Magazine: LIFE
Title: SHE'S A PLAYBOY DJ
Words: Jill Alphonso
Issue Date: 08.05


She's a Playboy DJ….And the most risqué thing DJ Shortee did involved heels.
DJ SHORTEE was the official scratch DJ for the Playboy Club Tour last year & has spun at the Playboy Mansion.
But do not assume that she is the kind of girl who mans the decks in her knickers, or even a classic bunny costume.
"Playboy gave me some clothes to wear on the tour but some were too risqué. I kept things classy, " says the DJ, who will be playing at Thumper tonight.
"Nothing too low-cut, though I did wear heels instead of sneakers. That was painful on the feet."
The 29-year-old also has never modeled for the famous glossy.
"It's not my thing," she says. "I'm a B-girl at heart."
By that she means a chick into break dance culture who prefers to wear t-shirts & jeans made by underground labels.
Shortee, who's real name is Shannon Bruno, spoke to Life! from her Los Angeles home.
She began DJing at the age of 19, and began spinning for Playboy events when she played at their annual Super Saturday Super Bowl party in 2003.
Last year, she was asked to do so again-a rare occurrence for the establishment to book the same DJ 2 years in a row for the Super Bowl party, their biggest party of the year. She later went on tour for Playboy for their 50th Anniversary Tour that spring.

But she says that the Playboy gigs were a side project for her.
"It was 4 months out of a 10 year career," she says.
Like the clothes she prefers, her history is a hipper-than-thou, albeit with a fairy tale touch.
While a drummer in a punk-rock band, she met another DJ who went by the name of Faust and was once named by Spin magazine as among the top five turntablists in the world.
Seeing similarities between her drumming style and his scratching, he offered to teach her how to scratch & mix records.
The two married in 2001 after seven years of living & making music together.
Shortee has also toured with collectives like hip hop/funk/soul duo The Soulmates, breaks/drum & bass duo Twice As Nice and drum & bass duo crew Urban Assault.
She is also a member of the Future Primitive Sound collective, along the likes of Cut Chemist, Z-Trip, Shadow and Shortcut.
She recently released her second DJ instructional DVD, Shortee's DJ 202. The DVD, a follow-up to her DJ 101 video which is widely respected in the DJ community, came out in February.
She also gives lessons at the Los Angeles Scratch DJ Academy, which was founded by Jam Master Jay. In addition, she is the first & only DJ to earn a spot as a live mixer on Power 106, the #1 Los Angeles Hip Hop radio station.
Back to the Playboy affair, does she think women should not capitalize on such opportunities?
"I must say it's opened a lot of doors and I'm getting more bookings now," she says.
"I'd recommend any female DJ to do whatever it takes to make a name for herself. But she needs to have skills to back it up or she won't be respected."
And what can you expect of her set tonight?
"I'm booked to play mainstream hip-hop and R&B. But I'm going to add my own flavor and rock doubles and scratch over the tracks."
Which means dress to sweat as you are sure to be on the dance floor all night.

DJ Shortee plays at Thumper at Goodwood Park Hotel tonight at 1am.
Entry with purchase of first drink. Age limit is 26 & up.

Photo caption: The Shortee & the long of it: DJ Shortee has been spinning at the deck for 10 years.

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