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DJ Chela - New Girl Order
Interview by: Darian Logan
 First lady of North Carolina Hip-Hop radio and Murda Mami DJ Chela took a minute to talk about the being a DJ, Justo Faison of Justo's Mixtape Awards, Hip-Hop music, life and politics.
NOBODYSMILING.COM : So, how did you get into Djing?
DJ CHELA : I always loved music my whole life. I stared Djing when I lived in Ohio, I was going to School out there at Overland and um knew a few Dj's out there and I think it was mostly the party aspect... like going to house parties and seeing how DJ's would blend it all together, making the party hype and people were having such a good time it was like just the atmosphere that the DJ creates. Thats what attracted me at first and seeing all the different music that you could blend and that you could bring together so I started out in Hip-Hop and reggae and then got into reggaeton, latin music , old school funk and classic music.
 NOBODYSMILING.COM : Did you have any Dj's that inspired you who were out there?
DJ CHELA : Coming up one DJ that I knew of was Jazzy Jeff... I saw him rocking, I was like WoW! When I was young I was like thats hot. Jazzy Joyce, you know she was an inspiration. There was always the females doing it that inspired me and made me say 'oh, you know this is something that I can do too. I got to meet DJ Cuttin Candy in like 99' or something like that and she was just real nasty with the cuts and crazy. I saw her do some shit that blew my mind and then I got real hungry you know?
NOBODYSMILING.COM : So whats it like coming up as a female DJ in the game? Is it hard?
DJ CHELA : I think the biggest challenge with just like any DJ is just pushing yourself. At first it was hard to learn and have someone that I can learn from and it wasn't until I went home to North Carolina when I graduated. Thats when I really felt like I was really DJing because I had a few mentors that really believed in me and pushed me. Big Shout to DJ Sound Machine scratch DJ Extraordinaire. One of the top 13 scratch DJ's pre-1990's. Sound Machine pushed me a lot and I learned alot from him. Also TNT sounds, a reggae sound out of NC and DJ Pez. As far as the business side of everything, its like any profession, you have to make sure you are at the top of your game.
NOBODYSMILING.COM : How long have you been a DJ?
DJ CHELA : I feel like I started in 2002, but I had been like collecting records and I had a radio show but it wasn't a mix show. I didnt really know how to mix but I was doing events here and there before that. Really in 2002 I sat down and I was like this is serious, this is what Im gonna do with my life. (laugh) This is my career.
NOBODYSMILING.COM : What radio shows?
 DJ CHELA : In Ohio I had a show at WOBC 91.5 that was the Overland station and when I moved back to North Carolina I have been at the Duke radio station at WXTU.
NOBODYSMILING.COM : Is DJing your first love?
DJ CHELA : People that know me know that I work hard and I have done alot of things in the past. I have been a Fashion Designer and Interior Designer. My background is visual arts, but I also used to play the guitar and write songs, so its pretty diverse and people know whatever I choose I go 110 percent. I guess I realised that I have to focus on one thing and thats DJing. Its going to be DJing and once I establish a little empire with that then I want to bring some other things like fashion into what I do. But I have to focus on one thing at a time. I feel really blessed to have accomplished what I have so far grinding in the past 3 years and getting ready to move up here to New York.
NOBODYSMILING.COM : Do you think thats its easier or harder for you to make a name for yourself being that there are less female DJ's ?
DJ CHELA : There are a few. Theres alot of ladies out there. Not so much in North Carolina. I'm the only one doing big clubs and radio and whatnot.
It does catch peoples attention. Its an anomily, something out of the ordinary so it gives people something to talk about but once you have people talking you have to sustain their interest. If you are just a pretty face up there but you cant do nothing, you know you fall into that whole cliche'. You definately have to grind...I would say harder to get respect. Even if you are nicer than alot of the dudes you are still going to be underestimated. So your looked at as a token insted of someone thats capable. So you have to make sure your not estimated. You have to constantly remind people about what you are known for.
NOBODYSMILING.COM : So when you are up on the 1's & 2's do you make it a point to make a statement that I'm here and I'm doing it and I can do it better than most of you dudes do? Like I'm going to show them whats up.
