About Me
DJ MACHEDE
EARLY LIFE
A native of Chicago, DJ MACHEDE was born Makinde Adedapo to Adekola Adedapo & Songodina Ifatunji on December 29, 1981. He was raised in the near west suburb of Maywood. For those of us who are familiar with the "Windy City," Maywood is located approximately 12 miles out side of the city limits, and many people agree that, coupled with Bellwood, Maywood represents the line at which the economic and class status begin to shift. Simply stated, Maywood is not the projects, however without any viable industry or commercial businesses to bring tax dollars into the community, the inhabitants of the Village are for the most part living below the poverty line. However, in spite of it's under-developed properties and ragged street corners, within the 21 block radius of the Village, there still exists a small town/community atmosphere. It is this atmosphere that DJ MACHEDE picked up on most as a child, and it is this atmosphere that draws him back to his hometown on a consistent basis.
There is a reason why DJ MACHEDE was quick to take to the communal content that his environment offered, and that reason can be summed up in two words......Baba and Yeye (Father and Mother).
MACHEDE has been qouted as saying, "The first thought I REMEMBER having, was at age five, standing in front of my parents house at 1916 S. Lexington Ave. All I remember is questioning myself as to whether I was crazy for "talking to myself in my head," and I remember my logic for why I was NOT crazy was that it was probable that only AFRIKAN people did it. Ever since that point I have been comfortable with the fact that I have original thoughts, ideas, and views, and that in most cases my thoughts will not match that of the masses or the norm."
MACHEDE was raised in a household that featured a Father, Mother, older Brother, younger Sister, and younger Brother. This of course, does not include the countless extended family members that can only be described, for lack of better words, as Godmothers, Godfathers, Godbrothers, Godsisters, and adopted Cousins.
His Father an Educator and Playwrite, his Mother a Jazz Vocalist and a Homemaker, MACHEDE was born into the Arts. There was no shortage of music nor any lack of reading materials from which to draw inspiration/information. In addition, there existed no such thing as "down time" in so far as a child might complain of having nothing to do. Both of his parents were in there early thirties when MACHEDE was concieved, so there was definitely an "old-school" philosophy of child rearing in place at his home. For those of you who are not familiar with this style, there is a credo that indicates a specific rule for a child who is not WORKING while in the house, and that is he must be outside.
What it is trully unique about MACHEDE's upbringing is that he was brought up under the principles and ethics that are specific to the Yoruba people of Nigeria. His mother is considered a pioneer. As a priestest and ranking member in what is now being termed as the Yoruba Restoration Movement in North America, she founded the first "Songo Temple" in Chicago. His Father, was initiated shortly after his birth, and now is also a ranking member. Without attempting to summarize the movement, as there is no way to do it any justice, MACHEDE was born into, raised within, and exposed to a LIFE AS AN AFRIKAN. Regardless of your particular opinnion on the matter as far as whether that is a good or bad thing, it is certain that this foundation from which he has grown has seperated him from a very large majority of the nations population.
From Childhood and on through High Shcool, DJ MACHEDE had his heart set a career in sports as an athlete of some kind. As the seasons changed, so did his equipment bag. He vaccumed up groud balls at second base in the spring, found shortcuts through the woods in 1 mile races, during the summer, ran underneath the legs of Linebackers in the Fall, and left crowds stunned in the winter as they attempted to figure how it was physically possible for a boy so small could dribble the ball through his legs without knocking himself over. In the event that there wasn't any practice or game scheduled, he & and his 21st street brethren would fuse socio-economic philosphies with "Upper-Class" sports. From "Ghetto-Tenis," which consisited of two 2x4's, one tenis ball, a street, and a sewer; to Project soccer, where American style football tackling was legal, and the goals were the cars in a driveway on either side of a selected front or backyard. As long as there was competition, live was good.
To Be Continued....
