Interview: Borgore gives insight on his musical beginnings
Israeli Asaf Borger is better known to his millions of devoted fans as the dubstep producer and DJ Borgore. Transcending from his first found success Borgore has branched out to other forms of electronic music like drum and bass and house music.
He has also seen recent success in his hip-hop endeavors. His newest video single 100s showcases Borgore’s rap skills. Borgore has been associated in the past with collaborations with heavy hitters like G-Eazy, Miley Cyrus, and Diplo.
Electronic music and all things considered EDM have been looked at under a microscope in recent years for its fanatic and massive sellout crowds. The stereotypical never ending party antics, overly suggested drug usage, and the sexually aggressive atmosphere still haunts the growing music community.
Borgore is no stranger to controversy. The producer/DJ has been criticized for his suggestive and misogynist lyrics and his on stage antics. His persona is one of the loudest in your face in electronic music today. His unapologetic actions and records are a continuing sign of holding nothing back when it comes to his world of DJing.
A music prodigy growing up, Borgore had a not so average up bringing. After graduating at the age of 18 years-old he spent three years in the Israel’s national army. Borgore also has his own label Buygore.
We sat down with EDM’s bad boy at the fifth annual Spring Awakening Music Festival.
CM: You recently released the video for “100s." Not only do you showcase your rap skills but you also say “You don’t have to love, but I’m here making millions." What do you mean by that?
B: I’m a strange person in the EDM world. I don’t one hundred percent fit in, in a classical EDM way. That gets a lot of people mad. When people aren’t used to something they either love it or hate it. That’s a fact, you don’t have to love me but regardless I’m still doing pretty good.
From the Israeli army to producing music. How has that journey been coming from a place of uncertainty?
When I was in the army I was one hundred percent sure what I was going to do. I was in the army, my girlfriend broke up with me, I was miserable and was stuck with five hundred dudes getting shot at everyday.
That’s when I said to myself you know what I don’t want to be in this position. I want to be successful. I’m going to be successful.
I started trading stocks and did really well actually but that didn’t fulfill my life emotionally, so I want back to music. Music is something I’ve done my whole life. But you know what, if I wasn’t good at music I would do something else. I’d be a great lawyer or doctor. Fuck it, it’s all a matter of perspective. If you want to be great at something, then be great at it. Just work hard for it.
Your music has been attacked for what many suggest to be overly sexualized and misogynistic. How do you now reflect dealing with that and how many interrupted your music?
I don’t disrespect anyone. I don’t care what’s your gender or where you’re from as long as you’re a good person I respect you. If you come to my show and you want to show your tits if you’re a dude, chick, or trans (sexual) do it, I don’t care.
I’ll give you that option. You have the freedom to do whatever the fuck you want. How am I misogynist? You want me to tell them to stay at home and wear hijabs and stay in the kitchen all day?
When being criticized, the misunderstood culture of electronic music in being overly sexualized towards women is attached to your debate. How is it not only representing you but a specific culture of electronic music?
It feels natural. I’m going to do that for my whole life. For me art is theory. There’s so many questions I cannot answer. I don’t know what happens after death.
The world is fucking vague. The one thing I do know is the music makes me happy. This is what I’m going to do even if I’m not successful in making music, I’m still going to be making music.
Being involved and having a hand in every step the process with your music, from your label, production, to now rapping on "100s." Why is that important to you?
That’s the way it should be. If you’re a so called DJ, you better fucking know how to play some instruments. You better know how to produce. The whole idea of people becoming famous from other producer’s work is bullshit.
We are musicians - this is our job. First and foremost, we are all musicians you better know the notes in a C major scale, that’s basic! You got to know the basics.
Just bouncing back to "100s," how was it making the video for this light-hearted track?
It was amazing to shoot. We had a great time; I love the song. For years I was working with directors, some were great some weren’t. I was so happy to work with someone that I had so much fun with. All my friends were there together just fucking around. While on set I literally destroyed a golf cart for the music video. (laughs)
Borgore's "100s"
[youtube id="fJTuldpMwCg"]
Spring Awakening Music Festival same thrills, new location
The fifth anniversary of the mega popular Midwest electric music festival Spring Awakening has found its signature groove despite a slew of location setbacks. This year, the festival definitely did not disappoint for its anniversary celebration.
