Damon DeGraff

In this episode, Damon DeGraff joins host Jeffrey Sledge to trace his journey from his musical roots in Bermuda to the heart of New York’s nightlife and DJ culture. Damon opens up about the early influences that shaped his sound, the rise of celebrity DJs, and the challenges he faced building a career in music management and nightlife. They dive into his experiences at Cheeba Sound, pivotal industry connections, and the evolution of DJ culture in the social media era. Damon also shares insights on mentorship, the power of cultural growth, and finding purpose beyond the spotlight.

Listen now and get inspired by a true pioneer.

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Mixed and Mastered is produced and distributed by Merrick Studio, and hosted by music industry veteran, Jeffrey Sledge. Tune in to the discussion on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you catch your podcasts. Follow us on Instagram @MixedandMasteredPod to join the conversation and support the show at https://mixedandmasteredpod.buzzsprout.com/

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This week on Mixed and Mastered, we welcome Damon
DeGraff, the visionary behindDGI management and a driving
force in global DJ culture.
From managing icons like MarkRonson and DJ Cassidy to
producing events with ESPN andValentino, damon has built an
extraordinary career in music,culture and entertainment.
We dive into his journey andhow he continues to innovate

(00:24):
worldwide.
This is Mixed and Mastered withDamon DeGraff.
Welcome to Mixed and Mastered,the podcast where the stories of
the music industry come to life.
I'm Jeffrey Sledge, bringingyou real conversations with the
people who have shaped the soundof music.
We're pulling back the curtainon what it takes to make it in

(00:46):
the music business.
These are the stories you won'thear anywhere else, told by the
people who live them.
This is Mixed and Mastered.
Alright, mixed and Masteredwith my man, dame DeGraff.
How you doing, man?

(01:06):
Yes.

Speaker 2 (01:07):
I'm good brother.
How's everything?

Speaker 1 (01:08):
Long time Looking, good looking healthy, looking
prosperous, looking rich yeahyou know, you know, you know,
you know.

Speaker 2 (01:15):
Let me hold something , Dame.

Speaker 1 (01:16):
Let me hold something to tomorrow.

Speaker 2 (01:17):
That's where it starts, you know, I start with
the health aspect and everythingelse falls into play after that
.

Speaker 1 (01:23):
Absolutely health aspect and everything else falls
into play after that.
Absolutely, absolutely.
Thank you.
Thank you, brother, absolutely.
So let's start at the beginning.
You're born and raised inBermuda, correct?

Speaker 2 (01:31):
Yeah, well, to be honest, a lot of people don't
really know this.
I was actually born inCincinnati, ohio.
Really I know nothing about it,though, okay, my mom was there.
My dad lived there when she wasgetting her master's, so I was
pretty much I don't even know ifI was conceived there, but I
was born there, which was ablessing.

(01:51):
It allows me to have have statecitizenship but I was raised in
Bermuda.
So, that's like pretty much allI know.

Speaker 1 (02:00):
Tell me, tell me a little about, a little bit about
being raised in Bermuda, like.
What was it like?
What was it like in general?

Speaker 2 (02:07):
Oh, it's great, I mean island life, you know.
I mean it doesn't get betterthan that Sunshine, you know
running, playing soccer, playingfootball, you know friends that
I still have from today.
I mean it's just a differentenergy, kind of growing up in
the Caribbean, I think.
You know it's look, I meanthere's hardship everywhere, but
I guess you know, things areprobably a little different when

(02:29):
there is sunshine and palmtrees, right, you know?
Fresh fruit and all these otherthings you know, and also just
the mindset.
I think it's a lot different aswell, just because it's not
like not saying that peoplearen't ambitious and don't want
to get it.
But I think because of thatsetting, it's a lot easier than,

(02:51):
like you know, new York, whichI love, but it's a jungle, right
, you know what I mean.
Like it's concrete, it's hardhitting, like you got to get it,
you got to do it, you got to beit.
So, yeah, man, I mean islandlife, it's, it's actually
beautiful and I mean it'sactually brought me back to a
lot of the things that I'm doingnow are in that space as well.

Speaker 1 (03:10):
So it's kind of brought me back full circle so
tell me about um what sparkedyour interest in music so I've
always been.

Speaker 2 (03:20):
I'll say my mother's side and my dad's side were both
into music growing up, right.
So I think between my mom's mombeing the premier piano teacher
on the island, my dad's familyplaying in like the drum corps,
you know also being in church,you know kind of Black Caribbean

(03:41):
churches it's so that's where alot of the kind of harmonies
and the soulful things ofwhatever come into.
So you know, I remember, youknow being in little choirs and
this and that and it was theharmonies and you know all these
different things.
So it's always been a part ofme, right.
Like for as long as I canremember.
And then you even think fromthe cultural aspect.
You know, know, it's likeyou're hearing dancehall, you're

(04:07):
hearing soca, you know you'rehearing.
I remember it was this station,fam 89, which played, like phil
collins and paul simon and likeyou know, all of those era of
music which a lot of thedancehall guys would remake
those songs right so I wouldhear the dub plates the the
Sanchez version or the FrankiePaul version in the club and

(04:28):
hear the FM 89 versionafterwards and I'm like they
just redid Sanchez's song whenit was the opposite way.
So yeah, music's just been apart of me, you know, like it's
just something that's always andI've always loved it.
I'd always gravitate towards itin every way.

Speaker 1 (04:43):
That's dope.
That's dope.
And I did a little research andI saw you were a DJ for a bit
too correct.
You had a sound system.

Speaker 2 (04:50):
Well, yeah, so I had a sound system.
We were called Nasty Boys.

Speaker 1 (04:55):
Dope.

Speaker 2 (04:59):
And we were, like you know, cutting dubs and you know
, like young island kids, thatyou know ties back into the
growing up on an island, right,you kids, that's you know ties
back into the growing up on anisland, right, you know, it's
kind of like what were thethings?
You know you played sports butthen you had a sound system
looking up to like the stoneloves and bodyguards and eddies
of the world.
So, yeah, and I mean it evenyou know I still dj some now.
So it's just a part of my lifethat I speak to, but didn't

(05:22):
because it's just kind of what Ilove, right, it's just the
essence of music and vibration.
So wherever I can give thatenergy to, it's pretty constant.

Speaker 1 (05:32):
That that vibration thing you say is interesting,
because I didn't.
I didn't grow up a um, a dancehall or a reggae fan.
I didn't hate it, I just no, itwasn't part of um, of hated, I
just, you know it wasn't part ofum of my world.
It was my world.
You know hip-hop and r&b andstuff and but it's interesting

(05:52):
because when I've gone to theislands, I'm to jamaica, um, I
went to the bahamas for a bit umas well, and hearing that that
music in its, in its space, itmakes sense, it makes so much
sense, if you're there, it'slike, oh, this is because
everything you said, everythingaround you, you understand what

(06:12):
that rhythm comes from and whatthat you know those feelings and
those vibes this is cliche, butthose vibes come from.
And it's like I remember I wentreal quick and I'll move on
because I went to Junkanoo inthe Bahamas and I remember it
was so interesting because wewere there, it was New Year's
and we were there and I rememberwe were standing in place when
the parade was going by and Iremember it was interesting

(06:34):
because each element would go byand then another element would
go by and another sound would goby and I was like, oh, this,
now I understand.
They're like building it.
Now you get it right, yeah, Iget it.
Yeah, it was really interesting.
It was really interesting.
So tell me about coming to NewYork.
What made you do that and whatwas that about?

