Who: Halifax’s DJ-extraordinaire, premier producer and grandpappy of hip hop.
Where: Over the phone from Jorun’s Bedroom Studio.
When: 11 Januray 1996.

Boognish: What does the name Witchdoc refer to?

Jorun: It’s just my name – Witchdoc Jorun. Lots of DJs have names like Grandmaster and Mixmaster. I just wanted to use a name that was original. Witchdoc means mixing beats like a witchdoctor mixes potions. It’s a name given to me by a friend who was in a group I used to be in.

Boognish: How did you get involved in hip hop?

Jorun: Well, I’d like to say it started with “Rapper’s Delight” but that would be a lie because I was too young. I started listening to rap in 1984 when some friends of mine went to New York and came back with tapes of a radio show in New York, WHBI, and had DJ Red Alert and Chuck Chillout. They had their own radio show. It started around ’83/’84; my friends were bringing back tapes and these tapes were circulating around the city. And when I got a hold of these tapes I wanted to be a DJ. So I was a DJ before I was a rapper. We started to DJ. It was probably around ‘85/’86, you know, we had tapes circulating, we already had a name for ourselves. Anywhere we would do a show people would show up. Anyway, we were part of the first wave with MCJ & Cool G when they weren’t MCJ & Cool G but hardcore hip hop. They were the leaders of Halifax hip hop.

Boognish: You rap, produce, DJ and all that. Which do you enjoy the most?

Jorun: Probably DJ. And definitely production. I can’t say which one of the two is better. To DJ live on stage is really my favourite.

Boognish: Is Jorun’s Bedroom Studio really your bedroom?

Jorun: It’s my bedroom. All the bedroom stuff is pushed into one corner to make more room for the equipment. When you walk in you can’t even see the bed.

Boognish: Who influenced you to be where you’re at?

Jorun: It would have to be the DJs out of New York, like Red Alert, Mr Magic. Also, a guy who used to write for Rap Sheet, Phil Most. He sent me a lot of stuff I missed out on from the past. He sent me, like, actual battle tapes.

Boognish: What’s up with Hip Club Groove and the rest of Haltown?

Jorun: The Haltown tape – the first one – came out, and before that there was no, absolutely no, rappers in Halifax, like 1990 to 1992. and then we all started coming up, we all on the Haltown tape had known each other. And when Murderecords saw the Haltown tape, they all of a sudden became interested. And they took all the white groups and signed them and left all the other groups behind. Every time they did a tour we weren’t invited. When Hip Club Groove put out their album I produced it, like 80% of the Hip Club Groove album, and I didn’t get any credit and I felt really bad cuz I would be at parties and people would be playing “Rugged Operator,” which, like, the majority of the song was dug up from my record collection. And their DJ was getting all the credit. Like, he was such a genius to take that beat with the bassline. But we don’t have anything against each other, we already solved that. But at the time it was a question of not even mentioning me. People were just not acknowledging the Haltdown Meltdown tape. And it just really insulted me.

Boognish: What are the strengths of hip hop in Haltown?

Jorun: Everybody’s different. Certain groups are using samples that haven’t been used in a long time.

Boognish: What are the weaknesses of hip hop in Haltown?

Jorun: The lack of equipment that everyone has. I just have a 4-track. The stuff I put on 24-track seemed too empty. It’s as if, when you have 24 tracks you feel like you have to use them all.

Boognish: Which east coast rappers do you think deserve more props?

Jorun: Ruffneck, number one. Ruffneck number one because his live show is amazing. When he was in a rap contest a couple of years ago, he just blew everyone away. He just reminds me of Run-DMC in their heyday. He has all the moves. This is an exaggeration, but he does backflips. He’s a backflip type of person. Even Hip Club Groove, I was talking to them and they’re like, “Ruffneck is better than anybody.” He can go to New York and compete. And he’s not even twenty. I can’t even describe it, it’s just amazing. He should have been shot back ten years when it was Whodini, Run-DMC and the Fat Boys, and all these guys were around. Ruffneck should have been there. He was up there. Like, he’s right up there. His songs, his lyrics. He would have been signed a long time ago.

Boognish: Anyone else?

Jorun: A lot of people out here. Sixtoo. I let him look through my record collection. You know, I’m not very greedy with my beats. I let him know certain things. Flexman, he’s been around for awhile. He’s been doing shows in New Jersey and New York before he came to Canada, and uhm, me and him together… Sometimes I DJ while he grabs the microphone, raps on stage. I definitely want to say Witchdoc and Flexman, but I’m not going to mention myself.