We caught up with the brilliant and insightful C HU$TLE a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, C thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?

I have been DJ’ing / MC’ing essentially my entire life (actually started out ‘break-dancing’ around 4-5 years old to be technically correct but these are embarrasing stories my Mom tells so let’s save that for next time). That said, full-time exclusively producing music / DJ’ing and/or MC’ing and doing nothing else and actually earning enough to pay rent somewhere began for me in 2016. I was convinced by some really friends over a Christmas break to try LSD for the first time (at 31 years old). I not only quit smoking ciggarrettes (something I’d be trying / wanting to do/get done for about 4-5 years already by that point. I arrived at this conclusion / revalation that I would just find whatever DJ’ing job was available and get there however I could. At the time my lease was coming up in New York and the first job I found was in Pittsburgh. I began commuting to Pittsburgh and moved back to Michigan (where I grew-up/went to High School) and fortunately for me my hiring coincided with summer break for Michigan students. I was able to get a quasi-reasonably priced sublet apartment in Ann Arbor and commuted to Pittsburgh 3 nights a week. (Thursday nights I would stay over in Pennsylvania as by the time I got done with the gig it was already about 3am and I could check into a local Candlewood Suites with IHG Memeber Reward level I had achieved via a 4 year stint with the Crowne Plaza in Princeton NJ). I took a relatively reasonable pay to cut to start DJ’ing and leave restaurant serive / waiting tables at the beginning – I was making more money serving breakfast in Princeton than I was DJ’ing in Pittsburgh.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I have loved music all my life my entire life. My Mom’s family is from New York City / New Jersey so she was super into just whatever the best music was from the late 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s (when I ‘arrived’ shall we say). She was the DJ – in the car. Or it was her tapes / CD’s and we’d ride around playing Marvin Gaye, Beach Boys, she was a Dire Straits fan, she was a Phil Collins fan, big Paul Simon fan (went to see him live in Budapest in 1989 or 90). She really loved and appreciated Motown the most though; Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Diana Ross Reflections was one of the top jams in our car as well as Heard It Through The Grapevine. She was also very into Southern Gothic and I guess I’ll say ‘folk-funk’ meaning not country and not rock but not yacht rock or easy listening either. So say, Bobbie Gentry – Fancy, BIG record for us. Also Carly Simon – You’re So Vein, Stories – Louie. Ode To Billie Joe – by Bobbie Gentry was also another really big song for us. Those Bobbie Gentry songs and “You’re So Vein” also for example a bunch of Paul Simon stuff like Me and Julio Down By The Schoolyard all had a STORY. Or a MORAL, or a tragic befalling that affected one of the artists or charachters in the song and also was being told indirectly. Like in Ode To Billie Joe – Bobbie Gentry’s kind of saying like “hey if you can pick up what I’m putting down here cool but if you can’t I’m not going to spell it out for implicitly.” As a 6 year-old I didn’t realize that Billie Joe probably committed suicide because Bobbie had an abortion? I mean I don’t know when I realized what that song was about but it was probably when I started DJ’ing as an adult and playing it out like – oh wow um I did not know what was going on with this as a kid. Basically I just deliver. I show up and am nice to people, playing music – selecting records or writing lyrics and melodies or aggregating and arranging lyrics is the easiest the part. The hard part is commuting to sessions, commuiting to gigs. Carrying things around physically, taking care of your vehicle, paying your rent – dealing with interpersonal relationship dramas (though; these so often inspire our lyrics don’t they).
That said though; in the interest of any future and or potential clients / collaborators: I DJ parties, events, most often this is my primary revenue source at this time. That said I also function as a session-writer for several award-winning legendary musicians here in South Florida. My responsibilities in these sessions range but primarly what I offer that is likely most rare and valuable is steonagraphy. I can type about 70 words per minute – maybe faster (with errors) so artists could sit in a room and just scat or harmonize or freestyle and I’ll literally type down everything they say like a typist court reporter in a circuit court room. Now artists could have records of these scattings by simply using a ring camera or sound recorder BUT what that ring camera or recorder can’t do for you is then rehash the entire musing you just offered and ask you what you wanted to keep, move, re-arrange, cut (I never delete anything it just gets moved to the very bottom of the word file). Then once the artist has established the pocket or rhythm wtih which they want the lyrics to function I can offer up fill-in options where the gaps are and eventually the full lyrical arrangement for the record develops on my computer and I turn it over to you. We try to get an aggregate demo recording done too but – sometimes just a hook and a verse.
