Acknowledged as the founding father of the DJ Collective .5th Platoon., Neil Armstrong
is known as a purveyor of good music, dropping gourmet goods for mixtape
aficionados, music connoisseurs and party people throughout the world.
Born and Breed in NYC, He cut his teeth in the early 90.s
honing his skills in the realm of turntablism, the sect of DJing where
proficiency in kutting, scratchin, and beatjuggling define status. His time
spent in the trenches battling and mastering the art form allowed him to rock
shows alongside artists across the Hip Hop Spectrum - from De La Soul, The Roots, Company Flow and Biz Markie, to Kanye West,
LL Cool J, Busta Rhymes and Wyclef
Jean.
As a member of the critically acclaimed 2 time Grammy award nominated jazz band - "Russell Gunn and Ethnomusicology", he further explored the idea of using a turntable as an instrument. His stint with the band brought him around the globe to places like the North Sea Jazz Festival in Den Hague, Netherlands . one of the largest music gatherings in the world, and gave him the opportunity to play alongside true musicians like Kenny Garrett (a member of Miles Davis' band) and Branford Marsalis.
Over the last 7 years, he has
made a mark in the subgenre of Hip Hop known as the Mixtape Culture. To these
mixtape projects Neil always brings his experience - from his eclectic music
tastes, to the ideas of artistic integrity - and he has gained notoriety for
smoothness, creativity and originality by making products that hinge entirely
on the ideals of good music and skills. This is what separates his mixtapes
from the rest of the pack.
Everyone from the hipster set to
the industry heavyweights have taken notice. He made Rolling Stone's "Top
10" Mixtape DJ's of 2005 list, was recognized by Vibe Magazine as one of
the next DJ's "on deck" to watch out for, had his cd's featured on MTV.com's Holiday Essentials Feature,
and gained honorable mentions in Mixunit.com's Power 30 List of "The most
influential players in the mixtape game". In 2007, he received a SEA Mixtape Award for the .best Old
School R&B. Category.
His personal style has brought
him to a larger stage, as established entities in various industries of
entertainment have tapped him to do his thing on the 1's and 2's - to
set the mood and control the atmosphere through that universal language: music.
He has proven to be prolific at doing just that, whether he is rocking a club
in Miami for the upper echelon model set, getting NBA Players amped to do their hoop thing, killing the dance floor
at a lounge in San Fransisco, making people move across the world at a Shanghai
nightclub, or rocking a small loft party in the Lower East Side for Kangol.
In 2007, recognition for his skills culminated with the
announcement of a sneaker collaboration between his crew and Adidas for their B-BALL EQUIPMENT REMIX
Project, the same company that pioneered the Hip Hop Artist Collaboration years
before with another DJ . Run DMC.s Jam
Master Jay.
Almost 10 years later, the mixtape projects that he created
are still sought after and revered. This a testament to what Neil brings to the
plate, as longevity is one of the things that cannot faked or bought, and
something that few in this world of disposable DJ's have. The
proof is in the pudding: the best word to describe Neil Armstrong is Classic.