Legendary DJ David Morales gets his start in House Music (S1 E5 my favorite)

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**C. Dub:**  

Hey everyone, welcome back to *House Foundations*—the podcast where we celebrate the legends, the anthems, and the stories that shaped house music. I’m your host, C. Dub.

Today, we’re getting into the life and legacy of someone whose name is etched deep into the foundation of this culture. A Grammy-winning remixer, global DJ, and true craftsman of the dancefloor: **David Morales**.

He took house music from the basement to the Billboard charts, from Brooklyn block parties to Ibiza sunrises. But before all of that, he was just a kid in Flatbush chasing sound—and that’s where we start.

David Morales was born in 1962 and raised in Flatbush, Brooklyn—a neighborhood bursting with music, movement, and survival. His mom raised him as a single parent, working long hours to keep the home together. Life wasn’t easy, but it was alive.

Flatbush back then was a cultural crossroads—a swirl of Caribbean rhythms, Black American soul, Puerto Rican pride, and working-class grit. The soundtrack of his childhood came from every corner: soul out the window, funk blasting from cars, reggae pulsing from open shops, and the occasional salsa drifting from kitchen radios. It was chaotic, vibrant, and full of rhythm.

Morales was drawn to music from the start. He tells this story about being three or four years old, finding a record at a friend's house—"Spinning Wheel" on RCA Victor—and just knowing it mattered. Not because he understood it, but because it made him feel something. That curiosity never left.

He grew up above a local social club, and the real education came early in the mornings, when the party was over and the grown-ups were gone. The door would be cracked open, the air still thick with perfume and smoke, the music equipment still buzzing low. Little David would wander in, fascinated by what had just happened in that room. The vibe was still there, even without the people. And somehow, **he understood the energy music left behind.**

What set Morales apart was that, even in a Puerto Rican home, he gravitated toward Black American music. He wasn’t spinning salsa or Latin jazz in his room—he was locked into funk, disco, soul. It wasn’t about turning away from his culture—it was about chasing the groove that spoke to his spirit.

His first real brush with DJing came at 13—at his prom. He remembers standing outside, hearing First Choice's "Ten Percent" playing, and seeing a DJ for the first time with **two turntables.** That blew his mind. The idea that someone could mix from one record into another? It was like magic.

By 15, Morales was trying it for himself. But here’s the thing—he didn’t have pro gear. He was using a mic mixer with **no cueing** capability. He wasn’t even supposed to be running turntables through it, but he made it work. He figured out how to phase tracks in and out by ear. It was messy, but he was doing it.

He was learning with scraps, not state-of-the-art tech. And that’s part of the legend: Morales wasn’t handed the tools—he **willed** them into existence.

In 1980, Morales discovered **The Loft**. Saturday nights. Twelve, fifteen hours of dancing. David Mancuso’s sound system. That room. That experience.

That place taught him that DJing wasn’t about being flashy—it was about curating an emotional journey. It was about taste, pacing, dynamics. And that changed everything for him.

Soon after, Morales found himself behind the decks regularly—clubs like the Ozone Layer, Red Zone, The World. Places that defined New York’s nightlife.

He developed a rep for long sets, deep transitions, soulful builds. He didn’t just play records—he **sculpted** nights.

But he wasn’t just DJing—he was starting to

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