DJ CHELA : I'm doing me. I definately put it down for my state. North Carolina. Im riding for this whole state. Im really first female DJ to do this. You know and theres alot of things going on in NC and I just try to support that movement because alot artists out of NC getting known for what they do so its a good look for all of us right now. I try to represent for the ladies and for where I'm from and have a good time. So thats number one. And also my political beliefs are strong so if I can inspire people or make them look at whats going on around them in the word then thats really when I feel like I have accomplished something.
NOBODYSMILING.COM : They say never talk about politics and religion but whats your beliefs?
DJ CHELA : Well I just always look at why things are the way they are in terms of the United States as a society. You know economics, politics, race, gender, everything. And also living in Nicaragua when I was growing up. You know I was there right after the CONTRA war funded by our government to basically tear apart the peoples government that had been built up. I saw that with my own eyes at 10 years old. I saw the way our media was lying to us. I saw [president] Regan calling us the freedom fighters or what not and that just shattered alot of faith that I had in our government period. And that still continues to this day. So theres alot that they are trying to get past us. So I see music as a tool sometimes to uncover the injustices in the world. Its not just that, music is alot of things. Music is life.
NOBODYSMILING.COM : So 'New Girl Order'... whats that about?
DJ CHELA : Thats was a term that I got from my boy Legacy out in NC. Its a state of mind. It's a term about females doing it...
 NOBODYSMILING.COM : Girl power?
DJ CHELA : yeah, basically (laugh) I also recently linked up with the Murda Mami's. Basically the Murda Mami's is the same concept like the New Girl Order. You know is a play on the New World order... you know thats coming and the New Girl Order is coming too. The Murda mami's is a crew made up of DJ's, radio personalities, models, promoters, journalists and a lot more. Theres like 30 or so females around the country and we just hold each other down and the movement is real crazy.
NOBODYSMILING.COM : Whats the mission of the Murda Mami's?
DJ CHELA : Whatever we are doing just to kill it. (laugh)
NOBODYSMILING.COM : Is it a point to make it known that girls are killing it in all these fields, or is it not that serious about it being women? Can men be down?
DJ CHELA : We got some Murda Papi's down with the crew. (laugh)
 NOBODYSMILING.COM : (laugh)
DJ CHELA : Its like we are holding each other down. We are like a support network for ourselves. I have been apart of different crews in the past but just being apart of the Murda Mami's now it blows my mind what it really means. The sisterhood is crazy and is a beautiful thing. And I am really inspired by the other ladies in the movement that have done what they have done like Lazy K and Remy, and so many others.
NOBODYSMILING.COM : How did you get down?
DJ CHELA : Justo Faison of Justo's Mixtape Awards had co-signed for me with the First Lady, the CEO. I actually did a show with Lazy K in Charlotte N.C. earlier this year... in February of this year. I did one of my all female MC sets, you know just dropping different records or whatever and she was like 'oh, yo hit me up.' Justo Co-signed for me and you know he was that dude. He had good judgement. Whoever he backed he was down for 120%. Rest in Peace.
NOBODYSMILING.COM : What do you play for yourself? What do you want to hear?
DJ CHELA : I listen to alot of R&B, Latin music, Salsa. I will put on like GZA liquid Swords and rock out to it but I have been wanting to listen to alot of other stuff as well like old rock, or reggaeton.
NOBODYSMILING.COM : So your not feeling this new Ice Age Hip-Hop?
DJ CHELA : Man, theres alot of formulaic Hip-Hop music out there right now. I realize that thats always a good thing. In the 50's it was bad too with the Doo-Wop stuff they had. That was real corny too but the thing right now is influencing our young people in a negative way. Its taking certain things as a standard like having guns and moving weight and thats pop music. (laugh)
NOBODYSMILING.COM : yeah thats crazy right? So whats Chela up to next?
DJ CHELA : Im dropping mixtapes always. Until the end of the year you can check me at WXDU on Monday nights. 10pm to 1AM. New Girl Order Radio. You can listen to it online at wxdu.org. My New mixtape 'High Treason' hosted by M1. 'Embedded Reporter' out now. Look out for me in NY in 2k6. I have a mix on the Justo Mixtape allstars release. Big Shout out to NOBODYSMILING.COM because yall have the best videos ever. Shouts to everybody in North Carolina, Jay Bouy, all my Murda Mamis, Shelly B, TNT Sound, Sound Machine, everybody up top. Shouts to Immortal Technique, and get ready for the New Girl Order.
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