Contra is a cult figure on the Miami music circuit. Known as the tour DJ for MIA and Spank Rock, this summer he is about to make noise with Santogold around the US, opening for Coldplay. Having started as a host for a local university radio while he was studying graphic design, he has since bagged regular slots playing Miami's Purdy Lounge, Pawn Shop and The Vagabond.

Dazed Digital: You've known Santogold for a while - how did you become involved professionally?
Contra: When I was DJing for MIA. on her Arular world tour in 2005 and 2006, Spank Rock, an unknown group at the time, were opening for her on our US dates. Naeem from Spank Rock introduced me to some of the coolest girls I've ever known - namely Santi, Amanda Blank and Rose. After Maya's tour wrapped up, I was DJing for Santi and Rose down in Miami. I remember mixing in Sugar Hill's "Apache" randomly in between her songs without any warning.  The crowd erupted in cheers, and Santi just looked at me, couldn't help but crack a huge smile and then bust into dance. Since then, we have kept in touch.

DD: Tell us a bit about Santi White. 
C: She's the kinda girl that will take your last bite of a cupcake just because she can. She also only tells depressing stories about how many dogs have 'happened' to have died, been killed, or thrown away while she was taking care of them.

DD: What are the staples in your DJ diet? The good connectors for mixing together music from different genres?
C: I can't remember the last time I didn't make up a set on the fly. I've caught myself playing small mini-blends used in previous sets before, but it makes me feel like I'm cheating the audience and myself. Good connectors?  Any song with Gaz's "Sing Sing" break slapped on it. 

DD: What is the One More Day crew and how did it come about?
C: The Spank Rock crew were down in Miami for one night only in 2006. We had a blast till morning, ending up in the Atlantic Ocean with like 20 people either fully-clothed or naked. Their flight was scheduled within a couple hours, so the chant was born: "ONE MORE DAY!" What started as just changing their flights for one more day ended up with them staying for almost a week.

DD: You're originally from Washington DC. Tell us about your arrival to Miami and how you began to DJ.
C: I had originally come down here for inexpensive schooling in 1998. Four years later, I had already established myself in Miami as one of the better non-commercial DJs. I had run one of the more popular radio shows, The Underground, for three years on WVUM 90.5, the University of Miami's radio station. I was in a crew of DJs who started what has now become one of the most consistently fun parties in Miami: Chocolate Sundays at Purdy Lounge. Then, by coincidence, I was asked by M.I.A. to DJ for her. I quit my full-time job two days later, and pretty much jumped head-first into DJing. That was definitely a life-changing decision. Or the simple answer would is: it's beautiful down here nearly every day of the year.

DD: What is coming up in the world of DJ Contra?
C: In September, I hope to set up another amazing birthday party with the OMD family.  Last year was amazing; Spank Rock, Amanda Blank, DJ Craze, Mapei, Juiceboxxx, Franki Chan, my Turntable Lab family - Egg Foo Young, BluJemz, Unemployed Lloyd, Woody, and of course my Miami crew.