Speaker 2 (06:53):
I wanted to be in the music business, just to give
you the short side.
I had a cousin.
I was in boarding school and Ihad a cousin who was a year
ahead of me was in boardingschool and I went, um, I had a
cousin who was a year ahead ofme was in college in Alabama and
his roommate was this guy fromNew York, I want to say his name
was Rob, but Rob was a rapperand my cousin was a rapper too

(07:16):
and I was like, oh, I'll just beyour manager, because I think I
always wanted to be in music,right, I didn't know what I was
really doing.
I was just like I will be yourmanager, yeah, and um, I think,
like that's when like puff wasgetting going and jermaine dupri
in atlanta and like freakneekand all that stuff was happening
, right, um, not to date myself,but like you know, we were

(07:36):
there and I remember seeing likebiggie at one freakneek and
just like just the energy of allof that and I was just like yo,
that's what I really want to do, right.
And it's funny.
I was talking about this theother day in my high school
yearbook.
You know when they do thosepictures and the images and like
, what do you want to be whenyou get?
I was like, yeah, I want to bea music promoter.

(07:57):
But at that point I didn't evenknow the different like levels
or tiers of the music business.
I just knew that sounded likesomething I wanted to do or be.
So I was like, yeah, that's itright.
So it's funny being in it.
Now you know, when you talkabout manifestation or things
that you speak to not evenknowing that that's what it was,

(08:20):
but speaking it into existence,right.
And I remember I ended up beingin college for two years and I
said to my mom and I was likeyou know, like I don't really
want to do this anymore becauseI love sports, but I was doing
like physical education, Right,and I was just like like can you
see me being a I'll probably bea dope physio teacher, just to
be?

Speaker 1 (08:40):
honest, you'll be like a gym teacher or something.
Yeah, a coach or something.

Speaker 2 (08:44):
So anyway, my mom says give me a proposal, because
my mom is in education.
She's like give me a proposal,and if you give me a proposal
then I'll let you do it.
I don't think she thought thatI was going to do it, to be
honest.
And I researched and I foundthis school in New York called

(09:12):
the Institute of Audio Research,and I don't know if it still
exists, but they had courses.
And you know, I've always beensmart, probably more like street
smart and like, or more justlike, I don't know like I'm lost
for the word but education wise, I knew I could do it, so I
would skate by right, you knowwhat I mean.
Like I wasn't running to sayI'm trying to get A's and B's.
I knew I could get A's and B's,but I was just interested in
other things because I was acreative, right, and I mean
that's something else to talkabout at.

(09:32):
Another point, too, is how thecreatives aren't ever really
celebrated or really harnessedat that age, when not everyone's
going to be a doctor or alawyer, right, but that's a
whole other thing.
But I did the proposal.
I came to school and I flewthrough the school because it
was something that I reallywanted to do.
So that was my first entrywayinto the music business and New

(09:55):
York, because I actually wantedto be an engineer.
So I was going to school to bean engineer and then it just so
happened that they do jobplacement or intern placement
and my first internship was atASCAP.
It was under Bill Brown and Iwant to say Tina somebody, not

(10:16):
Tina Davis, but it was, or maybeAudrey, I don't remember.
It was a very long time ago,but I remember Bill Brown and
yeah.
So that was my firstintroduction to the music
business and to New York City.

Speaker 1 (10:28):
And so, after the ASCAP internship, what happened
after that point?

Speaker 2 (10:33):
So it's funny and I think I mean you spoke about
this earlier and I kind offorgot this part, but this was a
very pivotal part when I reallythink about it, because I
always go right to the me atSheba Sound and Mark Brunson and
D'Angelo, but in between that Idon't even know how it happened
.
I think maybe it happenedthrough a temp agency, but I

(10:54):
ended up at it was DallasAustin's label Free World.

Speaker 1 (10:58):
Oh, wow, okay.

Speaker 2 (11:00):
And this was early Free World.
This is when Free World had adeal with Zumba.
And this was early Free World.
This is when Free World had adeal with Zumba.

Speaker 1 (11:21):
And so Free World had .
Kenny Burns was there, SlimPickens was there, and my man,
Leonard Brooks had a littlecorner office where he was doing
like.

Speaker 2 (11:23):
LaVert and all of that, yeah, because he's from
Cleveland, yep, exactly.
And all of that, yeah, he's apiece of cleveland, yep, exactly
.
So that was my first when Ithink about music business.
That was my first real likelike these are guys that are a
little older than me.
I think kenny had like 26, 20at the time.
So we were just kind of movingand I felt like I was a part of
something.
You know, I the artist.

(11:44):
I think the girl's name wasLizette, I think was the
singer's name.

Speaker 1 (11:49):
Sounds familiar, you might be right.

Speaker 2 (11:51):
I think the song was Young, wild and Free.

Speaker 1 (11:55):
Okay.

Speaker 2 (11:56):
I wouldn't say don't quote me, but I'm sure that it
was that A very long time timeago.
But yeah, that was probably mynext, you know, kind of step
into the music business and Imean that opened up a lot of, I
would say, connections and doorsand just meeting a lot of
people that were like me andthat were just of our culture,

(12:18):
right.

Speaker 1 (12:18):
Coming in and out the office and hanging out Right.

Speaker 2 (12:20):
Like I was a young kid from Bermuda.
You know ASCAP was aperformance rights organization,
bermuda.
You know ascap was aperformance rights organization,
so you're not really seeing thesauce.
No, you know, like you mightget to an event and it's cool,
you meet some people and but youain't really in like the mix of
guys that are like shakingright and so, yeah, dude, I was
running and I mean a lot of theguys you know, obviously we're

(12:41):
still all friends.
But you know I had met, likeyou know, the chuck bones at
motown, the bobby springsteen's,the, you know, byron kirkland's
, you know andre harrell godrest his soul neil mcknight,
like all of those guys.
So we were just in this motionof just like shoot, it's like
this is the music business right, we out here, we like out here

(13:04):
right, you know so, to a youngkid from the islands.
You're like yo, like I'm atHoward's Homecoming, I'm at
these places, and you know youfelt like you were a part of
something.
And then I think you knowFreetown, I don't know.
You know things happen, dealsget lost, and then I was running

(13:26):
with Kenny for a minute andthen we were moving and I think
Kenny either moved to LA or backto Atlanta and then I was back
on my own.
But the level of experiencethat I learned in that time, and
even just the level of hustlehustle, you know what I mean
like, because it's like I wasn'tlearning that at s cap, right,

(13:49):
you know what I mean.

Speaker 1 (13:50):
Like it was just kind of like yeah, just kind of
pushing papers and moving withthat.
The s cap is a paper push yourjob and respectfully, I'm not
saying it to be disrespectfulbut you're at your desk and
you're doing your work.
It's, but you're not.
You say you're not in desk andyou're doing your work, but
you're not.
You can say you're not in themix, you're not going out at
night, you're not.
You know, you're just going tothe gig and you're doing your

(14:10):
thing and you're meeting peoplewho come into the office, but
you're not flowing.
You're not flowing.

