The Smalltown DJs are the duo of Pete Emes and Mike Grimes - based in Calgary

Calgary

Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...

, AB, Canada. They both began DJing in the mid-90s and together started a weekly called Hai Karate at the Night Gallery Cabaret in August, 1999. In 2005 they moved the night to the newly opened Hifi Club - where it continues to run.

The sound of Smalltown DJs was born out of the ashes of old style hip-hop block parties, punk rock shows at community halls and the early nineties rave scene. They also started a label called Bigfoot Records - on which the duo has released several mix cds and vinyl 12"s over the past few years - garnering attention and accolades from the far reaches of the globe.

In 2003, they opened Giant 45 - a clothing and record shop supplying Calgary's underground music and streetwear scene. They were featured on Canadian national television in April 2006 - on MuchMusic's Going Coastal. Circa Footwear has been sponsoring Smalltown's endeavours since 2000. Three Hai Karate Allstars remix EP

Extended play

An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...

s were released in 06/07 to celebrate the night.

Hai Karate & the Smalltown DJs have hosted and played alongside such artists as Afrika Bambaataa

Afrika Bambaataa

Afrika Bambaataa is an American DJ from the South Bronx, New York who was instrumental in the early development of hip hop throughout the 1980s. Afrika Bambaataa is one of the three originators of break-beat deejaying, and is respectfully known as the "Grandfather" and the Amen Ra of Universal...

, Lateef

Lateef

Lateef the Truthspeaker also known as The Truthspeaker or simply Lateef, is an American hip-hop artist who is part of the groups Latyrx and The Maroons AKA Lateef and the Chief...

, Lyrics Born

Lyrics Born

Lyrics Born , is a Japanese American rapper, record producer, songwriter, and voice over announcer. He is also one half of the group Latyrx with Lateef the Truthspeaker.-History:...

, DJ Assault

DJ Assault

Craig De Sean Adams , better known by his stage name DJ Assault is a hip hop musician from Detroit, Michigan. Collecting 12" and 45's since age 7, he would go on to be one of the most recognized DJs and producers of Detroit Dance music.-Biography:Together with producer Mr...

, Jeru the Damaja

Jeru the Damaja

Kendrick Jeru Davis, known as Jeru the Damaja is an American rapper and recording artist who has worked extensively with Guru and DJ Premier of Gang Starr, whom he has known since high school.-Biography:...

, Shad

Shad (rapper)

Shadrach Kabango , credited as Shad or Shad K., is a Canadian hip hop artist.-Early life:Born in Kenya, of Rwandan parents, Shad was raised in London, Ontario. His mother worked in London as a hospital lab technician; his father, as a machinist...

, Tommie Sunshine

Tommie Sunshine

Tommie Sunshine is a record producer, remixer, DJ and songwriter of electronic music from Chicago currently living in Brooklyn, New York. He is perhaps best known for creating dance remixes to popular rock and alternative songs, by artists such as Fall Out Boy, Panic at the Disco, Good Charlotte,...

, Chromeo

Chromeo

Chromeo is an electrofunk duo formed in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in 2004.-History:Chromeo is composed of P-Thugg on keyboards, synthesizers, and talk box, and Dave 1 on guitar and lead vocals...

, Mike Relm

Mike Relm

Michael Wong , better known by his stage name Mike Relm, is an American disc jockey, turntablist, and VJ from San Francisco, California. He has performed with notable hip-hop artists Lyrics Born, Money Mark, Gift of Gab, Del tha Funkee Homosapien, and D-Sharp. In 1999 he won the International...

, Cosmo Baker

Cosmo Baker

Cosmo Baker is a New York based DJ, music producer, and turntablist.Baker was born in Reno, Nevada and at two years of age, he moved back to his family's hometown Philadelphia, with his mother and older sister, photographer Zoe Strauss...

 and DJ Ayres, ATrak, DJ Low Budget, Diplo, James Lavelle

James Lavelle

James Lavelle is a DJ, electronic recording artist and record label boss.-Early years:Born into a family with a strong tradition of music, Lavelle first began by learning the cello with his grandmother in Oxford....

, Kool Keith

Kool Keith

Keith Matthew Thornton, better known by his stage name Kool Keith, is an American rapper from The Bronx, New York. A founding member of Ultramagnetic MCs, Kool Keith has recorded prolifically both as a solo artist and in group collaborations. Kool Keith is the self-proclaimed inventor of...

, Z-trip and DJ Radar, Fort Knox Five, and Maseo from De la Soul

De La Soul

De La Soul is an American hip hop trio formed in 1987 on Long Island, New York. The band is best known for their eclectic sampling, quirky lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap and alternative hip hop subgenres...

 among many others. They also toured with Steve-O

Steve-O

Steve-O is an American stunt performer and television personality. His entertainment career is mostly centered around his performance stunts on the American TV series Jackass and accompanying movies....

 from Jackass

Jackass (TV series)

jackass is an American reality series, originally shown on MTV from 2000 to 2002, featuring people performing various dangerous, crude, ridiculous, self-injuring stunts and pranks...

 to promote his Out on Bail DVD. They also performed at SXSW in Austin, Texas in March 2007. In 2006 and 2007 they were nominated for best Calgary DJ in the Canadian Stylus DJ awards.