We're proud to announce Tim Wilson as our first resident DJ curator! Tim Wilson is the owner and proprietor of Urban Lights, one of the few remaining Black-owned record stores in the US.

Wilson has been a longtime pillar of hip-hop in Minneapolis through his work at the store, artist management, and hosting Faders Up - a weekly session for hip-hop DJs and turntablists.

Tim selected the four DJs that will be featured in Urban Lights' residency. Urban Lights' mixes will air every second Wednesday for through May.

Behind the decks is Tony Williamson aka DJ Layz T, who hails from the north side of Minneapolis and began DJing in 1978. He began spinning records in the park and quickly elevated to the radio and club scene. We chatted with DJ Layz T about his background and intentions for the mix.

We chatted with DJ Layz T about his background and intentions for the mix. Read a transcript of the interview edited for length and clarity below:

What got you started as a DJ?

It's hard to say. I came across it by radio. There used to be a radio station, KBEM, way back in the day. Allen Freed had a mix show from 10 to 12 [PM]. We got hooked on to that. Then it was just like, “okay, how can I do that?” So, we started mimicking it from there.

How has your style changed with time?

It really hasn’t. Of course, my forte is hip-hop, but there’s also R&B. I've done a bar mitzvah, quinceañera, all the hood parties, house parties, neighborhood clubs, corporate. So, you know, you gotta be versatile. Play the pop music, country and all that. I can go wherever, if I need to.

How did you get involved with Tim and Urban Lights?

It's kind of funny. It's a house party. He's friends with a guy named Troy Foster who's a south sider. We used to be running buddies. Long story short, we went to a south side house party and ran into Tim. Back then it was north side versus south side, but we just hit it off from there. Tim was doing a record pool, then he got his own shop over there. So that’s where we're at. He's been at that record shop, what, 30 years? We been together that long.

What do you have in store for us today?

I set up something, but it'll probably change. Normally everything's real speedy. I came across an idea where I slowed everything down. So, it's a different tempo. Same vibe, just different tempo. Because if you know the songs, you'll be like, “oh, it ain't that slow.” So we'll change it up.

Follow DJ Layz T on Instagram to stay up to date with his events.

Stay tuned for new mixes on Carbon Sound every other Wednesday. If you’re a DJ and want to be considered for the series, email a mix of yours to jgreen@mpr.org.