Speaker 2 (14:15):
And if anybody knows me like I flow, so that would
have killed me, Right, you knowwhat I mean.
Like that's just was it myenergy.
So I feel like you know, Godput me in this position to one,
learn, right, you know what Imean and be in these spaces to
really get, because think likeI'm not supposed to be where I
am and not giving that storyabout like where I'm from, but

(14:38):
we're really where I'm from,from a little island where I
came to America and I knew noone.
From a little island where Icame to America and I knew no
one.
Right, so everything that wasconnected was based off of the
places and positions that I werein to meet and to learn, but
then to use each step of youknow, or what I gained to

(14:59):
connect that next dot, Right, soyou know, yeah, so that was and
I'm glad you even asked that orwe even tapped on that earlier
because I had forgotten aboutthose moments just because
people always talk about thenext level, right, because I
think the next level for me waswhat really put me into the
space to really be able to likemake a name and like really kind

(15:22):
of create a company and dothose things.
But yeah, I definitely want toshout out those guys man Dallas,
Kenny, slim, Leonard, like youknow, like those are, those are
some real pivotal points in mylife of foundationally like
moving me forward, you know.

Speaker 1 (15:41):
Yeah, absolutely.
And good and good dudes too,you know yeah.
So from forward, you know yeah,absolutely, and good and good
dudes too, you know yeah.
So yeah, from that, I'massuming the next step is to
chiba sounds next step was chibasound.

Speaker 2 (15:50):
Well, it's so funny and I don't tell.
Well, it was a real.
It was a day kind of dotconnector which I learned.
I ended up at um through thesame temp agency.
I ended up being d DeVallierand Jocelyn Cooper's assistant
for a day.
For a day, though, and this wasprime cash money, nelly, all of

(16:14):
that right Dino was flying.
Flying.
So I got that through a tempagency.
So if you can imagine and to behonest, I wasn't even there
long enough probably for them toknow who I was right, you know
what I mean.
Like it was like that quick, itwas literally a day.
But you know, because I hadthat hustle in me, I had a
couple of groups that I'mworking and I had some producers

(16:36):
.
You know I'm hustling, so I'min the building, so I'm like,
well, I'm in the the building,so I'm moving floors and I'm
like trying to meet guys and youknow they don't like that,
right, they're like who thefuck's this kid?
You know, we, we don't know him.
He ain't come through the door,he ain't ushered in in no way.
He's through a tap agency, thetap call medium.

(16:58):
Next day and they were like,yeah, like don't come back.
I was like they're like, oh,they said you were taking CDs or
something.
And I'm like, but you gave CDsaway, but a dozen at that point,
right, whatever.

Speaker 1 (17:12):
You need CDs or collateral back then.
Come on, bro, you was like.

Speaker 2 (17:15):
So I ended up on one of the things, though, that
ASCAP used to have this bookcalled almost like a music book,
like a Bible.
That had pretty much everylabel and every label executive
in here, from, like thepresident to you know pretty
much the mailroom down there,and I had taken one of them, and

(17:36):
so at this point I'm like, well, I need to get back in the
system.
So I had, like my girlfriend atthe time was sending out
resumes to her job and I wasjust like, oh, oh, you know,
like I just wanted in, right,nobody would respond.
I was calling and you knowmusic business, especially in
those days, it was a covetedposition, right.

(17:57):
So guys ain't really giving youtoo much phone time or energy
to like not like who's this guycalling me with an accent, and
like, nah, dude, right, you knowwhat I mean and you can feel
the energy, right.
So I was like all right, cool.
And one day I randomly just hitchiva sound.

(18:19):
I didn't even know what it wasright.
Um, obviously, you know, youknew def jam virgin, you know
Elektra, all those things atthat time.
And um, I remember CharlesWright.
I don't know if you knowCharles Wright.

Speaker 1 (18:33):
I don't think so not.

Speaker 2 (18:36):
Charles like wrenchy before a while and then went on
to go run Steve Stoltz Venture.
What was the one right, right,right before United Masters?
I think it was like theadvertising agency oh, yes, yes,
yeah, yeah, what was it?

Speaker 1 (18:49):
I forget the name of that.
I know exactly.
Told me I forget the name ofthat agency, though.

Speaker 2 (18:52):
Translation, translation, yes, yes, yes, yes
so charles was cool, trump'slike hey, you know, like.
So I was like okay, cool, youknow you get that little bit of
in, you know you got some game,so you're just trying to keep
the conversation going, right.
He's like all right, we have aninternship available, come in
for the interview, come ininterview.

(19:14):
Didn't get it Right Back tosquare one moving, moving,
moving, moving, moving.
And then one day, I don't know,I mean, I think, just having
the hustle and being resilient,I just called again one day and
he's like yo, do you want theinternship?
And I was like, yeah, and he'slike well, can you come in today
?
And I was like, of course, andI was there.

(19:35):
And that's when it all startedtook off from there.

Speaker 1 (19:40):
Yeah, with the, with the phenomenal, phenomenal and
greatly missed dominic trenearyeah, man, that's my god, yeah I
think I met dom through garyharris back, yeah and um, I was
like we had that gravelly voiceand you know he was like I heard
an interview you did and youyou nailed it.

Speaker 2 (20:00):
he was one of the early downtown guys, the guys
who want to hit, hit all theclubs downtown and dating models
and just being and for me, youknow, look, I always and it was
nothing against the recordindustry at all, but I think, as
you get to and I think this wasthe beauty of like you know,

(20:24):
when I talk about that Kenny eraand there's like Kenny and at
2620, like they kind of governthemselves, right, so it wasn't
ever like I'm just at this labelor the label like makes me this
guy.
So I have to feel like that'slike that governs who you are,
that defines who you are.
It was like it was all fly catsthat were doing what they were

(20:48):
doing and would have been flywith music or not, right, you
know what I mean.
And I feel like that's how meand my friends were at home.
It's just like you didn't haveto be axed to get girls or to do
whatever, we were just fly.
So that's how we rolled.
So when I met dom and got intothat system like, I remember one
meeting like or one like Ishowed up I forget the name of

(21:12):
the bar, but it was on um, oneof those like marcel or one of
those side streets and you knowwalking in and it was like
wesley snipes and like lisa luand like, and I'm just like wait
, like what is, like you knowwhat I mean, like because that's
what it was.
These are people you see on tv,but then it's just like we're
there and they're welcoming, andthey're welcoming me in because

(21:34):
I'm part of what that is, andthat's just the energy.
And I was like this is it right?
Like I, I was like this is myworld and my life, because now
it feels like, you know, itwasn't, let's say, the
aggressiveness of, let's say,hip hop, right, or it wasn't
like so white as in pop, it waslike this real middle of the

(21:59):
road sector.
That was kind of like inclusiveof everybody.

Speaker 1 (22:03):
So that was everybody who was cool.

Speaker 2 (22:05):
Everybody who was cool, right.
So from that everybody who wascool.
Everybody who was cool, right,yes, from that it was like you
know, we had D'Angelo and we hadMark Runson at the time who was
a young producer, okay, andlike DJ, and you know I was the
young buck, so, like I was, Iwould have to take D'Angelo like
money times and do whateverplay playstation with them for a

(22:27):
minute and then be like, allright, I'm like but I wanted
more.

Speaker 1 (22:31):
Is this before d'angelo's first album, or had
the first album dropped?

Speaker 2 (22:35):
so I I think the first album was with kidar yes,
and this was the untitled albumwhen he had his shirt off and
like that's the one that wentcrazy.
And there's so much buzz aroundthat, right, and I was just like
I'm really going to get my duein this right now, right, Like

(22:57):
it's a lot happening.
And so I was like you know whatI'm going to rock with Mark
because we're in the same age.
He was in the clubs, you knowlike it was all those things
that again were of me, right,and obviously still associated
with the movement, because Ithink everything that we were

(23:18):
doing was fine, right, you know,like that's what we were doing,
like D'Angelo and Armaniparties and this and that, and
then you know like, but Mark wasalso doing like, you know,
gucci parties and these thingsat a time when DJs in that time
really didn't have that, right,you know what I mean.
Like you had Funk, flex or KidCapri or those guys that were

(23:42):
doing whatever, but what was theevent?
Dj at that time didn't reallyexist, because the events were
just starting to do like prcoming into the mix of things
and you're, you know, kind ofhaving a event just for clothing
, you know.
You know just that whole kindof energy of things.

