LiT MIX 001 :: TANK GYAL
There couldn’t be a more fitting selector for the first Light Twerkerz LIT MIX than the original west coast rudegyal pon the decks herself, the legendary Tank Gyal. She has DJ’d the Light Twerkerz twerkshop and bruckout at Bass Coast Festival every year since the inaugural session at Merritt, British Columbia in 2013.
Founding resident DJ and promoter of Vancouver’s longest-running dancehall weekly Ting since 2007, and core member of the mighty Lighta! Sound crew, she is true to the origins of sound system culture while tirelessly working to push the vibes forward in the present.
We’re honoured she has made the time to bless us with ***her first studio DJ mix release in over 5 years*** (!!!), and dayyum does it deliver! Most definitely channeling the full blood wolf moon lunar eclipse potency during the weekend it was recorded. Vibes!
Check the tracklist below our interview here to find your fave fire tunes from this trans-Asslantic survey of American, Afro-Caribbean and European music: over 80 tracks in just under 80 minutes of booty-shaking bedlam! We caught up with Tank Gyal outside Vancouver’s Red Room club after a sweaty night of whining at Ting! to discuss dat ass:
:: INTERVIEW ::
🔥Light Twerkerz: If you were describing Light Twerkerz to someone you had a crush on, how would you?
📣Tank Gyal: “It’s music and dancing to get your panties wet, or your boxer-briefs.”
🔥LiT: How would you describe it to your parents?
📣TG: “My parents are from Slovenia. They wouldn’t understand.”
🔥LiT: Do your parents know what you do?
📣TG: “They do. They know that I DJ. I don’t think they know what twerking is, though. They don’t really understand. My mom would probably be traumatized. My dad would be down.”
🔥LiT: When was your first twerkthrough? Like, did you have a new experience of awareness with your mind and body through shaking it?
📣TG: “See, I don’t really twerk myself. Probably my favourite dancehall video for dancing is “Tun Tuddy” by Aidonia. It’s a mechanic-themed twerking video with lots of girls and engines, and twerking and sweating and dancing and mechanic stuff.”
🔥LiT: Have you had any dance breakthrough moments in general? Like, it doesn’t have to be necessarily twerking. But in your body, dancehall taking you over, like the vibe swept you up?
📣TG: “Probably in Jamaica. There’s a club in Negril called The Jungle. Every time I’m in Jamaica on a Thursday I’m like, ‘I should be at Ting!’ But when I was at The Jungle, I was like, ‘this is actually better than Ting, sorry’.
🔥LiT: What’s your favourite music to play that’s specifically booty-oriented?
📣TG: “There’s so many. I have a whole booty playlist. Spice, Demarco, Konshens, Baby Cham... There’s certain dancehall songs, they just have that bass that makes the ass bounce. And Shenseea really gets to me. She’s got some good booty songs.
🔥LiT: Like tonight, when you played tonight ‘Nothing Dem a Have Over Me’...
📣TG: “Oh, yeah, she’s so good. I love Shenseea.”
🔥LiT: What’s the craziest booty-related action you’ve seen go down on the dance floor while you’ve been DJing?
📣TG: “I’d have to say probably one of the twerkshops at Bass Coast. I think one of the earlier ones when it was still at Slay Bay, when it was a little bit less structured and it was just sort of a free-for-all. Bass Coast, those are the most booty moments. I feel like Bass Coast and Light Twerkerz have a very strong connection.”
🔥LiT: What would you say makes a dance floor body-positive, vibe-wise?
📣TG: “When everyone feels freed up and that no one’s creeping on them. And doesn’t feel judged. And can do whatever they want.”
🔥LiT: What role does the music you play have in making that happen?
📣TG: “I think I’m known for playing a lot of girl songs, and bringing the ladies to the dance floor. I play a lot of female artists. I’m kind of known for that.”
🔥LiT: We spoke on the ferry to Salt Spring before a show recently about selecting for an all-ages audience versus for adults.
📣TG: “Yes, when I play for an all-ages audience, I really have to think about what I’m playing because I have a limited amount of songs that aren’t pum pum tunes. So I need to plan in advance when I’m doing something like that.”
🔥LiT: Do you have any specific musical inspiration for doing this mix for Light Twerkerz, beyond it being booty-oriented?
📣TG: “The one song that I specifically associate with Light Twerkerz is ‘Instagram Pic’, that’s the anthem.
🔥LiT: So what can we expect to hear on the mix for Light Twerkerz?
📣TG: “I want to bring some new stuff that hasn’t been heard. I need to bring some new fire.”
🔥LiT: Do you have a favourite kind of butt?
📣TG: “Yes, just the large ridiculous doesn’t look like it’s real, Jamaican butt. Doesn’t look like it’s real, but is real.”
🔥LiT: What kind of a butt do you have?
📣TG: “It’s kind of a behind-the-scenes butt. You have to be VIP to get to know my butt. It stays behind the scenes.”
