Pipomixes Responds to His Critics


I've been receiving a variety of comments/tweets/emails complaining about the "Screw" style of my latest mixes. First, let me say that I really appreciate everybody who takes the time to listen to any of my mixes because ALL of them involve a lot of time, thought, effort, and money to create. Of course, I don't like to hear people complaining about my mixes. However, I do appreciate that some of you have enjoyed my mixes of the past enough to complain about my more recent mixes. With that said, let me at least explain what brought me to this point.

My "slowed" mix style initially started out by me trying to avoid getting my mixes taken down from soundcloud. I started to listen to a lot of DJ Screw mixes (which I've been a big fan of since the mid 90s) for ideas on how to incorporate my style into a slowed style that wouldn't get detected by the soundcloud bots.  Keep in mind that I've always been a fan of any downtempo songs (80-70 bpm range). I've also been a HUGE fan of Madlib and his pseudo-psychedelic style for decades. Add that to my fandom of the lofi beatmakers of the last 10 years; and you can understand the natural transformation for me. For the record: I make "stoney" mixes, but the last thing that I am when I'm working on a mix is stoned. My mixes are way too intricate to be made while drunk/high.

Will I ever go back to "normal" tempo mixes? The honest answer is that I don't know. As I've personally replied to many of you; I make mixes primarily that I want to hear, and the mixes I'm making are what I want to hear right now. The digitization of music has made music sound too "perfect" IMO. I love listening to old mixtapes by Dr. Dre, Kid Capri, and others; just to listen to the vinyl and hiss. The rawness and soulfulness of these mixes really appeal to my ear at the moment. As least for me, I feel that I am close to capturing the "sound" that I'm chasing by mixing with my slowed style. I've never been happier and more impressed with my mixes than I have been with the ones I've recently released. Ironically, some of you disagree. However, I am not a commercial artist. This is my art, not my livelihood. I want as many people as possible to hear and enjoy my mixes, but I'm not going to chases listens if it takes the fun and passion out of the process for me. For the moment, these are the mixes I want to make. IMO I've never been better at my craft. Will I change my style back because some people who have enjoyed my older mixes are vocally expressing their discontent with my more current mixes? No. Do I hear your complaints? Yes. Will they likely affect my process and what I decide to do in the future? Of course. Do I know where that will lead? No.

What hasn't changed is the attention to detail that you'd customarily find with any one of my mixes. I would love if all of you would take this journey with me and appreciate my art delivered through a slightly different medium. I ask that you at least try. I do understand if you're unable to take this journey with me because I know it's an acquired taste. But, consider the following: why are you likely a fan of taking a downtempo soul sample and speeding it up to a chipmunk pitch, and not the opposite? Why can Q-Tip give props to a chopped and screwed version of ATCQ's latest album, and you can't? Why can Thundercat say that he likes the chopped & screwed version of Drunk (Drank) better than the original, and you can't? Why can Ras G call my Cocaine Donuts mix "Fire" and you can't? I know, I know; different strokes... If you frequent this blog, I'm 99% sure you're a fan of Q-Tip, Thundercat, and Ras G. They are able to appreciate the style. Maybe it's something you might enjoy too. Either way, thank you to anyone who has listened to any of my mixes. It's an honor for my heart and soul to reach your ears.

7 comments:

analoghdesc said...

Bro do you 👊🏿 stay 💯 ☮️

pipomixes said...

Thank you

ian said...

yeah Pipo keep doin your thing. sometimes I can't feel the slow style either but I really love that you're getting super creative and doing original mix styles and going hard at developing your style. super inspiring.

Unknown said...

Hi Pipo,
I feel than I have to answer to that since I have openly complaining about the last mixs… First able Let me say than I'm a long time follower of your blog (5 years - 10 years ? I don’t know time goes on so fast...). I really appreciate what you’re doing for us. You take a lot of your personal time listening a ton of mix and you share the best ones with us. You made me discover a lot of greats DJs and vibes. And it's real value for me. In top of that you share your mix and most of them are great. And oh yes the whole thing is totally free!
So In a way I apologize if you took this personally. I'm an artist in another field and I understand than sometimes you have to take a certain path because you feel the need to renew yourself. You see an actor in a movie than you love and you want this actor to do only the same kind of movie again and again. Or this album that is great you are disappointed when you wait 3 years for the second and its totally different. Artists are creative so they can't do the same thing other and other and other again.
So I get that. Enjoy what you are doing and don’t take this thing too personally 😊

C Selectah said...

Fuck the haters! For every whiny bitch that complains, there are 10 of us fans who really appreciate what you do.

pipomixes said...

Thank you to everyone for their thoughtful replies.

pski76 said...

Man you brought so much good shit to the table that even if you start to do 'wack' shit from now on, that will never ever outdo all your earlier shit. Never. Ever.
Keep it up man.
Keep feeding us!