(24:04):
And but also at that time youhad puff was coming in too and
was mixing his worlds, right, sohe was bringing hip-hop to
downtown, and hip-hop withmartha stord and hip-hop within,
like you know, richie and thoseguys, clubs and life spa and
all those other things, right.
So, and within that mark wasthe dj of choice, yes, so then

(24:29):
I'm running with him at thatpoint and I'm starting to look
at the business differentbecause I'm like, well, instead
of being a fan of, like I'm justout partying and doing whatever
.
I mean, I had an amazing timein that era.
But I also saw an opportunity,because no one else was doing it
at that time and no one elsewas doing it in that magnitude

(24:53):
at that time I mean, it was atone point mark was doing like
three or four jobs a night,right, because there was nobody
else.
So then I'm like, well, okay,this is a business.

Speaker 1 (25:04):
then this is a business now.

Speaker 2 (25:07):
So I'm like and then with that you know I would have
friends.
You know I started to build myown relationships with, like the
PR girls and all those otherthings.

Speaker 1 (25:15):
With the Grubman and Jessica 100%.

Speaker 2 (25:18):
And all that and you know, like the Harrison and
Triffmans, and you know Noah andJason and all of them were
starting like their things.
This is before.
Obviously they built a massiveconglomerate at this point, but
we all were in that same spaceof growth and kind of moving the
culture forward in that way.
So I was like, well, you knowwhat, this is kind of my duty as

(25:40):
, let's say, the music guy right, or the DJ guy at that point,
to continue to connect thosedots but also give it a level of
service, right.
So it wasn't just like, yeah,this is the fun guy, but he's
not waking up to handle businessor take calls or do the things

(26:00):
to steal the business alongright, like I'll be out to four
but I'm up in the office at ninebecause I loved it.
You know what I mean.
Like I loved what I did and Iknew that I really had an
opportunity because, like I said, everybody was with D'Angelo
Right, and I knew if I was thereI just would have been the like

(26:21):
yeah, look at me with Mark.
It was an opportunity to say,oh well, let's really build this
, and I think from that I wasreally able to like build out
that whole division for chiba atthat point.
So it was like mark, and thenit was his sister, samantha,
then it was beverly bond yes,and then it was dj cassidy right

(26:44):
, okay, you had the big four.
Bro, there was nothing you couldtell me at one point in my life
, but still being cool andhumble because that's my spirit.
You know what I mean.

Speaker 1 (26:56):
But it was just like.

Speaker 2 (26:58):
I had built that in a way because I saw the
opportunity and I actually saidthis in a talk the other day but
I was like all of themisfortunes and all of the
things that didn't happen for meprepared me for what was now
Right.
Because if I didn't have thosethings, I wouldn't have been
able to appreciate what andwhere I was and the

(27:21):
opportunities that were given me, to even have the mindset.
One, to see that there wasbuild and there was growth, but
two, also to see how to help orhow to understand and deal with
those people that were inpositions.
Because I treated that like anyother business, right, I'll
call, I'll check in, I'll dodrinks, you show up, you dress

(27:43):
well, you do all of those thingswhile being steal this fly guy
amongst whatever.
But hey, I just can't givemerit.
Yes, the DJs did good and yes,they were the talk of the town,
but anything could happen atthat point.
Right, you know what I mean.
So I felt like I had my duty tostill be there, to really be

(28:05):
that representation, because youknow from being in the business
, your representation isprobably more than even your
talent sometimes, because thatcan mess up many a deals or many
things for you 1,000% 1,000%.
So, yeah, so that was my Chibarun.

Speaker 3 (28:21):
And we'll be right back Ready to launch your
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Speaker 4 (28:38):
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Ready to level up, visitpenduluminccom and start your
journey today and now back toour show so um a couple quick

(28:59):
personal facts.

Speaker 1 (29:00):
Beverly bond and I used to live in the same
building in harlem really yeah,yeah, yeah, 150th and riverside
730 riverside.
And she used to be.
I used to live in the samebuilding in Harlem.
Really, yeah, yeah, yeah, 150thand Riverside 730 Riverside.
And I used to see her becauseshe had a friend, a pretty
friend, I forget her name nowCharisse, probably.
She used to run the steps in thebuilding to stay in shape.

(29:22):
You know, I actually want toget Beverly on the show at some
point, because I think her storyis also very fascinating 100%.

Speaker 2 (29:26):
Bev has an amazing story Very fascinating, yeah.

Speaker 1 (29:28):
And then, secondly, you and I really linked to her
and I'm skipping around a bit,but you were doing a place in
New York which is gone nowcalled Table 50, which is on
Broadway and Bleecker.
You had to go down the stairs.
It wasn't a really big space,it was again, but it was one of
those really cool spaces.

Speaker 2 (29:45):
We had that place, you would walk past it.

Speaker 1 (29:46):
You could walk and you wouldn't know.
You would just walk past it,you wouldn't even cause.
It wasn't like lights and shitoutside or whatever.
And um, I did a birthday party.
I went there with cause.

Speaker 2 (30:03):
Q-Tip was DJing and yeah, it was me.
Q-tip Mark and Blue Jams.
God rest his soul.

Speaker 1 (30:08):
Mm-hmm, and I remember running up on you and I
was like, yo, my birthday iscoming up, I want to do a
birthday party here.
And you were like so coolbecause you just said yes, I
thought it was going to be likeyou know, well, let me think.
And you were like, yeah, okay,win.
I was like, yeah, I just want alist for the party.

(30:28):
You're getting no problem, justsend me the list.
I was like shit, that, that wasit.
So I sent the list.
I don't know if you knew this,but I was working at jive at the
time and when my party was thesame time, jive used to have
these annual meetings every yearwhere, like the sales staff and
everybody used to come intotown from the bmg labels at the
time and they, the artists, newartists would perform and we
present new music.

(30:49):
Oh, the new R Kelly's comingout here's the first single and
this type of thing.
And it happened to be then.
So everybody was like what arewe going to do tonight?
And it was like we should allgo to Sledge's party.
Sledge's having a birthdayparty and the whole staff.
I don't remember party and thewhole staff I don't remember it
was.
They all came to my party andthat party was.

(31:09):
That party was like the talk ofthe town.
Man, I'm with them and I was anamazing.
I probably got you a raise.
No, that was the hottest niggain the game yeah, party boy.

Speaker 2 (31:19):
No, honestly, that was a.
That was a really good time.
It was like that that, you know.
I mean thinking back on it's.
It's funny.
I don't know if Mark talkedabout it, or I think you
might've mentioned it in a poston Insta or something.

Speaker 1 (31:34):
I didn't.
What happened with Mark?
Mark did a podcast with my guysthe road podcast, with
goldfinger in them, and hetalked about it and I mentioned,
I commented under there.

Speaker 2 (31:47):
Yeah, talked about it and I mentioned, I commented
under there yeah, yeah, and Ihad just walked by it that night
, so it just really brought backmemories.
Yeah, we had a.
I mean we used to have thatplace jumping you know, man yeah
so so I want to ask a question.