:: TRACKLISTING ::
01. Wiggle — JASON DERULO feat. SNOOP DOGG (Tattoos Deluxe Edition), prod. RICKY REED [Beluga Heights Records, 2013]
02. Bum Bum — KAT DELUNA feat. TREY SONGZ, prod. A-WALL (single) [eOne, 2015]
03. Wine Pon Di Buddy (Dougie Refix), prod. QMILLION — E-DEE [Unseen Lab, 2011]
04. So Mi Like It — SPICE (Boom Box Riddim), prod. NOTNICE [Notnice Records, 2014]
05. Boom It Off — VYBZ KARTEL [Vybz Kartel Musik, 2018]
06. Bubble (Hot Gyal Mix) — TOSH ALEXANDER feat. MISS KITTY & TRILLARY BANKS [A BrukOut Records, 2018]
07. Bun Him (DJ THEORY’s GTFO Edit) — MACKA DIAMOND & BLACKER, prod. ROBERT LIVINGSTON [Big Yard Music Group, 2005]
08. Movie (90’s Masquerade Riddim) — MUSICAL MASQUERADE & ESCO [Musical Masquerade, 2018]
09. Know You Good (Peppa Mint Riddim, prod DREAM-SOUND) — Busy Signal [Warriors Musick Productions, 2018]
10. Romantic Mood (Captured Mixtape, prod. SCORNDEM PRODUCTIONS) — SPICE [Spice Official Entertainment, 2018]
11. Work It (RIHANNA remix, prod. BOI-1DA, 40, KUK HARRELL) — STEFFLON DON feat. RIHANNA, WIZKID, LIL MAMA [54 London Ltd, 2018]
12. What A Night — LISA MERCEDEZ feat. STYLO G [BGC Records, 2018]
13. Pon Mi — SHENSEEA [Dunwell Productions, 2018]
14. Siddung — KRANIUM [Atlantic, 2018]
15. Mi Belly (Zinc Roof Riddim) — ISHAWNA [TJ Records, 2018]
16. Under Water (Zinc Roof Riddim) — VYBZ KARTEL [TJ Records, 2018]
17. Under Fire (Zinc Roof Riddim) — SPICE [TJ Records, 2018]
18. So Mi Small (Bed Spring Riddim) — SHENSEEA [Young Blood Records, 2018
19. Pretty Fuck (Bed Spring Riddim) — LANZ [Young Blood Records, 2018]
20. Bawl Out (Rum & Boom Riddim) — DOVEY MAGNUM [Journey Music, 2017]
21. Equal Rights (Shape Of You Remix, prod. ED SHEERAN, STEVE MAC) — ISHAWNA [Legendary Records, 2017]
22. Shape Of You, prod. ED SHEERAN, STEVE MAC — KRANIUM remix [Atlantic, 2016]
23. Bruk It Down — KALIBWOY [Sony, 2018]
24. Top Class (Law Riddim) — TIFA [Misik Muzik, 2017]
25. Pum Pum Phat (John Crow Riddim) — CECILE [Cashflow Records, 2018]
26. Nah Tell Dem — SANJIN, WALSHY FIRE & SALVATORE GANACCI [Mad Decent, 2016]
27. Vibes — STEFFLON DON feat. WIZKID, DAVIDO, FUSE ODG [Stefflon Don, 2018]
28. Freak Of The Week (The Long Way Home Deluxe) — KREPT & KONAN feat. JEREMIH, prod. DJ MUSTARD, ADP [Play Dirty, 2015]
29. Jiggle Likkle — SAVAGE [Yellow Moon Records, 2016]
30. Body Right (Captured Mixtape, prod. SCORNDEM PRODUCTIONS) — SPICE [Spice Official Entertainment, 2018]
31. Swalla — JASON DERULO feat. NICKI MINAJ & TY DOLLA $IG, prod. RICKY REED [Warner Brothers, 2017]
32. Instagram Pic — LEFTSIDE [Keepleft Records, 2015]
33. Shush — LISA MERCEDEZ [Durty Diamonds, 2016]
34. Wait (The Whisper Song) — YING YANG TWINS, prod. MR. COLLIPARK [TVT Records, 2005]
35. Taste — TYGA feat. OFFSET, prod. D.A. DOMAN [Last Kings, 2018]
36. Wakanda Jam (DJ THEORY’s Icy Grl Blend) — MR. VEGAS x SAWEETIE [MV Music, 2018]
37. Hot Spliff — BUSY SIGNAL [Turf Music Entertainment, 2017]
38. Coño — PURI x JHORRMOUNTAIN x ADJE [Spinnin’ Records, 2017]
39. Popalik — CHO feat. STEFFLON DON, prod. SPANKER [Top Notch Music VOF, 2016]
40. Run The Place — BAMBY, LANDR, prod. JAHYANAI KING [Rude Things Records, 2016]
41. Bum Bum Remix — YEMI ALADE feat. LADY LESHURR & ADMIRAL T [Effyzzie Music Group, 2018]
