Mash-up kingpin and turntablist DJ Z-Trip headed to a military base in Kuwait this past Friday to perform in a special concert for American troops called Operation MySpace on March 10, sponsored by the ubiquitous social networking site. Other artists participating include Jessica Simpson, Disturbed, Filter and comedian Carlos Mencia, but Z-Trip has the honor of being the first DJ to ever perform for the troops overseas. "For me and my peers, it's like stepping in snow for the first time," he tells Spinner on the phone while waiting for his flight at LAX.

This wasn't an easy decision for Z-Trip, considering his anti-war stance and disdain for the Bush administration. But after consulting with icons like Chuck D, Shepard Fairey and Henry Rollins, he felt it was the right thing to do. "I grew up with protest and punk rock music -- music that was a voice of youth and a backlash to government," he says. "I never thought in a million years that I'd be in a situation like this. It took a lot of sorting through feelings and [hoping] that people didn't equate my doing this with my supporting the war."

But the opportunity to support the troops and give them a chance to escape their harsh reality justified his decision. "It's about taking them out of their head space that they're in for a little bit," Z-Trip says." I hope I can show appreciation for the fact that they're there and going through it. I don't support the policies but if I can make [the troops] feel good or remind them of the good things they're away from, then my job is done."

Z-Trip plans on rocking the crowd with his usual mash-up of hip-hop, rock and electro. While he says he doesn't want to get overly political with his selection, he does have a special song reserved for the end of his set, the name of which he declined to reveal. "I'm keeping it somewhat easy, but I've got a tune I'm ending with that I stumbled across last night that sets the tone," he says. "It's the best message I can find, something anybody can relate to."