Speaker 1 (31:56):
I'm gonna skip around a bit.
I want to get, I'm gonna getback to, but I want to ask you
your quest, your feelings on,because, like you said, you were
the first one that I know of todo the celebrity dj thing like
it was you know it wasn't.
I mean, I don't.
I feel like so maybe somethingin la that I know about.
But in new york you were theone like so you imagine, the big

(32:18):
four and those in your big fourwere doing literally the
hardest, hardest parties andfunctions in the city.
Like if one of those people wasspinning a function it was
guaranteed to be fire.
It was like there's no questionit was going to be crazy and
like to see the evolution ofthat to this celebrity DJ kind
of thing that we have now.
How do you feel about that?

(32:41):
Like, you know just how do youfeel about it in general, you
ain't got to hold back too much,you know you don't got to throw
nobody under the bus, but youknow, tell me how you feel.

Speaker 2 (32:51):
I should probably be getting some residuals or
something like that.
I agree.

Speaker 1 (32:55):
I agree.
No, no, no, no, no, I agree.

Speaker 2 (32:57):
Honestly, as you know , as simple as I was like, give
me your list.
I think everything that I do,you know, out of love and I move
it forward in hoping thatsomeone else can take from it
and run with it and create itright, I would say, from you
know what mark.
In no way would I say that I'vecreated any sort of DJ form or

(33:18):
culture by any means.
So let's just state thatbecause obviously, the
foundation of what that was andwhat that is, we know where that
comes from, right, but I wouldsay that I've had, if not was
the early one to really movethat side of it to a place that
has now created people's livesright, literally, and that's

(33:40):
with the utmost respect.
You know what I mean Because,as I said, we all should be
learning from the things thatother people do to create and
for people to be.
But, that being said, likeeverything evolves right and I
think when you know somethingbecomes popular, somebody thinks
that they can do it right.

(34:00):
Somebody is going to say that Icould sing better than her, and
they're going to go try it anddo it.
Not everyone has the chops toreally do or be, but at the same
time it's also like the game tomy.
In my opinion, now it's so wideopen that you could do, kind of
like whatever you really wantto do, and I think that's with

(34:22):
what social media is now, that'swith what rap is now, that's
what singing is now.
You know there's AI, that'sthere now.
So I mean, look, if you can doand I say this to people all the
time, I don't knock anybody fordoing what it is that they want
to do the one thing that Iwould say is just study and give
back to the craft, right.

(34:43):
Just don't be like, oh, I thinkthat I could do this, and
there's an ox cord and there'swhatever, and you're not really
studying, and you're not reallystudying the music, you're not
really studying the craft,you're not really studying
trying to a mix.
And look, you don't have to bethe greatest DJ on earth, but at
least attempt to give to whatit is that excited you to be
here.
It just can't be the money, andI always say, like you build it

(35:07):
right, the money's going tocome, right, you know what I
mean.
But if people and I think that'sin some ways like the event
game, it's not what it was,because it's like everybody
thinks that they could do it.
So if you think that you coulddo it, what was the benchmark
for money that was being made?
I mean, I would honestly saytoo, like we set the bar for

(35:29):
what you should be making as aDJ at that time, right, like
guys who are making $3,500 or$5,000 to DJ for two hours at
that time, guys who are makinglike $10,000 at those times,
that just didn't exist, right,you know what I mean.
So for now, I'm sure peoplehear that or people see that,

(35:51):
but with everyone doing it, alot of people are now cutting
less.
I'll do it for 500 and a collabpost, right, you know what I
mean.
So that kind of hurts the gamesomewhat too, because for the
people that have put the work in, for the people that have the
integrity you know, and for thepeople who really give back to
the craft, it's like, well, nowyou're going to take a job

(36:16):
because of that and look,there's a lot more to it now too
, because now it's a socialaspect.
You know it's.
The game has just changed somuch within that way that I get
it right.
Like if you want your brand tobe seen more so by the masses,
you don't really care that muchabout the music, unfortunately.
So you might hire somebody whois going to give you impressions

(36:40):
but isn't going to give youvibe.
So when you speak back to thethings that we were doing in
that time, we were like movingthe needle culturally, because
you have to be able to play, youhave to be able to set the tone
, you have to be able to set thevibe, because there was no
social media, right, you knowwhat I mean.
Like, so there was no.

(37:00):
Like I can act, like I'm doingit, but this is it.
And look, this is no hate byany means.
I think it's just a truereality of the era that we came
from, where you had to proveyourself Right, because guys are
looking at you like yo, right,you know what I mean.
Like I'm dancing with thischick, like that mix is kind of

(37:23):
crazy.

Speaker 1 (37:25):
You're killing me right now.

Speaker 2 (37:27):
You're just killing the vibe, right?
You know what I mean and sothat's my take on it, right?
You know like I'm thankful that, look, the DJ culture is
probably at its biggest thatit's ever been, right?
You know, I'm thankful that ithas given, and still gives,
people the opportunities to haveand make a living.

(37:48):
But, yeah, it has changed, butyou know, but I've changed and
I've evolved and I'm doingdifferent things now within my
life, because I've had to, so inno way am I going to be like,
well damn, you shouldn't hirethat girl because or that guy
because it's not whatever, youknow.
I mean, mean it's kind of likesomewhat survival of the fittest

(38:09):
.
I guess you know, yeah, it'slike.
But I would say like, give backto the craft like you know,
like, just because it's it's aspecial craft and it's a special
art that I think people kind ofdon't sometimes misinterpret it
and think it's just someone'sup there pressing buttons.
But it's, it's a special job tobe a dj you know.

Speaker 1 (38:31):
So tell me, tell me one crazy dj story new york city
, based off the top of your heada party, party, party story.
It doesn't have to be the dj,it was like a crazy party.
You know, tell me, tell me onedude snake.

Speaker 2 (38:51):
What is a crazy, awesome, crazy party stores
outside.
I, I, I mean new york justfeels so broad because new york
was like where we like livedright.
So I feel like in those thingsand what we were doing, like it
was regular, right, it was like,you know, like table 50 or you
know, I mean bev used to do likejoe's pub, right.

(39:15):
So you know you would have, youknow mary j or you know maxwell
or whoever just passing throughbecause was the energy at that
time.
So I don't know a real standoutlike meaning.
I I feel like everything is,but I always say that probably
one of my most kind ofmonumental like achievements,

(39:38):
well, it was two, it was um,with mark.
We did john travolta's, I wantsay, 60th birthday party at the
one and only in Cabo and thishad probably the lowest
celebrity there was ScarlettJohansson.

Speaker 1 (39:56):
She was the lowest.
She was the lowest.

Speaker 2 (39:59):
Lowest totem pole.
So I'm there.
But we're cool, we're from NewYork and I'm just looking around
I'm like wow, like this isheavy right.
I mean sylvester stallone, youknow, like denzel, his wife
oprah, like it was just kind oflike whoa, like this is, you
know.
Yeah, that was probably amassive highlight.

(40:21):
And then we left there and flewto la on this jumbo 757 and
pretty much had a comedic showby Robin Williams the whole way
back.

Speaker 1 (40:33):
And it was on a plane .

Speaker 2 (40:35):
On a plane.
I'm just like, bro, like youjust can't with all of these
people on the plane.
I'm just like, wow, that's likethat's a real moment and just
something that was outside ofwhat was because, like New York
was our norm right at that pointwe're running downtown, we're
doing parties, we're whateverwe're doing.
Events like that was some LAnext 1% type thing, right.

(41:01):
And then the second wasprobably we did Oprah's school
opening in South Africa with DJCassidy.

Speaker 1 (41:09):
Oh, you did that.

