Plain Ole Bill

Known in the Twin Cities as co-founder of Get Cryphy, the city's top hip-hop night, Plain Ole Bill stands apart from others behind the booth when it comes to his skill, genial attitude, and résumé. He gained recognition outside Minneapolis as P.O.S.'s touring DJ throughout most of 2009, but this year has been especially busy for Bill. He opened for Atmosphere with his Cryphy crew on the Denver stop, remixed supergroup Gayngs, released his first production ("Let 'Em Through" featuring Tomorrow Genius and Brother Ali), and is set to join up with Ali on a European tour after this spring's Soundset festival.

His unmatched scratching abilities are featured on I Self Devine's latest mixtape and on Lazerbeak's debut album, where he's listed as executive producer. "I brought the idea to Beak that he should do an instrumental album of unreleased songs with myself doing the transitions," Bill explains, adding that he still can't wrap his head around many of his most recent successes. He's a fun DJ to watch perform because he isn't afraid to mix genres and lets the crowd know when he's really feeling it, which for Bill is usually when he's in the thick of a supremely grimy rap track. If you still need convincing, check out the dance floor at any Cryphy night — if you can find a spot — and you'll see that his style is anything but plain. [City Pages, Best Club DJ 2012]