Past Spring Awakening attendees were accustomed to the stadium-size electric mecca at Chicago’s Soldier Field. With the move to the Addams/Medill Park on Chicago’s near west side community, Spring Awakening transformed the grass-laden fields into the best place in Chicago for electronic music.
With over one hundred acts performing this year, attendees were treated to some of the best artists in electronic dance music.
Day 1
Closing off the first night were some of the biggest recognizable names in electronic music, respectively. Steve Aoki brought his crazy antics and energy filled set to the Windy City, along side with his signature cake throwing. Electronic music bad boy Deadmau5 stole the show though, with his progressive house music anthems and crowd pleasing set. We last saw Deadmau5 in his long awaited return back to Chicago at Reaction NYE.
There were many signature moments from other artists, including Dillon Francis, Borgore, Flux Pavilion, and Jamie XX. Francis later crashed the middle of Deadmau5’s set to add to the already existing friendly melodic environment.
At Spring Awakening, the catchy beats and emotionally charged songs were met with individual fans who, collectively, grooved together. In a closed off space, Spring Awakening was still able to feel more tight knit. The distance between the stages was closer than previous years. This helped festival goers witness all that the Spring Awakening had to offer when it came to visiting each stage, and festival attraction like the Ferris wheel or the large water slide.
Day 2
Heavy hitters like Chicago’s own Kaskade, and a stable of electronic artists from Carnage, Nicky Romero, A-Track, and ShowTek all took over the second night of Spring Awakening. We also saw numerous memorable moments from the smaller branded stages throughout the three-day festival.
A-Track showcased his champion style of DJing and scratches that seemed nearly impossible. Due to an overheated laptop A-Track’s set was stopped abruptly as he to rallied up the crowd with friendly Chicago banter like not putting ketchup on hot dogs. He later thanked the crowd for not leaving while getting things started again.
With no other notable tech slip ups during the three-day festival, Spring Awakening held its own against the heat. The temperature played a factor during Spring Awakening weekend. With teasing reports of rain, Spring Awakening was prepared for the heavy heat by providing free water filled stations, CTA buses that were used for festival goers to cool off, and three tented stages that provided some much needed shade.
Acts like Above & Beyond, Chainsmokers, and Crystal Castles ended the final night on a high note. The well balanced lineup gave an opportunity for many to enjoy the different types of electronic music.
Day 3
The final day saw a well-balanced mixture of artist from trap to even traditional house music. House legend Green Velvet had a special set that many festival fans will rave about for years to come. Velvet's set was filled with throwbacks and classical house jams.
A touching display to note were the moments of silence that both the Chainsmokers and Above and Beyond held for the Orlando victims from the mass shooting that occurred just night before. This was a somber moment that, even during a three-day music festival, reminded its festival goers the human side of the issue.
Ending on a high note, Spring Awakening, despite its rocky first announcements and venue location change, was able to pull off another memorable experience for Chicago’s electronic music scene.
[RH Interview] Borgore
To ask Borgore, nothing is too surprising anymore. Having spent a lifetime working in an aroudn music, the early prodigy (he earned a scholarship to Cal-Berkeley for music at 17) is having the time of his life making music that gets people moving. The Israel native joined Steve Aoki, Pharrell and Waka Flocka Flame for the Fall "Aokify America" tour, which started last Friday with a show at the University of Illinois-Chicago Pavilion. Playing a set that skipped from one EDM subgenre to the next, Borgore had the young Chicago crowd fully hooked only a song into a set so full of energy one had to wonder if the packed see of neon and sparkle-clad fans would have anything left for the next three acts. At this point in his career, the 25-year-old artist is enjoying a steady climb up the music landscape and being on the road for what he calls "a field trip with friends". I had a chance to catch him backstage right after his set, read our interview below.
Jake: Alright, so at one point during your set, you chanted "girl is a nympho" and every girl in front of me went crazy and chanted it back, what's it like to have the power to dictate other's actions so easily?
Borgore: Check my Twitter. Twitter is where things get out of hand. Today I gave away six tickets to people who would go into a public place, do a headtand twerk and sing Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Close My Eyes" while twerking. We got like three or four submissions. This dude did it in McDonald's inside of a table. I have chicks doing it in Target or something but that dude took the cake.
Jake: In electronic dance music, more than any other genre, the focus is purely on one person to create a show, what is that like for you?
