FROM THE RADIO TO THE ROAD

I’ve always been into music and sound since a child. I started playing saxophone and djing in middle school. After a chance encounter with a career day speaker in my junior year of high school, I decided broadcasting school would serve me well after graduation. In the fall of 2004, I attended the now defunct, Broadcasting Institute of Maryland. While in school, I was able to acquire an internship at WPGC-FM in 2005, working among legendary radio host such as Donnie Simpson and Big Tigger. My internship eventually turned into a dual position of board operator and on air mixer.

In 2007, I began working with clothing and music retailer, DTLR, djing in their retail stores throughout Baltimore and Washington, DC and also working in their music marketing and promotions department via their partnership with Unruly Productions.  I had the pleasure of participating in the planning and execution of multiple, live, in-store promotions and events featuring such artist as, Fat Joe, Wale, Kevin Hart, Fabolous, Rick Ross, Trey Songz, Keyshia Cole and more.

After consistent request for mix cds from DTLR employees, the idea sparked to create and host a monthly mix cd to distribute to DTLR stores in all of their markets  – Maryland, Virginia, DC, Atlanta, Chicago, North Carolina and St. Louis. This monthly mix series was entitled DTLR Radio and laid the foundation for the current streaming platform of the same name.

TOUR TIME!

I continued djing at various venues in Washington, DC and colleges up and down the east coast. A lot of my DJ cohorts came to me to rent basic sound systems for their events – two powered speakers, CDJs and a mixer. A local artist I worked with informed me he set up similar sound systems for corporate meetings and events at his job and urged me to apply. In 2010, I began working as a hotel audio visual technician during the day and djing at night. Later that year, a friend of mine received the gig of a lifetime, becoming the tour DJ for a then unknown Justin Bieber. He informed me the opening act on their tour was in need of a DJ for their upcoming shows. After meeting with the group’s manager, I sent the demo he requested and in the fall of 2011, I went on my first tour as the official DJ for Mindless Behavior.

Working with Mindless Behavior had me frequenting Los Angeles, a place I had never been. In January 2012, I traveled to Los Angeles to perform on the Ellen Show with Mindless Behavior. I stepped off the plane and it was 80 degrees; I had never experienced such weather in the dead of winter. After being teased by the LA sun for about 4 days, I returned to Maryland; it was around 30 degrees, windy, raining and all the snow on the roads had turned from white to brown – I moved to LA one year later.  

By 2015, I was no longer on tour and split my time between two part time gigs – hotel AV and stagehand. I knew I didn’t want to DJ forever and thought mixing concerts was more my speed than mixing meetings. I left the corporate AV world and began doing freelance stagehand gigs full time, along with driving for Uber and Postmates to make ends meet. 

I began absorbing the production lifestyle and workflow and had the opportunity to gain a great amount of understanding, insight and experience working load ins, load outs, concerts, festivals, and rehearsals for Kanye West, Beyoncé, Bruno Mars, Hardfest, Coachella, Rihanna, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Earth Wind and Fire, Stevie Nicks and Kendrick Lamar to name a few. I quickly learned how small the industry was as I began seeing the same people working for different events and artists. I began building relationships with these people and letting them know my interest in audio and asking questions. I also took the initiative to self educate via books, YouTube, Google and by attending events, conventions and training seminars.