42. Dura Remix — DADDY YANKEE feat. BECKY G, BAD BUNNY & NATTI NATASHA [El Cartel Records, 2018]
43. Shake Your Bam Bam — RDX (Level Up) [RDX Music, 2017]
44. Tight Nooki (Real Ting Mixtape) — STEFFLON DON feat. JEREMIH, prod. RYMES [54 London, 2016]
45. Dina — PERUZZI feat. POPCAAN & BARRY JHAY [Davido Music Worldwide, 2018]
46. What A Bam Bam — AMARA LA NEGRA [Groovy Baby Enterntainment, 2018]
47. Hot (Bam Bam) — BUSY SIGNAL, prod. WALSHY FIRE & DJ SEPTIK [Walshy Fire, 2018]
48. Keys To The City Remix — TIWA SAVAGE feat. BUSY SIGNAL [Mavin Records / 323 Entertainment, 2016]
49. Gud Morning — JEZ BLENDA feat. SOLIDSTAR & DJ XCLUSIVE [Street Records Limited, 2016]
50. I Like The Way (Bashment Time Riddim) — TIMAYA [DM Records, 2016]
51. Tan Tuddy - CHARLY BLACK [Head Concussion Records, 2018]
52. Gal Tan Up (Bashment Time Riddim) — KONSHENS [Head Concussion Records, 2018]
53. Whining Work (Bashment Time Riddim) — SAVAGE [Head Concussion Records, 2018]
54. Position (Bashment Time Riddim) — SHENSEEA [Head Concussion Records, 2018]
55. Backaz — DEMARCO [TJ Records, 2016]
56. Bang (Car Crash Evolution Riddim) — RDX [True Blood Records, 2016]
57. Lady Body — DEMARCO feat. HOTTA MAESTRO prod. JAY CRAYZIE [Jay Crayzie Records, 2013]
58. Gum — SPICE prod. REDBOOM [Spice Official Entertainment, 2018]
59. Fever — VYBZ KARTEL [Adidjahiem Records/TJ Records/Zojak World Wide, 2016]
60. Bruise — AIDONIA prod. 4TH GENNA MUSIC [Hit City Records, 2017]
61. Hard Drive — SHENSEEA, KONSHENS, RVSSIAN, prod. HEAD CONCUSSION RECORDS [Head Concussion Records, 2018]
62. Kom Kom — TIMAYA, KING PERRYY & PATORANKING [DM Records, 2018]
63. Waistline Ting — SHENSEEA prod. MASH UP INTERNATIONAL [Red Mount Music, 2017]
64. Luv It (Cute Bubble Riddim) — J CAPRI [Misik Music, 2015]
65. Text Message — BUSY SIGNAL prod. TURF MUSIC ENT [VP Records, 2015]
66. Phat Punani — LEFTSIDE [Keep Left Records, 2010]
67. Bassline — KONSHENS prod. EMPIRE [Subkonshus Music, 2018]
68. Yuh Fuck Sweet — CHARLY BLACK prod. NOTNICE [Notnice Records, 2013]
69. Real Bad Gal — VYBZ KARTEL prod. DRE SKULL [Mixpak Records, 2018]
70. Pussy Have Class — DANIELLE D.I. prod. LMR PRO [Akam Entertainment, 2016]
71. Ride Up — KHALIA & TIFA prod. DUBSHOT [K-Licious Music, 2017]
72. Lifestyle (Money Mix Riddim) — YANIQUE ‘Curvy Diva’ [Good Good Productions, 2017]
73. 10 Outta 10 (Money Mix Riddim) — MASICKA, prod. GOOD GOOD PRODUCTIONS [Good Good Productions, 2017]
74. Wine (Money Mix Riddim) — SHENSEEA feat. BOOM BOOM [Good Good Productions, 2017]
75. Yuh Body Healthy (Guitar String Riddim) — AGENT SASCO, prod. Di GENIUS [Conquer The Globe Productions, 2014]
76. Big Bumper (Moskato Riddim) — TIFA, prod. CHRISTOPHER BIRCH [Birchill Records, 2016]
77. Buddy Rider (Culu Culu Riddim) — GAGE, prod. IG [Uim Records, 2015]
78. Set Fi Di Backshot — AIDONIA, prod. DI GENIUS [4th Genna Music, 2017]
79. Wine & Stop — POPCAAN, prod. DRE SKULL [Jam2 Productions, 2013]
80. Turn & Wine (D.N.A. Riddim) — VYBZ KARTEL [TJ Records, 2010]
81. Set Good — RDX, prod. G. CLARKE [Loud Disturbance Records, 2009]
82. My Girl (Remix) — CHIP feat. STEFFLON DON, ALKALINE & RED RAT, prod. THE FANATIX [Cash Motto Limited, 2018]
👇🏾:: MUSIC VIDEO PLAYLIST ::👇🏾
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