In Feb, 2009, Puff Daddy shared a video blog called A Message To The DJ, where he said: "The DJ introduced me to Hip-Hop... The DJ took my pain away... The DJ made me dream... The DJ made me forget about my surroundings; my financial state; what society had planned for me... The DJ created hip-hop... The DJ exposed me to things; sounds and visions that I never thought existed... Every DJ had their own style; their own journey they'd take you on... I wanna turn on the radio and get exposed to something fresh and something new. That's why we're all on the internet - we're in search of something new." Diddy closed it out with a reminder to all DJs, saying: "The DJ is and always will be responsible for Hip-Hop!" In today's climate, this is not only true of the DJ but bloggers and playlist curators, A&Rs at labels, etc. It's a responsibility we have to filter through the bullshit and find what speaks to us and amplify those sounds, visuals, and messages. I'm sure Puff wasn't in clubs where J.Rocc or DJ Jazzy Jeff were spinning, so he wasn't speaking for ALL DJs, but there's a reason that The Breakfast Club is broadcasted in countless markets and why geography and regional sound plays such a minor role in music today. It's all the same playlist! It's just some food for thought and something I've continued to consider as I curate this website. The full video message from Puff Daddy is below... Oh, and Happy Birthday to me, Black Thought, and Talib Kweli!