DJ, producer, harmonica player and generally cool dude, The Funkee Wadd is e’rywhere on the West Coast now. Between his own funks and the funky live hip-hop he’s helping lay down with his homeys in Illvis Freshly, the Funkee Wadd has all the momentum a human could have out here on Vancouver Island and the surrounding areas. After watching his ass-rattling set and catching a brief chat with him at Tall Tree earlier this summer, I knew I was going to have to get him down with the 5 Questions. Luckily for me, and all of you wonderful people, he was more than happy to get on the phone and talk all kinds of shit with me.

Blasting the Village Stage with his dirty harmonica grooves. Photo by Xavier Photography.

Rock his dope set from the Ghetto Funk Shindig whilst you enjoy our wonderful chat about doobs with John Lennon, African Drums and selling everything you own to chase your dreams.

My set from The Ghetto Funk Shindig Weekender outside of Bath, England. Tracklist: 1.The Jackson 5-A.B.C(The Reflex Edit) 2. Zemerald-Soul Girl 3. Hot 8 Brass Band-What's My Name?(Aldo Vanucci Remix) 4. Big Daddy Kane-Ain't No Half Steppin(Phoreyz Remix) 5. DJ Matman-Uptown In The House 6. Grinny Grandad-Keep Your Hands To Yourself(Leygo Remix) 7. Driberlah- G Thang Preachers 8. Funk Efemdzemov-All Night Jam 9. Sam & Dave-Rich Kind Of Poverty(TREW Edit) 10. K7-Come Baby(Rollomatik Edit) 11. Cypress Hill X J Capri-Pull Up To Mi Bumper(DJ Maars Edit) 12. DJ Maars-Pull Up 13. Illvis Freshly-ZIZO(Sammy Senior Remix) 14. Wax Organix-Up Jump The Boogie 15. All Jarreau-Roof Garden(Father Funk Remix) 16. Funkanomics-Linda and The Funky Boys- 17. The Gaff-Do That Thing 18. Jackson 5-Dancing Machine(Rollomatik Remix) 19. Commodores-Machine Gun(Shaka ReFunk) 20. The Beatles-We Can Work It Out(DJ Prince Edit) 21. Sly And The Family Stone-Everyday People(Unknown Remix) 22. Stone Roses & Lyrics Born-Fool's Hands 23. Robinson-Don't Stop The Beat 24.Marlena Shaw & Biggie-Funky California(Fanfare Refreshed Groove)

1. Do you remember the first album you went out and purchased on your own?

It was a CD, the first album I ever purchased, and it was Beastie Boys’ Hello Nasty. It’s kind of funny how it’s come around full circle, being in a rock group.

Favourite song on the record?

“3 MCs and 1 DJ”

What a good song. That video was way good.

Yeah man. Mix Master Mike just cuttin’ it up. Great.

2. Can you think of a movie that had an effect on the way you saw the world?

I would say one of the top of my head…Waking Life. I would say that was one of those moments when I watched that movie for the first time…Actually, we’ll say the third time because the first couple times you don’t really know what’s going on. It really awakened something inside of me. I remember watching it when I was living in Ontario doing the standard suburban thing for and kind of realizing that there might be a little something more going on. That’s when I really started paying attention to my consciousness and that I wasn’t happy and needed a change. That’s what led me to sell all my stuff and hitchhike across the country.

3. If you could spend a day with anyone living or dead, who would it be and what would you do?

I think I’d just like to chill in a park and smoke doobies with John Lennon and pick his brain. That guy was on a whole other level. You knew what was going on. Whether his tactics were all that useful or not, I don’t know, but the ones that did work really stuck with people and people will never forget Lennon, until the end of time.

If you could get just one question answered from John Lennon, what would be the question?

I think it would be more asking for reassurance about whether it was all going to work out. And I know his answer would be “Yes.”

Grooving with the homey Father Funk. Photo, once again, by Xavier Photography.

4. Do you think technology can set us free to a techno-utopia? Is that possible?

Yeah! Why the hell not! Of course it would be able to. We’re getting to a pretty funky place in technology now. I think it would be a mixture of Mad Max and a Daft Punk video, I think.

5. If the world was ending you got to escape to safety and save ONE piece of human culture from anywhere in the world to preserve for future survivors, what would you save?

I’d say bring it back to where music started, the day of the hand-drum and all that stuff. The feeling of oneness and togetherness you could find back then, in Africa. Without that time and feeling I don’t think we would have got to where we are with music. Music is that one thing that regardless of your sex, race, whatever, that brings you together. There’s no language barrier in music. I’d like to go save that bit of time.

6. The guest question comes from the Intergalatic Legend, Mat the Alien…Do you believe in aliens?

I do believe in Aliens. I’ve seen one play ridiculously amazing sets fairly often throughout my life. It’s very funny that you would say that Mat the Alien left this question for me because Mat the Alien was the first real DJ I ever saw in my life. That was kind of the time I started realizing I had a love of electronic music. I saw one of his sets in Tofino at the Community Centre and that exact set sparked so much in the way of music for me. Yes, I believe in aliens! 100%!

Keep up to Funkee date with the Wadd's Facebook page.

Peep and grab some Illvis Freshly tunes (And tons of rad remixes) at their Soundcloud page.

The Funkee Wadd waiting to assault people with hugs at Shambhala. Photo by Leah Gair Photo.