Why I started dj'ing and my bio-------- well, I used
to listen to the radio here in Detroit back in
1987-1988. There were two mix DJ's that I listened
to, one named the Electrifying Mojo on 96.3 WHYT and
the other The Wizard (Jeff Mills) on FM 98
WJLB.
I would listen to these DJ's and record their shows
all the time on a cassette tape. Eventually I started
making mixes with different tape and sound's. I would
make them my way, doing this for about 3 to 4 year's
until I met this kid I went to middle school with.
Coincidentally he did the same thing, we ended up
dj'ing our first house party with a dual cassette
deck!!!!
This party was so crazy that the house was packed
until the police came and stopped it. I knew from that
time on that I wanted to dj again because of how it
made me feel (nothing else made me feel this way, it
was like a roller coaster ride or something)I continued to make cassette mix tapes until I met
another kid in high school back in 1989. His name was
Les (DJ Kid Quick). He told me he had turntables and a
lot of records, and that he has been dj'ing for a
while now. He invited me to come by and check out his
set up so of course I did and he started dj'ing.
I’ve never seen anything like this... he was mixing,
scratching and he was spinning around doing trick's
with the turntables! I could not believe my eyes!
Everyday after that I went over his house for month's
practicing until one day he asked if I would like to
use his turntables on the weekends.
He eventually gave me that set up because he purchased
some new Technics 1200's. I practiced everyday. And
every time I had extra money I went record shopping. I
used this setup for a few years until I purchased a
pair of used Technics 1200's back in 1997.
After two years of daily practice and devotion, my
confidence level in deejaying was built and I
eventually entered a dj spin off at a local bar called
Club Bono's in Southgate which is now called Gleasons.
The DJ competition was held on Sunday nights at Club
Bonos. I won the first night I DJ’d and the promoters
asked me to return the following week. After four
weeks of doing this on Sundays, I met DJ Knight who
also won the DJ spin off at Bonos. Eventually we
teamed up and DJ’d on 4 turntables for about a year,
crafting our skills, and amazing the audience with our
performance. This collaboration landed us a residency
later on at The Rock Away Café every Friday night in
Westland.
Taking something from nothing, we eventually packed
The Rock Away Café with 300 to 400 party people strong
reaching club capacity every time we performed on a
weekly basis. Most of the promotion work was due to my
cousin Joey and DJ Knight.
Around this time, I also received a phone call from a
friend of mine named DJ Dan Tavares who helped me and
DJ Knight enter a DJ Spin Off sponsored by FM 98 WJLB
and Camel Cigarettes. The winner would be involved in
one of their commercials and also win $500 in cash
prizes. There were only 3 DJ’s at this spin off which
was me, DJ Knight and DJ Don Q. We both lost to Don,
but still continued on the grind and DJ’d together
with 4 turntables every time Knight and I performed.
Eventually this collaboration stopped as we both grew
in different directions and evolved in our own
individual ways.As time went on, I began DJ’ing solo at different
clubs and different events while at the same time
crafting my remixing skills, entering at DJ spin offs
all over the Tri-County Area, and working at various
nightclubs and venues. During this time I met another
local DJ named Joey A.
Joey A. has asked me to do some scratching on one of
his freestyle tracks and I was blown away by his
request, because I’d always liked the projects and the
materials he came up with. He said, “I can always
scratch on this project and make it sound good. Or I
can have you scratch on this project and make it sound
great!!â€
Joey and I eventually became good friends and have
hooked me up with different gigs. He also invited me
to DJ with him and shares his dj booth at various
clubs in the Metro Detroit Area.
Around this time I was told that Guitar Center was
having a DJ Spin Off by a local radio station, 105.9
FM. The winner gets to be a part of their on air mix
team with a year contract at the station, and various
DJ equipment and prizes from Guitar Center. With no
hesitation after hearing about this event, I signed up
and ended up battling 40 DJ’s (in the Metro Detroit
Area) weekly for the next 2 months. After getting in
the semi finals, we had a 2-week break from our weekly
comp. A rep from 105.9 FM called myself and the 4
other semi finalist discussing the rules and
requirements of the finals.
Each DJ was to do 3 minutes of mixing and blending and
will be judged according to flawlessness and music
selection. Another 3 minutes of DJ’ing will be focused
on doing turntable tricks, scratching and battling
showmanship. The last 3 minutes of performance will be
a simulation of what “YOU†as a DJ would do at the
radio station.
All I can remember after that call was practicing
everyday until the finals arrived.
The day of the finals, the competition was held about
an hour away from my house. It was snowing heavily and
rose to about 7 inches in thickness. My friends and
family came up to support me that day.
I remember being nervous and confident at the same
time until my turn came up to dj.
The other DJ finalist did their thing and I did mine.
Battle Time!!!As the judgment time came down, I still couldn’t
believe that they announced me as the WINNER!!! That
was so crazy!!! All I could think of was all the hard
work, practice, and my love for DJ’ing got me this
far.
I ended up getting the prizes from Guitar Center and
best of all, being involved and winning the contract
as an on air mixer for 105.9 FM.
Hooking up with the radio station was a great learning
experience. It also got me involved with their Holiday
mix shows, and eventually landed me my own on air mix
show on Saturday nights.The station has also opened up doors for me and has
provided me with different gigs at various nightclubs
in the Metro Detroit.
While doing my own thing DJ’ing, remixing tracks,
making mix CD’s and working at the Radio Station, the
other on air mixers noticed my work and started
supporting my tracks and remixes during their shows
and club events. (Thanks to Gary Chandler, V Man, Dice
and DJ Zap!!!)
As time went on, 105.9 FM eventually changed signal to
hot 102.7FM. It was more than well over a year after
winning the DJ Competition and my contract expired.
All I can say is that winning that DJ Competition and
getting that contract was the best thing that has
happened to my DJ career and I would like to thank
Gary Chandler and Spud for making my dreams a reality
at HOT 102.7 FM.
I still DJ in the club scene and continuously crafting
my skills as a remixer, a producer and pumping out mix
CD’s. I’m currently working on getting booked over
seas and just show them my skills and express what I
love to do!
I guess the main thing I learned in life is to believe
in yourself and don’t let people bring you down.
There is nothing in life you can’t do as long as you
believe and love what you do. I want to think all the
people who support me and a special shout out to Les
Schick (DJ Kid Quick), DJ Joey A., DJ Dan Tavares, my
cousin Joey (DJ Blizz), DJ Knight, DJ Dick (for
telling me to make my own track's), Rusty the manager
from the Rock Away Cafe, DJ Gary Chandler, DJ Zap, DJ
Wax Tax N Dre (for them Pac and B.I.G.’s clean radio
tracks), to Spud from hot 102.7, my wife and son for
their support and last but not least God for making me
be able to do what I love to do and support my family
doing it!!!!!