Speaker 2 (41:11):
Yeah, so that was the second part, like that was
almost like as equal, but thiswas like the black who's who,
right, you know, you had liketina turner and chris rock and
quincy jones.
What was the guy?
The guy who they just did themovie about at that time, like
will smith played him.

(41:32):
I forget the name of him, but II think he was homeless and
then he became oh, um uh,pursuit of happiness.

Speaker 1 (41:39):
What is it?
Chris?
Chris, something?

Speaker 2 (41:40):
I can't remember his last name he was there and it
was just like and again it'sjust like cicely tyson, sydney
portier, I'm just like dude,like this, is it right because
those aren't the average peopleyou see on a regular basis,
right?
Like yeah, we see the guys inlike the club or the models or
this or that or some crazy thing, yeah, but at some point it's

(42:04):
just a regular night at theoffice, right.

Speaker 1 (42:06):
You know what I mean, but to see and be in.

Speaker 2 (42:09):
That was kind of like Crazy, all right, like we
really moving the needle andculture and we've come a long
way from, you know, sending ortaking D'Angelo money and doing
and creating these things.
It's like you know, like we'rethe heartbeat of sound and kind
of culture from a DJ standpoint,and giving them and curating

(42:34):
these experiences for thesepeople, right, you know.
Or, like you know, in Dubaiwith Naomi Campbell for her, you
know, like you know, in dubaiwith naomi campbell for harvard,
you know, it's just all ofthose type of things is where I
felt like we had really movedand those were the things that I
was like oh, like we're gettingon a plane to do what?
like oh you know what I mean.

(42:54):
So it was like those areprobably my biggest highlights
when I think about and, look, Ilove New York, like New York is
what truly made me and I thinkthere's a ton of you know
probably great experiences that,if I really thought about it,
that I could speak about and canspeak about Right, but I think
that was the foundation of allof us that were in that time, in

(43:16):
that era.
So Absolutely.

Speaker 1 (43:19):
It was somewhere to go all the time and, like you
said, if you were going to thecool stuff you know, the Moombas
and the Bungalow Aids and thosetype of places you know you
never knew who you were going tosee and you just never knew
where the night was going totake you.
It was just like yo Q-Tip toldme to come to something I didn't
remember where it was.
Man, half these places and I'mwith some downtown joint and the

(43:41):
Spice Girls were there and Iwas like yo, what's going on?
It's like you said, you runinto these things and I'm sure
with you more because you weremanaging marks, you were out
more than me, but it wasincredible.

Speaker 2 (43:53):
It's not like that anymore, though, you know, no,
it our day.
But I truly think, as Imentioned earlier, that because
of social media, because of howthings are so easily accessed, I
think at that point theaccessibility wasn't that easy,

(44:17):
right?
So you had to create or be apart or know somebody yeah, you
weren't getting in.
You know kind of know, thosethings and know henry, and know
all these guys that you knowwere still in cool, no yeah,
exactly like.
Nah, that ain't it not tonightright and you're frazzled right,

(44:40):
because you couldn't even havethe photo of now.
Looking at your phone, I waslike, ah, that's whack anyway.
It's just kind of like you justsaw four baddies walk in and
you're like dude.

Speaker 1 (44:51):
Dude, come on B.

Speaker 2 (44:53):
And he's like nah, not tonight, not tonight.

Speaker 1 (44:56):
Step to the side, brother.
Exactly so you're managing,mark.
You're doing this, so tell mewhat that evolves to.
After you have that run withthe Big Four and some others,
what do you go to next?

Speaker 2 (45:10):
So of course, I'm in these rooms now because now, you
know, as I said earlier, I feltthe music business would have
just limited me, right, Becauseit was just almost like a cooler
ASCAP in a sense.
Right, it was all about themWith this.
I was playing in a field witheveryone, right.
And so, because I'm moving andshaking and it's music stuff,

(45:34):
it's fashion stuff, it's PR,it's all these other things, you
know, I had some amazingopportunities that came to me
right, Like a friend of mine,Rex Amore, I think now he's like
Yo Gotti's right hand or doingthat with Gorilla and all them.
He had got an opportunity tomanage Pretty Ricky when they
were signed to Atlantic and Ithink you know he was just

(45:57):
starting in like the game andyou know, me and him were
friends or friends and he wasjust like dude, like come and
like help me, Right, and I wasjust like, yeah, cool, Like you
know, cause we were moving Rightand I was in it, and so it was
that we managed them for about,well, for like the first album,
you know, Okay, and then afterthat I ended up managing Kat

(46:18):
DeLuna.

Speaker 1 (46:19):
Okay.

Speaker 2 (46:19):
So we had done her deal at Sony, at Epic, and then
moved her over to what was it atUniversal with Sylvia.
Okay, I did that for a few, butthen I was like yo, this music
business, I need to get back tomy energy, because I felt like
it was pulling me too much outof my vibe.

Speaker 1 (46:39):
Okay.

Speaker 2 (46:40):
So then I went back to doing that.
I was doing a few producers andthings in that space, but then
just really kind of hunkereddown on building more DJs.
And then that's when we boughtin DJ Kiss and MOS and we had DJ
Ruckus and just really startedto build out really what was

(47:01):
that kind of DJ platform?
Right, you know, like I'dworked with D-Nice early in the
beginning, so it's like becausethat's what I knew and that's
what I really felt great at.
You know, like the like musicbusiness stuff I like, but it
was just like it was too muchgoing on in there.
You know what I mean.

(47:22):
Like it was this department andthat department and this level
of red tape and that I was likebro, like I'm downtown flowing,
like you know what I mean.
Like we ain't got time for that, right, you know, like we're
out and we're moving and we'rehere and we're on planes and
we're doing all of that stuff.
Like you can't cut me shortbecause I'm gonna deal with this

(47:47):
and look, I've I'm not knockingthe music business by any means
.
It just wasn't for me, okay,right, you know what I mean.
Like it, it just wasn't where Iwas supposed to be.
I mean, I have great friendsthat were in it, that are still
great friends.
You know I mean me and you agreat friend, you know like, and
I've met you through all ofthose spaces too absolutely it
just wasn't for me and I think Iunderstood that like very early
yeah so is this when you builtdgi, or was this, or was dgi

(48:11):
already in?
Motion.
Well, dgi was I kind of gotousted from chiva because I
think I had a little too muchpower at one point.

Speaker 1 (48:22):
You were popping.
You were too popping.

Speaker 2 (48:24):
I was too popping and you know people don't really
like that they really don't.
And you know it was a veryinteresting time because you
know, like Dom is my man 50grand.
God rest his soul.
Right.
And you know I was doingsomething, almost having my

(48:55):
man's back in building this,because I'm looking at it like,
well, we're building thistogether.
It was, I've got your back, I'mhere to support you.
Do whatever you need, becauseMark needed to be managed at
that time he did.

Speaker 1 (49:08):
He had too much going on possibility that might have
got lost.

Speaker 2 (49:21):
I don't know.
But just saying, right, likepeople come into your lives at
certain times and when they canunderstand their position, I'm
like, yeah, you're the boss, butI'm still gonna be fly.
You're not taking my flynessbecause, as I said earlier, like
when running with kenny andthose guys or running with my
guy from Bermuda, we're allflies.
So, no matter where we are,we're still going to be that guy

(49:45):
.
Right, but that still doesn'tmean I have to be disloyal,
right?
You know what I mean.
And I think he partnered withsome people that I think didn't
really, in my opinion, want togive me what I thought that I
was worth At the time.
That deal might have been good.
It just didn't seem good to mebased off of what I had built,

(50:08):
and so they were like, yeah,well, you know you kind of got
to go.
I was kind of like, oh, really,all right.
And you know I say this withthe utmost love that if it
wasn't for Mark, in allseriousness, I don't know where
I might have been at this pointRight now.
Would I have been a success insomething?

