PATRICK SISSON

Interview
XLR8R
March 2006
Link

In battle footage from his new DVD, Sunglasses is a Must (Audio Research, $17.98), 15-year-old turntable prodigy A-Trak ends a routine by lip-synching the cocky line “What do you have that could possibly beat me?” It was as legitimate a challenge then–when he was winning the 1997 DMC Championships–as it is now for the Kanye West-tour-supporting 23-year-old DJ. The DVD–a compilation of quirky home videos, dizzying turntable routines, and A-Trak’s wry narration from his personal “study”–shows the Montreal native coming of age. But, true to his Jewish heritage, A-Trak (Alain Macklovitch) really became a man at his bar mitzvah (in fact, he used the money he received that day to buy his first pair of turntables). XLR8R asked him to compile the right tunes for making Jewish kids crunk.

Chi-Ali “Age Ain’t Nothin’ But a #”
“I think he was really young when he made this, like 13 years old. It’s all about young guys hooking up with young girls, so you should definitely play this at a bar mitzvah.”

Kris Kross “Jump,” or something by Mobb Deep
“You have to keep playing the young artists. Also, Mobb Deep’s debut album was called Juvenile Hell.”

Non-Phixion “The C.I.A. is Trying to Kill Me”
“This group is full of hardcore, militant rappers that are Jewish. They would definitely offend an aunt or two since they make hardcore rap and don’t sing in Hebrew or anything. But maybe some activist uncle would like it.”

Puff Daddy “It’s All About the Benjamins (Original Bootleg Version)”
One of the original lines in this song, which is censored in the official version, is ‘stack chips like Hebrews.’ It talks about Jews, so you have to put it in there.”

Black Market Militia “Paintbrush”
“This group includes Tragedy Khadafi, a Queensbridge rapper and black Israelite. I’m not sure what that means, but he talks about Solomon and drops this Hebrew prayer in another song.”

Anything by the Beastie Boys
“This just goes without saying. You must have them on the list.”