REMEMBERING MIXTAPES #1 FAN: JUSTO FAISON

Words by DJ EFN

Everything I do today was built on the back of my mixtapes and although this article is not about me, I need you to understand how instrumental my mixtape career has been in helping me carve out my humble piece of the hip hop pie. Justo Faison (seen above with actor mekhi phifer) was very important in helping me establish myself. One thing I will never do is forget the pioneers that came before me and I certainly wont forget anyone that has helped me navigate through this unforgiving and down right malicious industry. On this week nine years ago we prematurely lost mixtapes #1 fan – Justo Faison –  in a late night car accident (as reported by MTV News). A couple days later Shaheem Reid who then worked at MTV reached out to me for a comment about Justo’s death.

DJ Kool Kid described Faison, who died at age 36 as a “motivator who put visions into reality,” while DJ EFN called him an instrumental part of the mixtape game. – MTV

For those who may not know, Justo was the founder and organizer of the only national mixtape awards at the time, Justo’s Mixtape Awards, and was an advocate for mixtapes and mixtape dj’s. At a time when NYC reigned supreme over hip hop culture and industry, Justo reached out to mixtape dj’s in other cities and tried to bring them into the national fold. He put dj’s like myself on the same platforms as the top mixtape djs from NY like DJ Clue, Tony Touch, and Kay Slay. He saw the value in all mixtape djs from all over and worked hard to help shed light on us.

Although Justo’s Mixtapes Awards was sometimes clouded in controversy, I can only speak from my personal interactions with Justo the man. Justo started to reach out to me in the 90’s and in his own way tried to mentor me so that I could grow as a mixtape dj. I was nominated a few times but I did not walk away with a Justo Award until 2002. I won in the ‘Best New Mixtape DJ’ category and even though I had been making mixtapes for over half a decade at that point, I was ecstatic to win the award. The hand made award hangs proudly in my home office and stands as a reminder of where I come from and why I do this.

(Above is the award I won at the 2002 Justo’s Mixtape Awards for ‘Best New Mixtape DJ’. Below is an article from The Source Magazine covering the 2002 Justo Mixtape Awards and the cover of that issue.)

Not long after Justo’s death Tablist Magazine asked me to write something in remembrance of him. Below is a transcript of what I wrote followed by the actual article and the cover of the issue it was in.

To my homie Justo wherever you at, may you rest in peace. I know it may seem too late to thank you for all you have done but it took this tragic occasion to truly acknowledge all you have done for me and mixtape djs as a whole. I want to thank you for reaching out to me a young new mixtape dj out of Miami, Fl. in the mid 90’s and helping expose me outside my city in a time when no one cared about any other mixtape djs outside of NY. I want to thank you for reaching out to me with the many opportunities in which you would call me about. I commend you for all your work with the mixtape awards, despite some of the negative shit that developed over the years with some of the dj’s. The mixtape awards helped legitimize mixtape dj’s especially at times when corporate America was trying to discredit and lock us up! In sticking by us (mixtape djs) You have helped us go from underground mixtapes to full length albums in stores, Radio shows, endorsement deals, and full on publicity in such platforms as MTV, BET, and pretty much all the top magazines. Whether directly or indirectly you have been involved in the success of all mixtape djs and for that we thank you! Crazy Hood Productions and I send our prayers and condolences to your family. – DJ EFN

Let us remember this fallen hip hop soldier. We cannot allow for the hard work and dedication of people like Justo to be forgotten nor ignored. In this fast age of internet blurbs, it is easy for someone like Justo to fade away to the point where history does not acknowledge their contribution. I for one am grateful and greatly appreciate them.