Also though; I work with artists who are less experienced. For exmaple I’ve had artists who had artists working their way up who were younger and a little overhwelmed by the bootcamp kind of recording style we have sometimes. We go fast – I even get a little rushed sometimes but I don’t question. So when our fearless leader artist is growing impatient I’ll sit in the B room with apprentice artist and record them in a less aggressive style. A little more go with the flow. I’ll often tell artists even if you mess up the vocal – if you are pleased with the tone and energy with wich you are taking on this recording take just keep going. I can take out the miscue later but if the remaining 80% of this take is going to be your best work why would I cut you off now just to start again. Now ideally yes we all need to deliver on cue, on time, ennunciate etc. but sometimes we have to walk before we crawl. Basically I can DJ your event or produce your record or probably develop your artist too – for studio recording and for stage. I also still do features but I’m not sure anyone needs 39 year-old white rap male rap artists these days lol.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Besides making money and what not. Once we are like earning a living and not facing incarceration or destitution – it’s basically all “gravy” (as my mother would say). You are playing with house money. I have an apartment I would like a house. I work with/for friends who have houses in one area, they want to sell and buy in another area. I have a station wagon – I would like a hybrid SUV. I have friends who have multiple vehicles jeeps – etc. but maybe they want a Ford Bronco – whatever the case may be. Get yourself situated. Make it so you are set up so that you are able to enjoy yourself because despite most people (recording artists especially) being generally good natured any person who is CONTANTLY in ‘crisis’ is not going to be ‘easy to work with’ regardless of how ‘easy to work with’ they are because it’s not possible to settle down and settle in – focus and truly, genuinely enjoy yourself during the process or in your life in general. Once that is all worked out – the most rewarding thing for me besides playing a good party and everyone enjoying the music is definitely song-writing. Session-writing and seeing a song go from a producer just running through sounds on a machine or sound program / keyboard etc. to us picking the synth or line that fills the intro – programming the drums, programming the bass line, programming the 808 and then coming up with the hook / verses. KNOWING it’s good. Especially when you are writing for/with another artist their being impresssed or pleased with what you’ve delivered is really, really, a good feeling. I have had female rap artists with over 1Million Instagram followers tell their friends visiting the studio I’m “Fire” (in reference to my writing and or lyric aggregation abilities). This is an extremely high compliment. NOT just because of the follower account but that’s POWER. In my opion social media is the final act or battle of the sexual revolution. Male patriarchal society can’t supress women anymore (or certainly not like back in the day to the level they/it used to). If a woman (especially if she’s beautiful etc.) or has a swag or is funny, via instagram or TikTok she is GOING to have success. Whether it be via influencing, modeling, doing cameos, doing walk-thrus. So to know someone of this level of influnce in today’s society (happy about it or hate it – it is what it is social media influence is CURRENCY noways – point blank period) go OUT OF THEIR WAY to tell a personal friend that you are good at this thing – that’s an extremely high compliment.
Also when I completed working with apprentice artist who was on the verge of maybe calling it a day before we took the more relaxed and upbeat approach to track vocals in the B room high fives you and says “You’re Amazing” after taking a record from 0 – halfway done in less than 3-4 hours. This is an extremely high compliment. Said apprentice artist may not have the millions of followers but they are on their way SOMEWHERE. And regardless music is cathartic for people. Also failing at it is very depressing so we try to keep away from that result ever crystalizing in anyones mind because it makes the best of us sad no matter how rich and or good looking we might be. Additionally (and in conclusion) you’ve shown this person they can DO this – even if they don’t end up sticking with us as a production house or if they trend away from recorded music and into influencing or acting they’ve left more confident and happier than when they arrived. I also don’t just write FOR people. I mean I’m happy to but if I get to know the artist I can write for them all day. Simultaneously though; and I tell this to everyone I work with – the goal is to DRAW something out that you want to say. Even if you just want me / us to scribe the record but I don’t wanna just write some thing and have you rap or sing it. What are you going through – (without getting TOO personal, what are you going through, are you single, are you in a relationship is it going well or not so well. Are people close to you supporting you – letting you down – etc.) If I know even a little bit about you I can write a record from your perspective or with you. Or here, let me give you this and take out the parts that don’t fit or you don’t feel comfortable saying or don’t find to be representative of you personally. We don’t want to send anyone out into the world with some mosaic they feel is flawed or misrepresentative – thoroughly enjoying tweaking or subtely changing and adjusting a songs lyrics because now we know the artist has had input. Just like if given an artist or playlist for a birthday party we’re going to show as much adherence to that as possible.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I mean I literally moved to Florida to keep up DJ’ing for a living. Whatever people’s opinion about the Pandemic I think it’s fair to say some states/counties were irresponsible and others may have been overly so. I believe New York has ceded their position to South Florida (personally). I believe South Florida / “Miami” (FLL – West Palm SoFla Metro ‘Nexus’) so to speak is the most important city in the entire world. This is the capital of latin america. This is the carribean. This is also the american south. God rest Take Off I believe Miami is now the capital of Urban music as well (Sorry Atlanta I’ll come visit and correct me wrong) AND PEOPLE LIKE COUNTRY music in Florida too. It’s ALL HERE. And the economy is OPEN. The entertainment economy is OPEN. People who don’t leave here don’t even realize that it is / was NOT like this uptop, up north out west during the pandemic or even now. The club I left in Atlantic City NJ is STILL not back open 7 days a week so from that perspective I made the right decision. Has it been challenging? FUCK yes. I’ve had a pistol aimed at me. I’ve had break-ups. I’ve been robbed but I’m working and I’m alive. I miss my ex but there will be another girlfriend (theoretically I hope lol) and by the grace of god the ‘weapon formed against me’ did not ‘prosper’ so I didn’t get shot. But yeah moving down here, I’ve slept in my car. Slept in storage units, had to steal from stores. Ran up debt (still working on that) and invested money and time in interpersonal relationships that are no longer tangible connections. Christ I LOST A CAR in the millenial flood last april (40% of the ANNUAL rain fall in THIRTY HOURS for broward county). I have had to sell a couple pieces of gold and electronic equipment sometimes too when times get tight but now that everything is up and running I wouldn’t leave for much of anything. Even California I hear gas is $5.00 a gallon. Plus we pay no state tax here in Florida so that’s also pretty sweet.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.facebook.com/c.hustIe
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/charlesbuko
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/c.hustIe
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-coffey-55718670/
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/charlesbuko
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1c0s1z_xvRM

Image Credits
Hollywood Music Company