In May I DJed a party that might have saved my DJ soul.
I've been DJing for about 15 years now, and it gets harder and harder to keep doing it.
Now, everyone is a DJ. Thanks to streaming, everyone has a huge music collection. Digital DJing has it's advantages, but the downside is everyone thinks they're a DJ. People can hear their favorite song any time they want, so why should it be any different in the club?
People make requests and they are incredibly rude. No one wants to hear a song - no matter how good it is - if they've never heard it before. Play it, an everyone walks off the dance floor.
For years I DJed in a place where the people who would most enjoy my events either didn't come to them, or if they did, they all went ad sat in the patio outside and smoked smoked cigarettes for 3 hours before they came in to party for the last hour.
Music has changed so much that stuff I am really into seems irrelevant. I never dig deep into my collection. And I began to wonder if all my years of digging for music was best served only playing for myself.
I'm doing all this complaining to say - In May I DJed an event in Akron, Ohio called the Juke Joint 2.0. It was put together by my friend Eriq Troi. It featured DJ Vinnie G and myself.
It was the absolute opposite of everything that I just said was wrong with my prior DJing experiences. It was such a breath of fresh air - and much needed too. Prior to playing this event I had been telling my girlfriend that I wanted to quit DJing live shows because I wasn't enjoying them anymore.
I put together this great set of music to pull from at the Juke Joint, and when my time came to go on, people danced and sang from beginning to end. It was amazing. People danced til they were soaked in sweat, and sang until their voice was hoarse.
This mix is a selection of songs that I played from that night. I hope you enjoy.
Track list after the jump.
Be Thankful For What You Got (FKJ Remix) by William De Vaughn
Slave - Watching You by Slave
Inside Out by Odyssey
Rock Creek Park by Blackbyrds
Jam on it (Main Mix) by Mos Def
Let The Beat Hit 'Em by Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam
Unknown by Unknown
Saturdays by De La Soul
Golden (Kaytranada's Life Extended Living Edition) by Jill Scott
Stronger Than Pride (Karizma K2 Mix) by Sade
Everybody Everybody by Black Box
Big Fun (Original 12'' Mix) by Inner City
100% Pure Love by Crystal Waters
Optimistic (Original) by Zepherin Saint, Ann Nesby, G3
I Can't Kick This Feeling When It Hits [Explicit] by Moodymann
Looking For The Perfect Beat (12" Vocal Version) (Remastered) by Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force
I Didn't Mean To Turn You On by Cherrelle
A.I.E. (Cobblestone Jazz Remix) by Soil & "Pimp" Sessions
Elevator (Going Up) (Louie Veg by Louie Vega, Monique Bingham
My Life Is A Minimal Circle (Original Mix) by Rick Wilhite
Haven't You Heard (Joey Negro Extended Disco Mix) by Patrice Rushen
It's Tricky by Run-D.M.C.
Push It by Salt 'N' Pepa
The Tears Of A Clown by Smokey Robinson
Momma Say Bull Shit (rmx) by Rod Lee
Ensemble by Sinclair
Lions Of Judah (Four Tet Re-Edit) by Emanative & Ahmed Abdullah
