DJ Jubilee Interview: SXSW 2010

DJ Jubilee a.k.a. Jerome Temple is the current face of a musical movement in New Orleans called Bounce. The hip-hop style involves shouting chants for the audience, and once DJ Jubilee, 44, began his rise, creating dances to match those chants. Hit songs like Juvenile's 'Back That Thang Up' and Master P's 'Wobble Wobble' centered on phrases DJ Jubilee invented for bounce. The New Orleans superstar has a new album, '2010 Ward,' coming out this summer. DJ Jubilee spoke with Spinner.com about SXSW, bounce's influences, heavy metal and the Super Bowl champions the New Orleans Saints.

Describe your sound in your own words.

I love to get a reaction of my fans, making them repeat, chant words: what I'm saying, what I'm talking about in my neighborhood, what's cool. I represent, like, talking about New Orleans in general. What New Orleans is all about. We mix it up with other elements like jazz and reggae rap and gangsta rap.

How did your career singing Bounce start off?

When i first started teaching, DJ Jimi and T.T. Tucker had bounce music in New Orleans. I [grew up] a part of that music there. It made a big change in New Orleans music. [When I began rapping], I created a whole other method of bounce with dancing. Once we started incorporating the dancing, it sort of took off.

What are your musical influences?

I watched all the all rappers -- PNC, Joe Black, Mia X -- who had been in the Bounce game before I came out.

How did you come up with your band name?

My brother gave me my name, from the Saints player Jubilee Dunbar. He called me "Jubilee" ... Over the years I became DJ Jubilee.

What's in your festival survival kit?

I just need a mike, press play and just let people feel the music that they've been loving for so many years. And I show them the dances.

What's your musical guilty pleasure?

I know one type of music I never thought I'd listen to -- heavy metal. When I was introduced to heavy metal [at a concert he also played at], I stood there at least four hours before I finally got it. They were just cats in New Orleans, I was just learning for the first time. Six or seven groups. I don't know the names, they had some funny, strange names.

What's the craziest thing you've seen or experienced while on tour?

I've seen over 792 shows. I can't tell you the craziest thing because I can't remember, it's been so many shows. But most important thing I remember is people still know DJ Jubilee after 18 years. 'I was listening to you music in 3rd grade or 4th grade. High school, middle school. When I met my girlfriend." I haven't seen anything too crazy but listening to these stories after many years of performing is crazy.

A decade ago hits by Juvenile ('Back That Thang Up') and Master P ('Wobble Wobble') ripped off chants you created. Are bounce chants still being heard in mainstream rap today?

Yeah, people are ripping Bounce every day. It don't make a difference. You can hear our music now, dance slang. Some of them come forward, they give us credit on the stuff.

As a high school football coach in addition to being a rapper, what was it like being in New Orleans when the Saints won the Super Bowl?

For the Super Bowl, I enjoyed the whole moment. The whole season. I enjoyed watching the touchdowns. Even watching the city get together after we won. The city felt together for once. We celebrated and partied. People are still showing love to the Saints. Still showing love for each other. Hell of a ride. I was so excited. I was inside watching, my whole block -- everybody came out and was jumping, screaming, hollering.

Matt Levin is a contributor from Seed.com. Learn how you can contribute here.