SAFE MUSIC

I have been a dj for some time now. I’ve seen many dj’s come into the scene, work hard and become household names. I am friends with some of those dj’s. I’ve also seen dj’s come into the scene with a certain expectation. When that expectation was not met, I’ve had to witness these dj’s fizzle into thin air. I’m also friends with some of those dj’s. Often, those that fizzled into thin air sit with me and ask me where I think they went wrong. My answer is always the same with them. These dj’s chose to “conform”. They chose to be “safe”. They never allowed any room for experimentation in their sets. They always wanted to be like the next popular dj. Some have agreed, and unfortunately some of them have defended their actions.

The dj industry has gone through a hectic revolution over the past 10 years. The need for relevance has always been number one priority. DJ’s need to stay relevant if they are to survive this harsh industry. Part of this relevance implies creativity (a lot of it), and a willingness to be “different”. The consumer (being the party-goer or “fans”) wants something different all the time. We have gone past the stage of being raggedy individuals who just stand in the corner and play music. DJ’s have become the main focus and decision makers in the music and entertainment industry. All the dj’s that have become “superstars” have done so by allowing themselves to be different to the next dj. They chose not to be “popular” and did what they felt was not being done by any other dj out there. Let’s think about this for a moment. Think of any dj that’s making headlines right now. I recently heard a survey on the “top 5 most influential celebrities in South Africa”. 3 out of the 5 of those people were dj’s. That speaks volumes. The dj’s are Blackcoffee, DJ Fresh and DJ S’bu. Now, think of these dj’s for a second and tell me if they are the same. Go to their parties, listen to their sets and tell me if they are the same. Yes, you will spot some similarities here and there, but overall, they are completely different. I think you may be starting to get the picture here. Someone commented on the last Soulful Kollective Radio Show (where we had a guest mix). Because this individual was and still is used to a certain genre of house, he chose to criticize what he felt wasn’t his “cup of tea” from our guest dj. It puzzles me as to why people never embrace that which is different to what they know. Just because you don’t like it, does not make it wrong. If all of us chose to play the same kind of music, this industry would be dead by now. We need dj’s that are never afraid to be different. Our job is to teach people about music. DJ’s become worried and scared when people don’t dance at a party. A wise dj once told me that when you play and people are not dancing, always take that as a good sign. It means that people are really listening. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not here saying that dj’s shouldn’t be entertaining. Our job is to entertain however, entertaining also means that you need to have people interact with you. DJ’s need to shy away from being intimidated by the crowd. There is a reason why you got the booking. Someone out there saw something that they like. Now just because a few individuals out there say something negative, you then choose to be another DJ Fresh? DJ Fresh is a brand today because he chose to play that which was once considered to be “boring”. He was consistent. He believed in what he was playing and eventually people warmed up to him.

When you wake up and decide to be a dj, you need to understand the hardship and the dynamics that come with this industry. I remember back in the day when I used to work at Soulcandi, very often I’d have young guys coming to the shop to buy a song that they heard from a famous dj. My question to them would be the same, “do you think people will call you DJ Fistaz now that you’re playing the same song as the one he played?” DJ Fistaz bought that record because he felt he like it. How about you do the same? Why can’t you buy something that YOU like, play it and see how the crowd responds to it. If it sounds hot to you, chances are, the person listening to it will like it as well. Have some “balls”. Time and time again I get mixes from dj’s and they play the same songs because they want to “fit in”. Stop trying to “fit in”. Stop trying to be safe. We need variety out there guys. Most of you sound the same and we are not growing this industry. Yes, people take forever to rub into something different but eventually they do. If you were ever fortunate to have visited a famous spot in Soweto known as “The Rock”, you will remember the name DJ Motsumi. This dj was the resident dj of this famous spot. Initially Motsumi was considered by many as being “boring” because of the style of house music that he chose to play. The owner of the venue believed in Motsumi and his choice of music. He never compromised. He stuck to what he thought was good…which not many dj’s were doing. He was persistent. Eventually, people started appreciating him and The Rock became one of the most popular spots in Soweto…because that is where one would “hear the freshest beats”. Motsumi became a household name and even got an offer to release a compilation known as “The Rock”. I can name a few other dj’s that chose to be different, chose to stick to their guns and give people that which is different. These dj’s became household names in the long run. Names like DJ Mbuso, Blackcoffee, DJ Tira all chose to be different from the get-go. Look at where they are today.

Guys I can go on and on about this topic. Truth be told, you can’t always be the one dishing out the latest tracks at every gig. Know who you are and what you plan is. Stop trying to be like the next popular guy. Play what you love. Euphonik and 2lani The Warrior are two different dj’s. They both play house music but they have become such big names because they are that different. They chose not to “blend in”. DJ’s let us please refrain from playing “SAFE MUSIC”.