A native of Puerto Rico, DJ Sneak aka Carlos Sosa moved to the home of house music, Chicago with his family in the early eighties. Known as the innovator of the disco filter sound, his album “Housekeeping” was released in 2003 on his own label Magnetic Recordings. The album is a funky collection of Latin grooves, sexy vocals and deep beats and features the catchy top 20 UK hit “Fix my sink”. About to begin his tour down under, I asked DJ Sneak how much his Puerto Rican heritage has influenced his sound. ”I love the fact that I am Puerto Rican, and yes it has influenced everything in my career. I owe the nice beats and funky grooves I make to my Latin in me”.
Originally earning his nickname as a graffiti tagger and airbrush artist, we talk about how he began his musical career. “I started getting into House music about the age of 14 or 15 when I was listening to House Music pioneers like Farley Jackmaster Funk, Ralphie Rosario, Chip E, and Adonis play live sets on the radio. When I decided I was going to try doing what I’m doing today I had some minor help from some local guys in Chicago but mostly It was my persistence and hard work that gave me the motivation to be DJ Sneak today”.
He says his mother would state her son’s commitment to hard work as one of his best qualities, “especially when it comes to making music. When I was younger I use to sit in my room and work on music, from the time the sun came up until it went down”. Sneak has been keeping a pretty heavy touring schedule, joking that he is on tour “almost as much as much as The Rolling Stones and U2, Ha! Ha!”. He has been kept busy of late promoting the House of Om compilation along with his own label releases and supporting the Keep House Alive Movement. He says that he enjoys playing Europe the most with Holland and Ireland rating a special mention for having a great time.
Although he abandoned the home of house, Chicago, seven years ago and is now based in Toronto, Canada, Sneak has been busy cooking up some treats sure to tantalize his fans. “I’m re-designing my website DJ Sneak.com where you will be able to get all the house music you can handle, a 24 hour radio station, schedule, on line store, and digital downloading of all my old and new music. Can you handle that?” A bit of a SNAG, he says that when he isn’t playing, recording, producing or touring, that the other great loves of his life are “art and cooking”, and thinks that if he hadn’t become a DJ he probably would have pursued a career in art. “I’ve always loved art and I actually got a scholarship to the Art Institute of Chicago when I finished high school. I think that if I had decided to stick with painting and drawing I would have ended up being an art teacher”.
He recently returned from London where he has been working together with his good friend Chris Simmons and is enthusiastic about the project. “It’s amazing working with someone who is on the same tip as you. Chris and I both love the good old dirty house and when we’re in the studio together we’re thinking the same shit”. So where to from here for DJ Sneak? ”My goal is to prove to everyone that house music is the shit! It’s still alive and I’m going to keep it coming” And what inspires him? “The beats, need I say more?”
DJ Sneak tours Australia this September and October:
Sat Sep 24th – Mischief?, Melbourne (BUY TICKETS)
Sun Sep 25th – Parklife, Perth (BUY TICKETS)
Sat Oct 1st – Parklife, Brisbane (BUY TICKETS)
Sun Oct 2nd – Parklife, Sydney (BUY TICKETS)
