Beginnings

Music is a very integral part of our life, consequently, for me, music has always been close to me, for as long as I can recall. I can recall as far back as two years old. We had just moved into Roseland, and we were some of the first black people on our block, and our neighbors were an old Jewish couple named the Benjamins.

I was going up the stairs of our new house, and listening to this song called "Midnight at the Oasis," by Maria Mulder. That song has always been one of my favorite songs, because it reminds me of the time I was playing with my Charlie Brown toy. That was fun, because the music I remember are songs that were vital in the genesis of my love of music.

I also remember there was a public school down the street from my house, VV as we called it. The school name was Van Vlissingen, the school had to be 50 years at that time. To put it in context, this was in the 1970s, the song that reminds me of that school is by Jefferson Starship called "Miracles." That song reminds of when we would play in the playground of that school. As you are seeing, music is very important to me. Not just because I am a DJ, but because music is what I am, it’s who I am.

I can remember before I started school, I would go with the person who birthed me, and drop off my father at work. The song I would hear a lot was from the group Orleans called “Dance With Me,” and the Doobie Brothers “Black Water.” Those songs really resonated with me because I was young, and those songs reminded me of being in the country. For a black kid in the city of Chicago, that was different.

The songs I mentioned were the beginning of my liking and appreciation of different types of not only music, but cultures, and places. Those songs took me to another place that, to this day, I always wanted to go. I can remember listening to Janis Ian “At Seventeen." The melody of that song was so sad, but nice. I was a little kid, but I liked the melody of that song. To me, music was an escape. An escape to a place I always wanted to be. It wasn’t the worst place in the world, but it wasn’t someplace I belonged either. That song spoke to me in a way most songs didn’t. I remember how when that came on, I felt glad to hear it, but at the same time, as a result, I wanted to cry too.

Also, music was a timeline of my life. I remember seeing Jaws at the show. I remember Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" was playing at that time. Music was my escape to a life I always wanted, or knew I wanted. I was a black kid who was listening to more white music than black music. I loved music, but should I love white Muzik? That’s what I was struggling with. I was starting kindergarten and I remember hearing Dolly Parton “Here You Come Again,” that song was my pick me up song. I didn’t have a choice as to the Muzak I was exposed to but the Muzak left an indelible impact on me. That song was so connected with me in some weird way.

I loved how even at an early age, muzak was my salvation and my escape. I knew that I didn’t belong where I was, and Muzik was my path to another place. I will always say that this period of my life helped me learn Muzik and how Muzik can influence your life. I am a DJ because of this time in my life. I had a desire to play an instrument, but I wasn’t disciplined enough to stick with it, therefore, Dj is my instrument.

I want to write this because I wanted to show how DJing is not just a hobby, bucket list item, or some overnight side hustle. Djing and music are one of the very elements of who I am, and different kinds of music have served me not only as an escape, but a bridge over the tough times in my life.