Bars &
Music Notes
Bars &
Music Notes
Bars &
Music Notes
Tables Have Turned
Quincy Palmer also known as Dj Ill Wink is one of Stroudsburg's most popular Dj’s and producers in the area. Quincy was born in York, Pennsylvania, and moved to East Stroudsburg Pennsylvania when he decided to become a track star. His life as a track star was short-lived when he became injured due to his hamstring. He attended East Stroudsburg University majoring in exercise science and graduating with his degree in 2019. Throughout his life, Quincy has always had a knack for music and from the fourth grade until the ninth grade he was in the school music program playing the snare drum. When it comes to music Quincy taught himself everything he knows and with the belief of music being a creative thing he felt no use to attend school for it. He grew a passion for Djing when he was introduced to DJ hero in 2010 and he knew he wanted to become a DJ. With the ability to make the crowd go wild, Dj Ill Wink will stop at nothing. This is his story.
What were you doing before becoming a DJ?
Before Djing I use to run track, I began Djing when I received a small DJ controller for Christmas in 2017. I officially started Djing at the beginning of 2018. I was in my room everyday mixing on that. Before that, I use to mix beats on my laptop in the studio. Throughout high school, I had this keyboard called the chord track studio where you can make songs and produce. From the sixth grade until freshman year of college that’s what I was using it to keep my creativity going. I was more or so focused on track and field, but after track went out the window I was kind of involved in Genesis Radio. I had a show on their called link up and I always wanted to be on the radio, but that was something that I pushed to the side because of track. I am actually an exercise science major and graduated with a degree as well. It would be cool if I said I was going to school for audio engineering, but I learned the skill on my own. But after I got that DJ controller, it became a dream of mine ever since DJ hero came out back in 2010 I knew this is what I wanted to do.
Who supported your Djing career in the beginning?
While attending ESU, I use to set up my speakers and equipment and play music in the student union and I also tried to book small events. Once the semester was over, I continued working to buy the equipment I needed for Djing. Right before I went back to school, I hit Bj up because he was the one that got things shaking. And I knew if I wanted to be on the same wave as him I needed to talk to him. Ever since we began working together, we move as a unit, as one. He was very welcoming and allowed me to work with him because most Dj’s are territorial, but not him. He allowed me to get my foot in the door, and he taught me a lot about Djing. We did events together, I never really knew much about parties but from producing I understood how music work. I was able to put together different mixes, but I didn’t know what people liked to listen to at the time. He helped me get hip to that and developed a formula to make it work and from there we moved together.
“Pressure Makes dominance”
How does music make you feel?
I listen to music for the sound I don’t care what the lyrics are, I don’t care about what's being said as long as it sounds great. The voice has to sound good over the track along with the instruments added into the track, I like to hear everything that's going on. I am more of a Hip-Hop producer so I like to listen to how it is made. I listen to it and appreciate the harmony and sound that makes the track worth listening to. Once in a while, there will be a song that I genuinely like because of the lyrics but I initially listen to the beat before anything.
What was the first event that you dj at and how was your experience?
My first event was about a year ago I was hosting and djing for a talent show and ESU in Stroudshall. I Dj for a house party, but throughout that year I only did two gigs and over the summer I took that time to sharpen my skills. After I have been booked weeks at a time with parties and events.
What are some of your challenges as a Dj?
Hauling the equipment (laughs), it kind of sucks sometimes because its heavy and I have a small car. Other than that its minor things, I am a perfectionist and I know at times things will never be as perfect as you want them to be. Djing parties were not a problem you just have to read the energy in the room and I haven’t been stumped yet. The one thing I am good at is blending, blending different songs, but I never record them. I can say that is one of my challenges because when you record a mix it's happening live. So I can’t go back and edit it. I have to execute it perfectly while it is happening at that time. I don’t really have to because most people don’t peep the mistakes that are possibly being made but I do. It bothers me so much that I have to throw the whole mix away. I have been struggling to get over that but as soon as I graduate, and I have all my time to focus on producing and mixing I have no excuse to not release mixes.
What do you usually start with when preparing for a set?
If it’s something that I know I need ill make sure I have it, but other than that almost 99 percent of the time its freestyle.
Who are your influences?
When it comes to Djing, I studied it from the beginning of how and where it originated from. I haven’t really looked into what Djs are popping now, I was really interested in the tricks and how they got it done. I just saw a video of a three-year-old DJing, and he was killing the transitions and I’m sitting here thinking about the guy who invented the queue for the headphones. Grand Master Flash made it so that we can hear the music before its being played, the guy who invented looping is still alive and now we got people coming out the womb following in their footsteps. I always go back and look at the origins of things and try to study it that way. But my favorite Dj is Jazzy Jeff. when I watch his videos Jazzy Jeff snaps. His scratches and cuts are crazy, and I’m trying to get into that Djing style, but I’m trying to figure out where is it practical.
You mentioned that you’re a producer as well, what was the first song you produced?
There’s nothing that you can do consistently without seeing some type of result.”
Who is Dj Wink?
It was Lil Wink, to that it was from my father who passed away when I was five, he was Wink and they called me Lil Wink. Then growing up I used that as my social media name and stuff like that. It wasn’t until the tenth grade this guy name Otha. At that, I was already known for making beats and from music programs. He came up to me and “ Wassup Ill Wink you making beats and stuff?” I looked at him crazy like its Wink but Ill Wink sound tuff. I took that and changed all my social media names to Ill Wink, and it has been like that since 2013.
What is your Djing style?
Their scratching and sometimes unorthodox mixes, I like to hit people by surprise.
How do you wish to inspire people?
A lot of people feel the energy, with my energy I like to be open, real, genuine and always working. I tell people that if they want something they have to just do it. Even though most people are in different circumstances and situations which makes it hard, but if you have a passion for something your only limiting factor is what you put into it. There’s nothing that you can do consistently without seeing some type of result. Just get out there and make it happen.
The first song where I made a beat and someone recorded on it was in the tenth grade. I have been making beats since the sixth grade, but during my sophomore year, I made a beat and one of my friends recorded on it. It was a sample from Alicia Keys song “You Don’t Know My Name” and he killed it. After, it wasn’t until I brought a mic and got into engineering myself where I became more into producing. I produced a song for I made that beat year ago and I played it for her and she loved it and rocked with it. I never did anything like that before, all the layers and vocal tracks she layered and mixing, it defiantly sharped my skills and forced me to grow quickly.