Know Your DJs II

The Subway Sessions is a new night of hip-hop and house music every Friday at The Underground (9:30 pm, no cover; 200 W. San Francisco St., 505-577-5893) that features DJs King George and Ché. Moving in and out of hip-hop and house makes for a unique style, and does wonders for a town full of people aching to dance.

Name: George S Adelo III

DJ Handle: King George

Affiliations: Chicanobuilt, Robotic Nightmoves

Origin: "Ever since I was a kid, I loved hip-hop. My dad's a musician, and it became clear early on I could either learn guitar or become a DJ. Being a DJ actually takes a lot of practice, but I didn't know that at the time."

Story: DJ King George has been around nearly as long as I can remember. One of the founders of now-defunct, but still legendary, DJ collaborative Chicanobuilt, King George has been a major factor in how Santa Fe's DJ scene was shaped. Originally more of an underground hip-hop DJ, King George admits that his conversion to the more mainstream side of the coin came begrudgingly. "I heard this Timbaland beat that I secretly liked, but I didn't want to admit it to anyone. It made me realize that DJing is more about getting people dancing than playing only what I like," King George tells SFR. As a result, King George uses mainstream hip-hop to lure in members of the crowd, then hits them from time to time with music they may not have heard otherwise. This kind of subtle music education is not only clever, it's also key in spreading the word about underground styles.

Name: Ché Martinez

DJ Handle: Ché

Affiliations: The System, Robotic Nightmoves

Origin: "I was lucky enough to travel the world and pick up a massive collection of music. But house music…I just love the beat and the melody. It's the best music in the world."

Story: DJ Ché hasn't been spinning as long as some of the other DJs in town, but he's quickly made a name for himself in the deep house category. A resident on Corazón's patio all summer, Ché creates a mellow and sexy mood that gets the ladies dancing, which in turn brings out the dudes—not a bad strategy. Ché has an honest attitude about DJing: "Anybody can buy the equipment and play records," he says. "But it takes a real DJ to move the crowd and control the night." Ché collaborates with DJ Jim Stephens for a bimonthly event at Corazón called The System (9 pm Thursday, Nov. 26, $4; 402 S. Guadalupe St., 983-4559), which features DJs spinning any and all styles. "You may not hear the same thing twice, but you'll always hear something good," Ché says.

Santa Fe Reporter