Girl Talk hits up the Louis Room at Norris tonight (hope you got your ticket), and I hope you have some loose fitting, sweat absorbing clothes, because it’s going to be a crazy dance party. But, before you break out on the dance floor, it can’t hurt to learn about a few other mash-up artists out there. The art of taking one song and combining it with another has been around since the early 80’s, but I’ll keep my quick-and-easy guide to a few artists from this decade that have helped make the mash-up huge.

2 Many DJs - The Oughts original mashers, these guys released one of the most heralded mash-up albums of the decade with As Heard on Radio Soulwax Pt. 2. If you had to listen to one track, hunt down the one where they combine The Stooges “No Fun” with Salt ‘N Peppa’s “Push It.” May change your life.

A-Track - Kanye West’s tour DJ also boasts quite the mashing ability, as demonstrated on last year’s sweet album Dirty South Dance. His mixes sound more club friendly, using more danceable beats than recognizable source material with his rap samples. Plus, he’s dating Chicago MC Kid Sister. Not to shabby.

DJ Lobsterdust - The first artist on this list that sounds directly inspired by Girl Talk, DJ Lobsterdust (awesome name) crams rap and pop samples into suprisingly dancey tunes. Seek out his remix of Avril Lavigne’s “Girlfriend,” featuring cameos by “Walk it Out” and classic 80’s cheerleader song “Mickey.”

The Hood Internet - The most prolific mash-up artists around today. Just check out all the mashes available on their MySpace page, and realize they update at an alarming rate.

Enjoy Girl Talk.