The Truth Follow-Up Video
May 22nd, 2006 by Daniel
“RankinTruth” has posted a follow-up to his popular video about DJ Rankin on YouTube.com. Mr. Truth seems to be annoyed that, despite the first video, DJ Rankin still has fans that continue to support him.
The main arguement of the follow-up video seems to be that because DJ Rankin uses a computer to make his tracks, he’s not a DJ (or something like that). And because they use slang, his fans’ opinions don’t matter. The reality is that most DJs use computers in their studios to produce remixes and original tracks. It doesn’t take away from the fact that they’re still DJs. We can debate the merits of Rankin’s music, and we can debate whether Rankin is attempting to deceive people by renaming his tracks, but the fact is that, whether you love him or hate him, DJ Rankin is an actual working DJ and his fans enjoy the music he plays.
Click the PLAY button below to watch the video:
You seem to have missed my point.
Using a computer to make and remix dance music is what PRODUCERS do.
Some DJs are also Producers. But whilst making music, they are fulfilling the role of Producer. 12 year olds keep telling me that remixing (which isn’t what DJ Rankin does, incedentally) is what DJs do – as the video says, DJs play records, they don’t make them.
My point was that decks (turntables) have nothing to do with the creation of music, which is what these kids are incinuating to me.
DJ Rankin is neither composing music, or playing records, he is simply speeding up mp3s and renaming them. I don’t know what this would make him – Wikipedia uses the phrase ‘Chipmunk DJ’.
And I’m not saying the kids’ opinions don’t matter, just they are pretty invalid when I can’t read them due to the ridiculous abbreviations used and the substitutions of letters for random animated GIFs.
Finally he doesn’t ‘make tracks’ as you put it – this was the whole point in the first video.
Thanks for the clarification, however I think you’re trying to have it both ways. In the original video you note that Rankin adds vocals and rapping from other songs (badly) to the songs he speeds up. Now you’re saying that he just speeds up other people’s songs. Which is it? I haven’t heard all of the music out there attributed to DJ Rankin, but I know that the most popular contain several songs mixed together. For example “I AM A Raver” isn’t just “Rave Heaven” by itself. We can debate whether these are mixes, remixes, blends, mash-ups, or some other term, but it’s clear that they are more than just one song sped up and renamed (and there are some who would argue that speeding up a song is a valid form of remixing, just as “Screwed” mixes, popular in the American south, are simply slowed down rap tracks).
Daniel, nobody in the industry would have a problem with Rankin if he just followed the rules…
1) Get permission to sample a track
2) Pay royalties to sample a track
But he does neither!
Meanwhile, if you’re going to claim he remixes these tracks, then there’s another code to follow…
1) Credit the original artist of the track you’re remixing (Eg: Dave McCullen – Rave Heaven [DJ Rankin Remix])
2) Get permission to use samples of sound clips used in the “remix”
3) Pay royalites to the artist of samples used
4) Credit the artist of the samples used (Eg. Dave McCullen vs Eminem vs Sound Pool Vol.12 vs 80’s Cartoon – Rave Heaven [DJ Rankin Remix])
But Rankin still ignores the holy rules of Production!
I seem to remember a few years back, a guy called DangerMouse made a name for himself by putting a “mash-up” of the Beatles’ White Album with Jay-Z’s Black Album out on the Internet. I don’t believe any permission was granted or royalties were paid. Today his Gnarls Barkley album is climbing to the top of the charts. The “industry” doesn’t seem to have a problem with him. Where’s all of the venomous hatred and outrage?
dj rankin is probably the best dj i have heard he was the first dj i heard if rankintruth thinks its so easy why dont you try and dj
haha hese still a dj dj’s mix songs and mix songs together and add effects u just cant take that hese safe n your a sad fkin low life
i dont cera wot ene 1 says no mater
wot pll say hes is the best wot ever he dus or haw
hey listen all you guys gordon rankin is a good m8 of mine and has made a good name for himself all you guys that are critisizing him are just just so jelouse and jelousy is a bad thing all you wannabee djs out there if theres a day comes that you have did sets with people like guru josh, akon , pulse, and mickey modelle and more then just think why have i played with them, well sorry all you jelouse cunts he has and ha ha ha ha keep dreaming and remember dj ranking in the mix motherfucker