NYC DJ TRAUMA

What made you decide to become a DJ?

My love for partying/dancing at an early age made me want to be a DJ. When I started high school my older brother’s friends used to spin at all the parties, and when they left for college there was no one left to DJ. So out of necessity, to keep the parties going, I started collecting records & saving up for equipment. I was always the kid in the center of the dance floor getting the party started so I felt like an authority! I knew what records to play & all the breaks in the records that got everybody hype. “Who better than me to control the crowd?” I thought.

What was the defining moment of your career?

I’ve had a few defining moments, but the biggest moment was my first appearance as guest DJ on BET 106 & Park. There have been plenty of big events with celebrities & I’ve been on TV previously but this was the first time I felt like “Momma I made it!” LOL! I was so proud to tell my family & to have them all tune in & watch. Another defining moment was the first time I was booked overseas. I played at a big event in London & it symbolized the beginning of my big dream to travel the world deejaying everywhere!

What is the best advice you can give to young women today looking to be a DJ?
For anybody looking to become a DJ the most important thing is to do it for the love! Not for money or fame although that may come later. To be a great DJ you must be selfless… It’s all about creating moments for others to enjoy. You must be patient because it takes a lot of practice & dedication before you become any good. But perhaps most important you must be a student to the game. You should love it before you ever touch a set of turntables. Never bite anyone’s style: but it’s important to see what the greats are doing. It will inspire you & give you the fuel you need to develop your own style.

Specific advice for young women is: don’t be discouraged by a male dominated music industry. There are more advantages to being a female DJ than there are disadvantages. For starters, there so many more male DJ’s, so use that as an edge. So many events look specifically for female DJ’s. Don’t make the mistake of trying
to play a masculine set to “prove” yourself. But above all else – be good at it!! There are plenty of female “DJ’s” that get booked because of their look or because they model or sing. But not all of them can actually DJ well. So for a female DJ who studies her craft and becomes really good, you will have a big advantage over the ladies that are just doing it to look cute.

Who are some of your personal music icons?

My music icons are the greats that I grew up on; Bob Marley, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, and Marvin Gaye. Those guys made timeless classics and they sang & performed from their heart. They not only had immense talent, but they had passion for what they do. I grew up in the 80’s, so Hip Hop runs through my blood. Artists like Run DMC, Big daddy Kane, & EPMD were heavy influences as well. Moving into the 90’s, (the golden era) my favorite artists were Biggie, SuperCat, Mary J. Blige, Wu- Tang, and Jay-Z. On the DJ tip, my biggest influences were Kid Capri, DJ Scratch & D-Nice.