Borgore: It's fucking thousands of people watching you, they fucking paid a lot of money for me to give them the best time of their lives and you cannot fuck up. So half of me wants to say it is the greatest thing, the greatest pleasure and the other half of me wants to say it is the biggest stress ever. It's not easy.
Jake: I could imagine. So, first stop on the tour with one hell of a lineup, what's it been like so far.
Borgore: If this tour is going to look like this I'm so happy, dude. I came to Steve before he played his set tonight and I told him big ups on assembling such an eclectic and amazing tour. I think that if I was an 18 year old, I think it's only $30 in some markets, to come see this show, it's out of this world dude.
Jake: How excited are you to be spending time on the road with these guys?
Borgore: I worked with Steve and I worked with Waka so I know them well. You know what though man, it's a fucking field trip. I'm touring with my friends to begin with. It's a semi vacation, the whole year I'm busting my ass flying city to city by myself seeing people I don't know. I don't have a stable life at all, I haven't been in my house for longer than three days. For a month and a half, being on the bus, it's like a traveling house, dude I'm on fucking vacation right now.
Jake: So how did the collaboration with Waka come about?
Borgore: I remixed one of his songs about a year and a half ago and I did a deal with him. He offered me a bunch of money but I said keep your money and throw me like a verse or something that I can fuck with, you know? I have a lot of songs that are really big singles that I never put out because I;m too strict with myself about what I'm releasing. I didn't know whether I wanted to release this song or not and I met Waka in Spain and he came to me and said "man, this is amazing, I love it" and I was more scared than anything that Waka wouldn't like it, you know? So he loved it, so I went back to the project changed it because it was in moombahton which is not really relevant anymore, and made it house and that's where it is now.
Jake: That kind of leads me to my next question, how do you manage to stay aheado f the curve in such a fast-moving genre like dance music?
Borgore: I have been doing music all my life. All my life I was playing Jazz, Classical music, Punk, Metal, everything. I got a scholarship to Berkeley University when I was 17, I've been in music my whole life. Bring it on, bring on any genre. I'll take time but I'll learn it perfect, you know?
Jake: The last time I saw you was at Electric Daisy Carnival Chicago, how does a set like that compare to something like tonight?
Borgore: EDC Chicago was amazing for me, the crowd was great for me. The scene in Chicago is really nice to me. About a year ago my first big show here was at the Congress with Calvin Harris and the crowd wasn't really feeling me but it's never been the case since. Since then I've been here about three or four times and every time it's just amazing. There was a lot of reasons for the show with Calvin to not work. It was no one's fault but it just didn't work but I'm happy the sets since have gone good.
Jake: So what can we expect from you moving forward, what's on the horizon?
Borgore: Like I've said I've done music my whole life and I've always done it for me. I'm slowly rising, very slowly rising but it's happening the way it should. I have no secret cards about what is coming in the future, I'm just going to keep doing what I've been doing so far.
Borgore: "Wild Out" (Feat. Waka Flocka Flame)
Later this Fall, Israeli-born EDM Producer/DJ Borgore will release his debut album, Wild Out on Steve Aoki's Dim Mak Records. For now, we get the lead single off the project, which shares the same name as the album and features the one and only Waka Flaka Flame. The track is an instant banger that got people moving at the University of Illinois-Chicago Pavilion on the first night of the Aokify America tour, which had Waka and Borgore on the bill, as well as Pharrell and Aoki. Check out the track below and be sure to keep it posted to RH for an exclusive interview with Borgore, coming soon!
Aokify America Tour feat. Steve Aoki, Pharrell & more
The folks over at REACT Presents just keep raising the bar. Today, they announced Steve Aoki’s Aokify America Tour with a sort of instructional baking video from Aoki himself. The tour is a Fall monster, with supporting acts Borgore, Wacka Flocka Flame and Pharrell! The tour comes through the UIC Pavilion with the full lineup. The REACT crew released a video of Steve Aoki baking a cake, just to get everyone going. Tickets available HERE.Read more
Aokify America Tour feat. Steve Aoki, Pharrell & more
The folks over at REACT Presents just keep raising the bar. Today, they announced Steve Aoki's Aokify America Tour with a sort of instructional baking video from Aoki himself. The tour is a Fall monster, with supporting acts Borgore, Wacka Flocka Flame and Pharrell! The tour comes through the UIC Pavilion with the full lineup. The REACT crew released a video of Steve Aoki baking a cake, just to get everyone going. Tickets available HERE.Read more