(50:29):
Of course, because I'm a winner, but, at the same time, for
what I was doing at that pointand the level that I was in and
what I was giving to him in hiscareer at that time, because he
could have said, nah, I'm justgoing to let them handle it.
Right, then I would have had tofigure it out and not saying

(50:50):
that I couldn't have figured itout with a Beverly or with a
Cassidy or with a Sam, right,you know what I mean.
But to have that, which was atthe pinnacle of where he was
breaking into the next stage ofhis career in producing it,
really gave me fun.
Look, everybody wants to feellike respected, right, you know

(51:12):
what I mean.
Like.
So everybody wants to feel like, ok, this work that I've put in
, this work that I've done, I'veput in this work that I've done
Because most times, as you know, managers don't get respect or
managers don't get thank yous.
It's always like, well, youshould be doing this, yeah, and
if it's wrong, it's your fault,right, you know what I mean.

Speaker 1 (51:35):
And when it goes right, it's never your fault.

Speaker 2 (51:37):
When it's right.
It's never your fault, never,and it's just you know, and so
to me that was my thank youRight.
In a sense because he could havejust been like all right dude,
like yeah, kind of got to gothere Right, and it would have
been cool too.
But I think just that even putanother battery in my back of

(51:58):
like I really did createsomething.
That was this.
I really was good at what I did.
I really was really, in a spaceof now, like I have to go even
harder to create and be, becauseI didn't know how long that
window was going to be Right,but I knew I had it now.

(52:19):
There was going to be, but Iknew I had it now.
So, while I had it now, I had tomaximize that to its outmost
potential and not take that forgranted, because, as you know,
within this business, we're allgrowing.
I mean in life, inrelationships, if anything, you
can't date a girl or meet a girlone way and then four years
later you're thinking you'reacting the same way.

(52:40):
It's kind of like no, if you'reboth, both evolving, then you
need to keep evolving, get tothat point of where it's
maturing the relationship andmaturing what those things
really need to be.
You know so.
But yeah, dude, that was thosewere great times, man.
Those were like really goodtimes.
So I was forced to like have tostart dgi.

(53:00):
I had no business plan.
I had no money meaning not moneyto start yeah, yeah, yeah it's
kind of like all right, well,this check is continuing to move
this and it's rent and thisgoes to whatever.
But again I think, because ofall of what happened and I'm a
huge, I think, especially nowwithin life, like that I'm a

(53:25):
huge believer in God and histiming right and the things that
we learn, and sometimes we'renot even understanding what
those lessons are at that time,because we think this is what we
want for our lives at this time, right, and not knowing that

(53:47):
those disappointments and thosethings are life lessons and are
leading you to where we arewithin our lives now.
Exactly Because even to havethese conversations, like
thinking back on that, even withwho I was as a person or as a
man.
I mean, I think I'm the same,but I'm completely different.
Right, you know what I mean.
And it's like any of thosethings, or any of those turmoil,
or any of that man, likesomebody else, is starting a DJ

(54:09):
company.
Like I'm a little nervous nowbecause you know, like I don't
know, because you know, like itwas just me, right, you know
what I mean, like so it's justall of those things as you're
kind of moving and continuing tobuild, to even bring you back
to yourself of like well, nah,I'm that guy, like I did this

(54:31):
yeah yeah.
So let's continue on that pathof what you did to build and
create and continue to movethings forward, to have that
self-confidence, to have thatlove and that honor within
yourself to know that I can doit again.
I can build, I can do whateverit is that I need to do you know
.
So yeah, that was the beginningof um DGI dude, just thinking

(54:56):
back on that, just giving me somuch kind of memories of that
time you know.
So tell me, tell me what's goingon now.
Tell me so much kind ofmemories of that time you know
so tell me, tell me what's goingon now.

Speaker 1 (55:02):
Tell me what you're doing right now, what you're
working on, what you, what you Iknow you're building growing.

Speaker 2 (55:06):
What you're doing yeah, I mean now it's.
I'm in an amazing space in mylife, right, I know I actually
call it my paradise suite.
I ended up in bermuda for umcovet.
I thought not a bad place to be.
Yeah, I thought it would be twoweeks it ended up in Bermuda
for COVID.

Speaker 3 (55:21):
I thought COVID would be two weeks.
Not a bad place to be for COVID.

Speaker 2 (55:23):
I thought it would be two weeks, it ended up being
two years.
Total reset Really kind of gotme in a space of truly
understanding, because thebusiness didn't really exist at
that time so the money wasn'tflowing like it did or you know.
I mean, obviously, you know,fortunately we're in better

(55:43):
positions within our lives.
So, you know, I was able tomaintain right and still be in
spaces and let things be, but itjust really kind of like reset
me and like really pivoted me ina way of being back with family
, being back within ourCaribbean culture.
And I'd started to manage anartist by the name of Cass kind

(56:04):
of right before.
So Cass is probably in my eyesthe number one soaker artist in
the world and some people hecould be two, he could be
whatever, but he's doing amazingthings within the space.
And I started managing himbecause I think they were at the
pinnacle of success withinTrinidad right and kind of

(56:27):
wanted to kind of move and kindof break through culturally or
move the culture to a differentspace.
And, yeah, I started managinghim and we did a bunch of
amazing things within the COVIDtime, from just giving things to
the culture and to the peopleto make them feel good.

(56:48):
We did a live album, you know,but through all these things
we're just kind of strategizingon where we're moving him and
his music to.
And yeah, it's been an amazingjourney.
It feels very purposeful, Ithink, you know, being able to
tap back into Caribbean culture,right, and being able to help,
kind of I was telling somebody,it almost feels like me again

(57:10):
with the early DJ culture, right.
I kind of have that feelingagain because it's like we're
breaking new ground, right,because so-called artists tour,
tour but don't really tour,doing ticketed shows, right.
So it's more you're caught in acarnival loop you're kind of
caught it kind of bases fromtrinidad carnival, and then you

(57:33):
kind of cycle through thecarnival or the diaspora
promoters where you know you'rekind of making money but you're
not necessarily building careerright.
You know.
You know you're kind of makingmoney but you're not necessarily
building career right.
You know what I mean when youkind of think about the music
business.
And so I think we were able tostart to tour differently, start
to release music differently,start to present differently,

(57:55):
start to talk to brandsdifferently, start to do pretty
much all of the things that Idid when I was in all of those
early eras of building DGI andthe D'Angelo things and the
losing the job things and theconnecting of all these things
and people, because now it'slike all right, I can really do
that for my people, but thenalso wanting to show by example

(58:19):
that and in hope that otherslearn from what we're doing as
well, to want to do that samething right Because as you
know, you know the power isn'tjust in one man, right.
So I like to speak about we'sand the culture in we's, because
I want us to be able to grow asa culture.

(58:39):
I want us to be able to grow asjust a unit overall, right, you
know what I mean Just in termsof us, like, not just Caribbean,
but even Black.
But I speak more to theCaribbean side of it because
there is some separation between, like, dance hall and reggae
and this island and that island,and I'm just like, if we can
unite in ways it helps everybodybe successful, right?

(59:04):
So, like we just sold out, wesold out central park summer
stage last year wow in like 24hours.
This year we sold it out in four.
The first show added show andwe sold it out in pre-sale.

