DJ Spinna

DJ Spinna is the stage name of Vince Williams, a Brooklyn-based DJ, producer and turntablist born in 1973. He works across hip hop, soul, funk, jazz and dance music, and is associated with New York’s underground hip-hop scene.

Career

He becomes prominent in the late 1990s indie hip-hop scene in New York. As a producer, he provides music for The Jigmastas and releases 12-inch singles on his own label, Beyond Real. He also works as the musical foundation for the group The Jigmastas and is part of the Polyrhythm Addicts, a short-lived collaboration with Apani B., Shaabam Sadeeq and Complex.

His production work reaches a wide range of MCs and groups, including Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Pharoahe Monch, J-Live, Mr. Complex, Sadat X, Grand Puba, Masta Ace, Guru and The Jungle Brothers. He also remixes tracks for De La Soul, Das EFX and MC Eiht, and later works on music connected to George Michael, Mary J. Blige and Motown Records.

Albums, labels and remixes

DJ Spinna releases the solo production album Here To There on BBE Records. In 2003 he starts Wonderwax, a label for his soulful dance releases. The label issues music by Rich Medina, Lady Alma, Blaze, The Free Radikalz and Selan.

He is also known for remixes and revisions of tracks by Donald Byrd, Eddie Kendricks, Betty Carter, Roy Ayers and Al Jarreau, as well as a version of Shawn Escoffery’s “Days Like This”. He works on material involving the J Dilla-associated Platinum Pied Pipers, Goapele and Les Nubians.

DJing and performance

Spinna performs internationally, including in Iceland, Australia, South Africa, England, Europe, the United States and Japan. He also appears alongside Gilles Peterson, Jazzanova, Joe Claussell, Bugz In The Attic, Osunlade, Jazzy Jeff, Kenny Dope, Keb Darge, DJ Scratch, DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist.

He is closely associated with WONDER-Full DJ performances, a Stevie Wonder-themed event series created with Bobbito Garcia. These sets are presented in cities including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and in Japan.

Style

His work draws on a large vinyl collection and aims to move between hip hop, funk, soul, jazz and electronic dance music. He is also described as expanding from boom-bap into house and dance music while keeping a strong connection to soulful production.