My quest for New York City’s hidden gems continues to reach unpredictable realms. In this concrete jungle, discovering thrilling party scenes is a never-ending search. Among NYC’s buried treasures, there’s a hauntingly cool place where fashionistas, super-freaks, and party rockers unite to howl the night away — The Wolf Party, thrown by the feverishly eccentric promoter, Markko Donto.
Here at Remezcla, we’ve heard about the hype happening at Le Souk, where the Wolf is unleashed every Tuesday night. We’ve anticipated checking this event out, with hopes of reaching out to the über-talented, Peruvian-born DJ Monikkr, the motor behind that frenzied dance floor.
Now, I originally met Monikkr as Anthony Fonseca, while he was producing for NYC-based, industrial goth performer Kayvon Zand. So, I was surprised and very delighted to find out that the two names are one. Fonseca keeps his production artistry at speed. Soon, he’ll be releasing the action-crazed “Hi Sexy” single. Next month, the music video shoot for the ditty begins.
During my chat with DJ Monikkr, he illustrated that his upbringing was influenced by the ‘80s hair metal rock lords which then paved way to his wicked dubstep, mashups, and remixing style that brews The Wolf Party’s thriving scene.
This remixing mastermind is cunning, wit-minded, and charming. In this interview, DJ Monikkr talks about his upcoming electro dubstep single, reminisces on his heavy metal icons that influenced his DJing skills, and discloses ideas about making future plans to tour Latin America and reconnect back to the motherland.
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RE: Tell me about your new single “Hi Sexy” coming out in…
DJ Monikkr: August. We’ll be shooting the music video mid-July. I’m actually working with the director that’s filming the new Massive Attack movie, so that’s pretty cool. That’s probably the most short term stuff that’s happening right now. Just, launching the Monikker brand with that first single. We have three more coming up after.
I was reading on your website that the Monikkr brand, or your DJ name, is your latest reincarnation on stage.
Yea, it is. I’ve been around for a long time, about 15 years. I’ve put out records with a group called Speakerbox for many years, and we had a couple of hits. I’ve remixed from Avril Levine, Maroon 5, Monica, to Alicia Keys. About 6 or 7 months ago, my management team, BIG Management, heard some of my new records and they were like, “This is a completely different person.” I really got into dubstep, and I’ve been producing electro for a long time. I’m actually a rocker by trade and was in a band for many years.
What instrument do you play?
I’m a guitar player. I started combining electro and rock first, and when I found dubstep, I thought, “this is what heavy metal was like when I was a kid,” you know? As soon as I shifted to dubstep and started playing all my new material, my management told me, “This is someone new, you can’t keep going with the old you,” so they asked me to come up with a moniker for myself. After two weeks of not being able to come up with a moniker, I just went with the name Monikkr. It kind of defines me, without defining me. There’s no real definition of who I am at this point, name-wise.
How long have you been in NYC?
I grew up in Brooklyn, but I moved to Tampa, Florida when I was a teenager. Then I came back to New York 7 years ago.
So, you were born in Lima?
Yeah, I was born there, and I came to the US when I was 6 months old.
You were an immigrant baby! I was going to ask you, “What do you remember from Lima? Any music?”
Nooothing, absolutely nothing. As embarrassed as I am to say it, I don’t have a strong connection to that part of my world. I plan on doing some touring over there, because music is really big there. And I think that will be when I reconnect with my roots. Actually, I think that’s going to be a pretty special way to do it.
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AFTER TWO WEEKS OF NOT COMING UP WITH A
MONIKER, I JUST WENT WITH MONIKKR. IT KIND OF DEFINES ME
WITOUT DEFINING ME. THERE’S NO REAL DEFINITION
OF WHO I AM.
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Do you follow anybody in Peru?
Not yet. Some of the people that are successful in Lima are from here. There really isn’t an electro dubstep scene going on there. Many are into Iron Maiden and stuff like that. Groups like from 1985. So I think it would be cool to bring something new and fresh to the market over there. And I definitely want to approach the Latin American market, because I’m Latin, you know? I definitely feel the cultural connection to Peru.
Can you elaborate on that?
Through my family. I have a niece and nephew that are growing up, and my sister instills a lot of the Peruvian culture. My father’s a chef, he cooks Peruvian food. It’s not like I’m disconnected from the idea and the concept of being Peruvian. I just don’t know what its like to be in Peru. Which I’m sure is a whole different type of Peruvian, you know?
It’s kind of similar with some Mexican Americans and Chicanos.
Right. You send them to Mexico and its like “what the…?” Yea. So I dunno, I’m alright with it. I’ll figure it out one day.
Before you do that, wanna take a sangria break?
Yeah. Let’s return to it when we get a good buzz going.
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— Photos by Dylan Hess: For more snaps of this nights electo dubstep party, click HERE!