DJ Rupture on world music: 'This is an era of unprecedented creativity'
Yes, Jace Clayton is aware that the internet and digital technologies have rocked the music industry. No, he does not think that's a bad thing for music.
As others wring their hands about business models and copyright, Clayton — a.k.a. DJ Rupture — is travelling the world, often to small and remote areas, to source all the interesting samples coming his way.
"That's one of the advantages of being a DJ. I'm always looking and listening," he tells guest host Candy Palmater, adding that curious listeners will be stunned by the evolving sounds of so-called World Music.
- Related: Ibeyi blends French, Cuban and Yoruba heritage in moving debut
- Related: Israeli sister act A-Wa fuse Yemenite folk music and hip-hop beats
From Israeli techno's effect on Mexico, to Whitney Houston's influence on songs from rural Morocco, Clayton says the world's becoming smaller, while the soundtrack is getting richer. He joins Candy to discuss his findings, as chronicled in the new book Uproot: Travels in 21st-Century Music and Digital Culture.
While the globetrotting DJ acknowledges that transitions periods aren't easy, he also argues that there's so much to get excited about. Musical traditions matter, but so too do the "active, producing" creators bending genres around the globe.
"This is an era of unprecedented creativity. Let's think about that."
WEB EXTRA | Check out some of the music mentioned in the book below.