GREEN LANTERN
Makin' Moves

Lisa Dumas
Co-Editor

The mix-tape game is in trouble when:

1.) The entire industry has been reduced to a race for the most exclusive songs- wack or not.

2.)The DJs who play those songs literally push a "play/record" button to record songs that aren't even on vinyl.

3.) If you want to hear a bunch of boring songs played on a tape-you can make it yourself.

So. Who ya gonna call to bring the excitement back to this present-day lackluster business that has become only a mere shadow of what it once was?

An evil genius, of course

Green Lantern the Evil Genius to be exact.

He is a critically acclaimed DJ who's been in the business since '91, and plans on bringing a new level of creativity back into the mix-tape game.

"I had a friend who worked at WITR, this college radio station. I used to play around with the turntables live on the air," explains the 27-year-old Rochester, N.Y. native. "That's how I learned to DJ -- live on the air."

Green Lantern says he started making beats in '89, but it wasn't until '91 or '92 that he DJ'd his first party at SUNY Brockport--the college from which he graduated in '94 with a major in sociology. Then in '96, he threw his hand into the mix-tape game; he's been representin' ever since.

"I specialize in a few different areas," he says. "But puttin' together quality mix tapes and tearin' down a party-those are my two biggest strengths."

And, as of late, the production he does on his tapes has surpassed what he does at parties; for that, he has gotten international recognition. Green Lantern won "Best New Mix Tape DJ of the Year" and "Most Creative Mix Tape" awards at the 1999 Just-O's Mix Tape Awards competition. He also appeared on Black Entertainment Television's (BET) show "Tha Bassment" and is currently finishing up the production of an album sampler with hip-hop recording artists "M.O.P."

"I have deals with commercial radio stations. I'm doing production and working with Hot'97," he adds. "I'm working on production for the morning show."

Any similarities between this successful DJ and "Green Lantern" the superhero character from the old "Superfriends" cartoon that ran in the early 80's?

Naturally.

"Him [Green Lantern] and Superman were the most powerful of the superfriends. But Superman always got the light. Green Lantern was the underdog," he says. "I felt like I was always the underdog when I was comin' up. I knew I could do a lot with that as a character.

He says he knew he could capitalize on the name and "embody something different from a regular DJ."

And his mix tapes are as unique as his name.

"I do intro's and interludes between songs. I do skits in between songs. There's an endless array of things you can do with turntables, mixers and DAT machines," says Green Lantern. "You can make stuff that's not on vinyl sound like it is and all that takes a lot of work. Subsequently, I don't come out with as many tapes as other DJs."

But even though other DJs may have him beat in the race to put out a large quantity of mix tapes, they finish last in the contest for quality mix tapes.

It's something he would like to see change.

"Right now the whole game is being driven by exclusive songs. Basically I'm creating a demand to get the creativity back. My next tape is gonna be called "The Chosen One." I'm the one that can bring it back."

Some DJs he does admire are Kid Capri, Juice, Dirty Harry and Craig G. And he has to give DJ Clue his props for being the biggest "promotional vehicle" for music, because "his sh*t is worldwide."

But as a whole, Green Lantern says he is disappointed in his peers.

"I'm really kind of disenchanted with the whole sh*t. I'm not feelin' a lot of them."

For any up-n-coming DJs, "Be yourself," he advises. "Find a niche and fill it. Put your own spin on things. But don't do what I do cuz' I will hunt you down." He laughs.

As for the future, Green Lantern says he wants to focus on production, get more nationwide exposure, and do more industry parties.

He's on a mission.

So, inferior ones, beware.