Speaker 1 (59:22):
Wow.

Speaker 2 (59:22):
Did a second show that we announced.
It sold out in an hour and ahalf right.
And so when I look at and whenI speak to, oh damn, when we
look at the moving the needleculturally and being able to
show people it and see whatwe're doing, like for me that's

(59:44):
a metric right.
That's showing like the proofis in the numbers of what we did
.
You know what I mean.
Like and when we look at now.
We're selling hard tickets andwe're moving things in that way,
like the proof is in what we'redoing.

Speaker 1 (59:57):
It's black and white.
The numbers are the numbers.
You can't fake it.
It's like black and white.

Speaker 2 (01:00:00):
But it's also it wasn't that the first year that
we did it, the first year we didit, we took a loss, right, but
it's the understanding of wheredo you see it going and where do
you see it being.
It's building, it it's thebuilding.
And then with that, I fell offthe first year because that's

(01:00:23):
you know, that's just yeah, so,yeah, so it's that you know, and
I just think it's, you know,just still being me within that
space now, right, but still Imean, I mean I'm everywhere now
still, but it's just now, it'sin a better form.
And I think the biggest part forme, honestly, is that the work
feels purposeful, right.
You, you know what I mean Likeit truly feels like it's of me,

(01:00:45):
right, because it is me in thatsense of like I was raised on
the islands, I was raised tothat style of music, I was
raised to these things and a lotof us, as a lot of people in
small American towns, don't havethe opportunities to be able to
connect the dots and do thesethings in higher form.
So you know, it's my goal to,you know, help be an ambassador

(01:01:09):
for that as well, to the peoplethat we're representing through
that.
So that's one.
And then you know I'm doing mylittle DJ stuff.
You know well, I mean I don'twant to say little because I'm
enjoying it, but, um, you know,I'm like releasing music and
producing music in like a kindof house, afro house type space,
um, mixing some of thecaribbean elements in with that

(01:01:33):
as well, um, the kind of djingthat, and you know, started a
small label of my own that I'mkind of distributing my music
and some of my friends' musicand just kind of again just
creating an energy and avibration, because that's you
know, that was downtown, right?
So I'm technically stilldowntown.

(01:01:53):
We're just putting thoseelements of downtown into the
spaces that I'm vibing in, right, you know what I mean, and the
people that you're around andthe events that you're curating
and the things that you're doing.
But yeah, man, it's a reallygood time.

Speaker 1 (01:02:07):
You sound good man.
You sound happy man.
You sound good, you know.
Well, that's the biggest thing.

Speaker 2 (01:02:13):
It's probably happiness more than anything
right, yeah, you know.
It's being able to stand andkind of love myself in the ways
that I probably didn'tpreviously, and that's allowing
me to see all of these thingsclearly right.
The things that I want to be apart of, the things that I don't
want to be a part of, you know,were before, and I think that's

(01:02:35):
probably where a lot of that,all that unhappiness, was,
before I ended up back inbermuda it's because, yeah, you
were making great money andyou're doing all these things,
but how fulfilling was it right?

Speaker 1 (01:02:48):
how much did?

Speaker 2 (01:02:48):
it really serve me in that space, so to shut down 100
and really be in.
You know, I was in my childhoodbedroom, you know, on a.
You know on a full-sizemattress, right?
You know, like with just me andmy parents.
You know what I mean.
It's like that's some real likenot knowing if the world is

(01:03:09):
ending, right.

Speaker 1 (01:03:10):
You know what I?

Speaker 2 (01:03:11):
mean, yeah, absolutely, that was some real,
like thought-provoking stuffthat I really got the time to
really meditate and hone in on.
Like, well, who is Damon, youknow?
Like, what are my whys?
Like, you know what are thethings that I really want to do
for this next hour of my life?
You know what I mean.
Like, do I still want to givethe same energy to the same

(01:03:32):
things, even though it's makingme great money?
Right, you know what I mean.
Like, is that giving me purpose?
Is that giving me fulfillmentto want to teach the next
generation of kids or people whoare watching?
Right, because I always saythey're always watching, right.
But, like, what are you doingto kind of be that person, to be
a role model or to be a leaderwithin this space, because the

(01:03:55):
money just can't make you aleader or a role model?
Right, because the money drivesyou to do things that you might
not want to do thinking youhave to be that right.
You know what I mean.
Like I want to be able to teachand show you game by example
and then be able to speak tothose things so you can say,
yeah, that dude might not drivea lamborghini, but his fly is

(01:04:18):
fucked and he's able to reallyspeak to me in a way that feels
like I'm of him.
You know what I mean and I thinkthose are the things that you
know, I'm really kind of likebasing.
So I thank you for having me onhere because, you know, I think
part of what I'm doing now too,is even wanting to speak more
and speak to those things, justbecause it's needed.

(01:04:40):
And it's needed, yeah, and it'sdefinitely needed for our
people, you know.

Speaker 1 (01:04:44):
Yeah and honestly, and we'll wrap it up, but that's
you know.
My main motivation to doingthis is like and I know so many
people who have done so manygreat things and I want to give
them yourself included,obviously a platform to talk
about it, the highs and the lows, because it ain't all sweet, it
ain't all bad, it's just it's aride and hopefully you know

(01:05:06):
somebody hear this and listen toit and be like okay, I learned
something yeah what to look forin my journey.
So we're in the state we're kindof doing the same thing,
different, but with the samekind of mindset.
That's what I'm saying.

Speaker 2 (01:05:21):
I mean, it's our duty to teach you know Exactly and
it's our duty to share theknowledge in ways and forms that
allow or to make it palatablefor people and kids to
understand it Right.
You know, because if not, itcan go over their heads.
Yeah.
Or, you know, I don't want topreach to you I want to be able

(01:05:43):
to talk and reason with you andask me questions so you can see
how to maneuver better withinyour life to make it better,
because I want you, as youshould want me and everybody
else to be successful.
It just can't be me and you,right, right, but why keep the
game to myself?

Speaker 1 (01:06:01):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:06:02):
Why keep the game to yourself if you can teach
whoever how to get it?
That just makes it better.
You know what I mean.
Like I was telling somebodyearlier and then I actually have
to go because I have a call at3.
But you know, like I've had somereally great executives come
from under me that are doinggreat, great executives come
from under me that are doinggreat and that makes me feel

(01:06:23):
amazing because it means that,like I've done something right
to instill the energy, or howthey should do, into them to be
For what.
I'm not going to give thatknowledge because I don't want
you to be successful, because itshould be all me.
It can't work like that, youknow what I mean.
Like we have to share theknowledge, yep, we have to share
the knowledge, gotta share theknowledge.

Speaker 1 (01:06:44):
Thank you, brother.
I really appreciate it, man, Ireally appreciate it.
This is a good interview.
I can't wait to put it up.
This is really good.
This is really good.
Thank you again.

Speaker 2 (01:06:54):
Yeah, no Slash.
Thank you, brother.
It's been a minute but I feellike in chatting with you it was
just like yesterday.

Speaker 1 (01:07:00):
Yeah, I felt like we talked last week, you know.

Speaker 2 (01:07:04):
Yeah, that's the beauty of friendship, you know.

Speaker 1 (01:07:07):
Exactly exactly.
You can catch Mixed andMastered on Apple Podcasts,
spotify, iheart or wherever youget your podcasts.
Hit that follow button, leave areview and tell a friend I'm
your host, jeffrey Sledge.
Mixed and Mastered is producedand distributed by Merrick
Studios.