Interview: Dino Roc (Crooklyn Clan & 914 Hit Squad)

Published 6/29/2012

New York’s Dinco Roc is a well accomplished DJ, producer, and remixer. Many know him from his top selling mash-ups and remixes on the world famous CrooklynClan.net remix site as part of the esteemed “914 Hit Squad” along-side DJ CJ and Johnny Mac.

Recently Dino Roc’s has reached a wider audience with his remixes being played regularly on Sirius XM’s “BPM” and “Electric Area” channels, mainstream FM radio waves nationwide, and featured on MTV programming.

Dino Roc was able to take time from his busy schedule to speak with Smash The Club.

How did you get the name Dino Roc?
My last name starts with “Dino…” and my 18 year old self thought it would be cool if I added the “Roc” at the end. And that’s how today I am cursed with the name “Dino Roc” lol.

How did you get into DJing and producing?
When I was 17, I started listening to the radio DJ mixshows that air on the weekends, and the (house) music they would play was unlike anything I heard before. This new sound and the way the DJs I would listen to mixed the songs into each other soo creative and flawlessly inspired me soo much just to learn how to DJ. As soon as I finished high school I took a summer job just so I could buy myself my first pair of turntables and mixer. Actually that was only a few years ago… weird lol. Later on I became more interested in the production side of things. I guess after hearing the music soo much I started to get ideas for making my own tracks. I guess I like original production so much because it’s like I get to share my take on music with people who take an interest in it and since I don’t use presets, I get to show off some unique sounds I make.

You’re one of the founders of the 914 Hit Squad. When and how did you and fellow co-founder DJ CJ decide to start the 914 Hit Squad?
It was three years ago CJ and I created the 914 Hit Squad. We were both in-store DJs for two stores that happen to be in the same mall in Yonkers, NY , and during our lunch breaks we would meet up and discuss DJing and production techniques since we would both make our own mash-ups and edits to use for our DJ sets. Then one day CJ mentioned this remix site called “Crack4DJs” where we could actually sell the remixes we would usually just make for ourselves. So the idea of making money for making music was a good enough reason for us to apply to be artists on the site. We sent in examples of our work, filled out the application form and under “Artist Name” we put “914 Hit Squad”, (914) being the area code where we live, and “Hit Squad”… actually I still don’t know where that part of the name came from lol, but we didn’t really think the name out then, being under the impression we wouldn’t be able to compete with the big names on the sites anyway. So they accepted us to be artists on “Crack4DJs” and after just the first couple of releases we broke onto the site’s “Top 20 Artists”. We quickly became regulars on the site’s Top Artists chart, always being ranked within the Top 5 sellers. Later we added Johnny Mac to the squad, he would send me these crazy, clever mash-ups and just had to have him join up with us. Being all together we became the #1 Top Selling Artist for 5 months straight and became one of the few Crack4DJs artists who gets promoted up to be a “Crooklyn Clan” featured artist and be artists on the esteemed “Crooklyn Clan: The Vault” remix site”.

How would you define your style?
Electronic to say the least production-wise. I’ve always been a big house head, which is not saying much nowadays, but since teaming up and working with CJ on the 914 Hit Squad stuff I’ve definitely became more fond of the open format style. Lately I’ve been all about the “hard, angry, distorted, chunky, crushed, raw, blow up sh_t with your mind, ELECTRO”… But that’s another story lol.

Who are some of your influences?
As a DJ, definitely DJ AM. He made djing much more creative, fun and inspiring for me. The main reason I switched from cds to Serato and bought my first pair of Technics 1200s just came from watching hours of these DJ AM set routines on YouTube. Still every time I listen to the infamous “Wonderwall routine”, I just can’t help switching on my 1200s and try to imitate it exactly (well almost anyway) lol.

How do you go about selecting your next song to remix/mash-up?
Besides the usual “this track’s gonna be big, LET’S REMIX IT!!!”, it’s more of first asking myself “what would people like to hear on the dancefloor?”… Also I really like working with those songs that you hide on your iPod, you listening to all the time but you don’t want anyone to find out you actually have them… Yea those songs are the best to use lol.

What is in your DJ bag?
Laptop, headphones, Serato box, Serato control vinyl, charger, rca cables, my wallet, a Flip video cam, and a shrunken head from the Jivaroan people of Peru… Or not.

Who would like to work with in the music industry?
DJ CJ and Johnny Mac… I hear good things.

What do you like to do in your off time?
Make 8-bit chiptune video game music, gather mummified remains, maybe catch the occasional movie here and there.

Where do you see yourself in the next five years?
I would definitely like to release more original tracks in the near future and also still do the remixes and mash-ups. I try not to take it that serious, I love making music and there’s no greater feeling than playing something that you made in front crowd and they really seem to get into it, it’s like getting instant feedback which is satisfying after all the work you know you put into it. In the next five years I want to be doing exactly what I’m doing now.

Follow Dino Roc
Website: dinoroc.com
Facebook: facebook.com/dinoroc
Twitter: @djdinoroc
SoundCloud: soundcloud.com/dinoroc
EPK: dinoroc.epk360.net
Crooklyn Clan: crooklynclan.net/914hitsquad