Talkin' Hoops with the Halifax Rainmen DJ, RS Smooth

DJs in pro basketball arenas are becoming a staple in keeping the crowds hyped and energized.  To name a few, there's 4Korners for the Toronto Raptors, DJ Irie for the Miami Heat and DJ Steph Floss for the Cleveland Cavaliers.  The Halifax Rainmen have their very own resident DJ by the name of RS Smooth, who has been on the Halifax music scene for years.  You've probably heard him either on CKDU hosting the weekly show $mooth Groove$ or on 101.3 The Bounce.  I caught up with RS and asked him about his thoughts on the Rainmen, why Halifax is a prime basketball city and what music artists the Rainmen players like to listen to.

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Romy (Haligonia.ca):  Along with other projects that you work on around Halifax, you're also the DJ for the Halifax Rainmen, how did you get involved with the team?

RS Smooth:  I became involved with the Rainmen through the assistant coach, Shannon Hansen. He got me to DJ a couple of events for the Rainmen before they started the first season. Then they liked my work so they asked me to be their DJ for the season and beyond.

Romy (Haligonia.ca):  You're from Halifax, why is this a good city for a pro hoops franchise like the Rainmen?

RS Smooth:  Halifax has always been a hot bed for basketball. You have the annual Provincial Black Basketball tournament that has been around for 30 plus years. The AUS/CIS draws people from all over the Atlantic Provinces as well. People just love baskteball here. I hope they continue to support the Rainmen as who knows what else it could lead to in the future.

Romy (Haligonia.ca):  Let's hear your thoughts on this year's squad. Do you think this is the best Rainmen roster to date? Can they grab one of these few playoff spots?

RS Smooth:  Well so far, it does look to me like this is the best Rainmen team so far. I like the big men, they've got some talented guards and it seems the coaching is on par with the level of talent and expectations. But in the short 20-game season of the PBL, every win/loss counts. We can't lose games against teams we should beat. Hopefully we can get in the playoffs.

Romy (Haligonia.ca):  All around the NBA, DJs are becoming more apparent in NBA arenas, why do think this is becoming the trend?
 
RS Smooth: Music and basketball go hand-in-hand. Most DJ's are on the cutting edge of what's hot and that definitely helps to keep the crowd and players entertained. I think the key is playing a lil somethin' for everybody. There's younger kids who are there with their parents so a lil' ol' skool here and there can work for sure. But it's also good to make the players feel at home, so some Dirty South, West Coast and NY Hip-Hop definitely gets 'em fired up!!!
 
Romy (Haligonia.ca):  Jump balls in basketball games usually call for either "Van Halen - Jump", "Kris Kross - Jump" or "House of Pain - Jump Around" to play in the arena before the jump, but those songs are all kind of played out, what song would you play?
 
RS Smooth: I've played all 3 of those songs before, along with "Pass The Courvoisier"... I think they fit in perfectly for that particular time in the game and don't really think they're "played out".

Romy (Haligonia.ca):  The guys on the team must have input on what you play during warmups/shootaround or even during the game, what do some these guys like to listen to?
 
RS Smooth: A lot of times the players like the latest Hip-Hop joints out and songs that from their region of the U.S. A lot of Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, Young Jeezy, Snoop Dogg, etc. Latest jams really.

Romy (Haligonia.ca):  Aside from entertaining the Rainmen crowds at the Metro Centre, where else can we find RS Smooth?

RS Smooth: I'm all over the place, but you can tune into 101.3 The Bounce weekdays @ 5pm for The 5 O'Clock Mixdown, Metro's #1 Mixshow, Saturdays Noon-5pm on 101.3 The Bounce as well. Then there's $mooth Groove$, Sundays @ 5pm on CKDU 88.1 FM, a show which has entered it's third decade as of 2010. (It's been on since June 1998). And you can catch me DJing all over HRM/Nova Scotia here and there, whether it's clubs, private parties, weddings, concerts, award shows, etc. And last but not least you can check out $mooth Groove$ Radio on Live365.com, streaming smooth grooves 24/7-365
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Big thanks goes out to RS for taking the opportunity to answer our Q's!  Be sure to check him out entertaining the Halifax Metro Centre crowds at the Halifax Rainmen home games...Next game Saturday @ 7:00pm against the Vermont Frost Heaves.

Romy Aquino covers the pro basketball game (the Canadian Flavour of the NBA, the PBL's Halifax Rainmen) from a fan's perspective.  He also can be found at NBA hoops blogs, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and Hoop Heads North.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino