DJ MoCity
{{Short description|Iraqi disk jockey}}
{{like resume|date=November 2017}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = DJ MoCity
| image =
| image_size =
| alt = DJ MoCity
| caption = DJ MoCity in 2015
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| birth_name = Mohammed Abood Uraibi
| alias = Mo
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1987|3|26}}
| origin =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| genre = Reggae, hip hop, electronica
| occupation = DJ, MC, promoter
| instrument =
| years_active = 2006–present
| label =
| associated_acts =
| website = {{URL|http://www.djmocity.com/}}
}}
Mohammed Abood Uraibi (born 26 March 1987), best known as DJ MoCity or simply Mo, is an Iraqi-born DJ, MC and promoter, known for having co-founded Reggae Rajahs, the first Reggae Sound System in India. MoCity also founded The 264 Cru,{{cite web|last1=Workman|first1=Adam|title=Alternative UAE: the new club nights lighting up the music scene|url=https://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/alternative-uae-the-new-club-nights-lighting-up-the-music-scene-1.142906|website=thenational.ae|accessdate=24 October 2017|date=6 April 2016}} a Dubai-based music, arts and culture collective, 264 Records,{{cite web|last1=Keith|first1=James|title=Premiere: Daedelus Transforms AELI's "Guasba Lik" Rap Beat Into A Chaotic Banger|url=http://www.complex.com/music/2017/06/premiere-guasba-lik-daedelus-remix|website=complex.com|accessdate=24 October 2017|date=26 June 2017}} a record label based in Dubai, and most recently boxout.fm,{{cite web|last1=Ganguly|first1=Srijani|title=Meet the founders of the new online community radio, Boxout.fm|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/online-community-radio-boxout-fm-founders-music-lifest/1/924391.html|website=indiatoday.in|accessdate=24 October 2017|date=9 April 2017}} South Asia’s first online community radio.
Career
In early 1990s, Mo moved from Iraq to India, after his father was appointed there as a General Manager for Iraqi Airways. The family settled near South Delhi where Mo attended an Iraqi school. He got acquainted with the Delhi music scene and his first official gigs were held in 2006, where he performed as a MC with a few local hip-hop crews.{{citation needed|date=November 2017}}
In early 2007, Mo and a crew from record label AfterShock Records International{{cite web|title=AfterShock International: DOPE JOINTS Vol. 1|url=https://aftershockrecords.bandcamp.com/|accessdate=24 October 2017|date=20 April 2012}} launched the South Delhi Block Party, a live music property that focused on bringing the main elements of hip-hop (breakdancing, turntablism, graffiti and MC'ing) to a new audience. Later that year, Mo hosted the Soundclash, one of the first reggae events in town featuring Delhi Sultanate & DJ Bellyas. He also organized Drop Beats Not Bombs{{cite web|title=Indivibe - Members - DJ MoCity Jah|url=http://indivibe.com/profile.php?id=33438|website=indivibe.com|accessdate=24 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171025022516/http://indivibe.com/profile.php?id=33438|archive-date=25 October 2017|url-status=dead}} in early 2008 and curated alternative stages for the Holi Cow Festival in 2009, which he did for the next three editions.
After hosting the first Bob Marley tribute party in February 2009, Mo met Raghav Dang and Zorawar Shukla, who together launched Reggae Rajahs, India's first reggae sound system.{{cite web|last1=Bigg|first1=Margot|title=Inna Reggae Rajahs Style|url=http://rollingstoneindia.com/inna-reggae-rajahs-style/|website=Rolling Stone India|accessdate=24 October 2017|date=10 August 2010}}{{cite web|last1=Betigeri|first1=Aarti|title=Jamaica Via New Delhi|url=http://www.caravanmagazine.in/reviews-and-essays/jamaica-new-delhi|website=caravanmagazine.in|accessdate=24 October 2017|date=1 March 2012}} Mo and the Rajahs started performing in other major cities across India and internationally at several parties and festivals across Europe.{{cite web|title=Tour Diary: Reggae Rajahs Europe Tour|url=http://rollingstoneindia.com/tour-diary-reggae-rajahs-europe-tour/|website=rollingstoneindia.com|accessdate=24 October 2017|date=19 September 2013}}
In 2013, Mo, Dualist Inquiry and Tej Brar launched Dualism Records{{cite web|title=Dreamcatcher - Dualist Inquiry|url=https://dualismrecords.bandcamp.com/|website=dualismrecords.bandcamp.com|accessdate=24 October 2017}} in Delhi. Mo got involved with Detour Asia{{cite web|title=Detour Asia|url=http://detourasia.net/|website=detourasia.net|accessdate=24 October 2017}} projects in Malaysia before he was forced to return to Iraq in 2013 and wait for the war to be over.{{citation needed|date=November 2017}}
In 2014, Mo moved to Dubai where he worked for OHM Events{{cite web|last1=Belarabi|first1=Mohamed Amine|title=All You Need To Know About Sole DXB - Gulf EliteGulf Elite|url=http://gulfelitemag.com/all-you-need-to-know-about-sole-dxb/|website=gulfelitemag.com|accessdate=24 October 2017}} and co-founded The 264 Cru. In 2015, Mo helped launch Karak Beats,{{cite web|title=The best of Dubai nightlife: The Hype Awards 2016 winners - What's On Dubai|url=http://whatson.ae/dubai/2016/04/the-hype-awards-2016-winners/|website=What's On Dubai|accessdate=24 October 2017|date=13 April 2016}} an event that featured The 264 Cru and international guest artists. The event was recognized by Red Bull Music Academy.{{cite web|title=Sending Some Karak Beats to Red Bull Music Academy|url=https://www.redbull.com/mea-en/sending-some-karak-beats-to-red-bull-music-academy|website=redbull.com|accessdate=24 October 2017|date=19 January 2016}}
Mo helped launch weekly deep house event Deep Like and monthly event Lofi District,{{cite web|title=Lofi District (Dubai's First Beat Night) W/ DJ Mocity, Nasrawi & Thornwood|url=https://www.residentadvisor.net/events/651616|website=residentadvisor.net|accessdate=24 October 2017}} which featured artists like Soulection{{cite web|title=Soulection|url=https://soulection.com/|website=soulection.com|accessdate=24 October 2017}} and Daedelus.{{cite web|title=LOFI DISTRICT #6 - Daedelus (Brainfeeder / Ninja Tune)|url=https://dubai.platinumlist.net/event-tickets/26080/lofi-district-6-daedelus-brainfeeder-ninja-tune?show=9464|website=dubai.platinumlist.net/|accessdate=24 October 2017}}{{cite web|last1=Garratt|first1=Rob|title=DJ Daedelus, of the inventive sounds and Victorian threads, in Dubai|url=https://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/dj-daedelus-of-the-inventive-sounds-and-victorian-threads-in-dubai-1.100563|website=thenational.ae|accessdate=24 October 2017|date=10 June 2015}}
Under his role as a Business Development Manager for OHM Events, Mo curated music for and was a part of the team behind events including Meet D3 and Sole DXB,{{cite web|title=Sole DXB|url=http://www.soledxb.com/|website=soledxb.com|accessdate=24 October 2017}} which saw combined attendances of over 50,000 people. He hosts the bi-weekly “Karak Beats”, a music and art event.
In May 2016, Mo moved back to India and along with longtime collaborator Dualist Inquiry, co-founded Boxout.fm.{{cite web|last1=Lakhani|first1=Somya|title=Out of the Box|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/art-and-culture/out-of-the-box-29-4617118/|website=indianexpress.com|accessdate=24 October 2017|date=18 April 2017}}
Live performances and Festivals
Mo has performed at several festivals, both as DJ MoCity and as part of Reggae Rajahs and The 264 Cru.
Reggae Rajahs
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- Rototom Sunsplash in Benicassim, Spain (2010)
- Sziget Festival in Budapest, Hungary (2010)
- Outlook Festival in Pula, Croatia (2010)
- Uprising Reggae Festival{{cite web|title=Uprising Reggae Festival|url=https://www.uprising.sk/en|website=uprising.sk|accessdate=24 October 2017}} in Bratislava, Slovakia (2010)
- Ostroda Reggae Festival{{cite web|title=Ostroda Reggae Festival|url=https://www.ostrodareggae.com/|website=ostrodareggae.com|accessdate=24 October 2017}} in Ostroda, Poland (2010)
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DJ MoCity
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- Sunburn Festival in Goa, India (2011, 2013, 2015)
- NH7 Weekender in India (2011, 2016)
- Horizons Festival{{cite web|title=Horizon Festival 2017 – Europe's Greatest Ski Party|url=http://horizonfestival.net/|website=horizonfestival.net|accessdate=24 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171018135854/http://horizonfestival.net/|archive-date=18 October 2017|url-status=dead}} in Bansko, Bulgaria (2012)
- Magnetic Fields{{cite web|title=Magnetic Fields Festival|url=http://magneticfields.in/|website=magneticfields.in|accessdate=24 October 2017}} in Rajasthan, India (2014)
- Uprising Reggae Festival in Bratislava, Slovakia (2014)
- Stir it up! Rewind it! in Beirut, Lebanon (2014)
- Soundwave Festival{{cite web|title=Soundwave Croatia|url=http://www.soundwavecroatia.com/|website=soundwavecroatia.com|accessdate=24 October 2017|language=en}} in Tisno, Croatia (2015)
- Sole DXB in Dubai, UAE (2015)
- Cremaillère of sir Alexandre Tosan in Delhi, India (2025)
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The 264 Cru
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- Magnetic Fields in Rajasthan, India (2015)
- Dimensions Festival{{cite web|title=Dimensions Festival|url=http://www.dimensionsfestival.com/|website=dimensionsfestival.com|accessdate=24 October 2017}} in Pula, Croatia (2016)
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Music curating
= Boxout FM =
In April 2017, Mo, along with Dualist Inquiry, launched Boxout.fm. This is the first online community radio station in South Asia and it aims to highlight India's growing alternative music interest and offers a community-run platform that supports the musical artist and industry. In addition to the online radio station, boxout.fm hosts weekly and monthly residencies in clubs and cultural spaces across the country, as well as publishing its own monthly fanzine called theplug.news. Boxout.fm was nominated in the Best Online Radio Station and Rising Star categories in Mixcloud's Online Radio Awards 2017.
Other ventures
As a social activist, he was a part of the team in India (as a curator) behind the Street Art Forum,{{cite web|last1=Anand|first1=Jatin|title=Graffiti artists take war against Games to walls|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi-news/graffiti-artists-take-war-against-games-to-walls/story-UzglY6kyISDTxEepixe1EL.html|website=hindustantimes.com|accessdate=24 October 2017|date=8 August 2010}} which facilitated the interaction between artists and art lovers from across the country.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official webpage|http://www.djmocity.com/}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:MoCity, DJ}}