started I would go around with the cousins to weddings but it was never the direction I wanted.

Who are your favorites audiences to play for?
I love playing for an energetic Bhangra crowd. There is nothing better than people going crazy on Hip Hop and that is why I love New York.