DJ Interviews: Joseph Hajek (Shadow Mask)

 Here's my interview with singer Joseph Hajek A.KA Shadow Mask

How'd you get started in music?

The simplest answer, as in 'means/motive/opportunity, where were you at 4:20 last night, the judge needs to know how this actually took place'.. 

I literally just started pimping myself out on the internet. It's easier than ever, you don't even need a pimp anymore XD. 

I've been writing most of my life, going on 30 years now, and I also enjoy making random web shows and podcasts on Youtube and that, 

so I had various skills developed enough to start on my own, and you'll probably notice a slight progression from my old playlist to the newest releases. 

It finally sounds like a real song now! Exactly. Workin' on it. 

Who are your inspirations or influences?

What would happen if you took Marshal Mathers and Nicky Nicky 9 Doors, Andre Nickatina from Frisco Bay, and put them both in the fly teleporter machine? 

Sounds like an abomination of nature. Those 2 constitute most of the rap I grew up on, D12 and Nickatina. 

Every single song EXCEPT.. for 'Ayo for Yayo', that one hit song is boring and lacks any real engagement. His one big hit was his worst song, 

every other song, the 100s of other random one's no one heard.. every other song Nickatina made was much much better. The business indeed. 

What advice would you offer aspiring performers?

Basically.. just don't lie to yourself. Say whatever you gotta say to your parents, your peers, Don Coppo, you get the idea. Those aren't good things, but they're manageable, you can always clear something up with someone if they meet you halfway. If you lie to yourself.. if you pretend you don't want something, if you think you don't care about money or fame.. which one, genius? If you think money and fame go hand in hand.. I hope you get it by now. Being greedy.. it's not a good thing, but again.. manageable. I know how much I need. I don't need all the cocaine. Exactly. If you have goals.. I was gonna say goals that make sense, goals that you at least actually understand and can easily draw a line between the dots. If it's something you can do.. no, if it's something you can keep track of before spacing out on what the fuk you were doing before you pissed all your money away on hookers and blow, whatever. The key to being a functional user of any vice.. know yourself, lie to anyone else.. but don't lie to your own health, mental or otherwise. Then you can do some cocaine, for real. That's it. Exactly. 

How do you set yourselves apart from other bands or singers?

I don't really know much about how other people do a lot of the creative, drawing board part of their work. I do use audio samples from various free sources, even video game OSTs, so I can't take full credit for making the melody, more like the lazy DJ menouver collage of things. The one thing I can confidently boast about as 100 percent mine.. is the writing. Every word is very much 'in my own words' unless I reference a specific quote in a certain context. No one else writes my scripts, etc. I still collect notes and ideas from people and things around me, of course, but it all goes through my own two hands and eyes and mouth and ears, it's.. organic, if nothing else. I might be douchebag infinitis, but not quite hipster douchebag, it's genuine douchebaggery from me bein' a douchebag. No more, no less ;)

Any new gigs or albums in the future?

My associate Blxcky25 (same guy who made the track for 'Double Team'), we're starting an album soon, currently on the drawing board. My next project with be mostly full collaboration with him as the DJ and backup writer, and me as douchebag infinitis, what else would you expect? REVENANT.. coming soon ;)