We were lucky to catch up with Angel Beloved recently and have shared our conversation below.
Angel, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?
My craft is DJing and producing music. Learning how to DJ and produce has been a lifelong process in a way, as there are various unique elements that go into both crafts. DJing and producing is not just as simple as picking songs and throwing them together or imagining a beat in your head and bringing it to life. It involves things like learning the mechanical elements behind the equipment, studying the intricacies of music theory, developing a trained ear to hear the small nuances within each individual beat…just to name a few. It’s also important to note that I grew up surrounded by musicians and dancers, so this is just in my blood. With this influence, I ended up becoming a professionally trained dancer and was also a part of House/Hip-Hop music dance crew on the streets of Chicago. Learning how to feel music in my body this way and how to let it move through me strongly influences the way I produce music and DJ. If I listen to something and don’t feel a physical reaction or desire to move along with it, I know I’m not on the right track. I want people to feel something when they listen to music I produce and DJ, because ultimately that is what music is about to me – the emotional and physical experience it elicits in people.
For readers who are interested in getting into producing or DJing themselves, I recommend starting with research. Research things like how DJing is done, what equipment you need, and take time to figure out if this is something you really want to do. As with any craft, it is not perfected overnight. I have been doing this for over 7 years now and am still improving and learning constantly. So, if this is a craft people want to get in to, they need to be ready to commit and put in the time and effort to make it a reality.
Angel, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My DJ name is Angel Beloved, and I am the co-founder and Creative Director of MPLSHOUSE LLC (MH). MH is an artist collective that was founded in 2017 by me and my friend/collaborator, TiigaMarc. We started all of this out of a bedroom in south Minneapolis. We weren’t sure what we wanted it to turn in to, or what direction we would go, but what we did know is that we are passionate about inspiration, creativity, and community. So, that became the mission statement of MH.We are an artist collective passionate about creativity, inspiration, and community connection. We are still based in South Minneapolis but have moved on from being based in a bedroom to an actual artist’s studio. The studio is a hub for creativity where we produce various art
forms including, but not limited to, house music, digital artwork, merchandise, and acrylic paintings. Currently there are four members of MH who put in work to make it what it is, but it does not pull in enough revenue to be any of our full-time jobs, as of now. I do make a profit from DJ gigs, and we have of course sold some of our art and merchandise, but money is not the inspiration for why we do what we do. MH is passionate about love for the craft, love for the people, and love for the soul that goes into everything that is created. Of course, every artist desires to make a living doing what it is they love, but that can’t be the main motivator. If it is, it is evident in the product that is put out. MH strives to have an authentic product across the board, whether it be music, artwork, or merchandise. We want our community to feel love in everything we offer them. We also aim to do this by drawing influence from the world. Art is a universal language, and so we want it to be spoken as such, especially in the music we mix and produce. In many of our mixes you can hear influences from around the world pouring through, and there is something for everyone. Everyone can find a little piece of themselves in our mixes. Lastly, we are proud of everything we produce, but some things that stand out when I think about what we have accomplished include our EP, Jussvibe, that we are featured on with Jeff Swiff, our DJ residency with Bellosound at the Four Seasons in downtown Minneapolis, and the community building we do with local DJs in our studio monthly.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
As has been mentioned already, I am driven by love for the craft, by creativity, community, and inspiration, but it does go deeper than that. I am also driven by my passion for the connections and relationships I have with those around me. As we all know, one of the biggest pieces that contribute to the success of our relationships with others is our ability to communicate. But communicating in a way that is authentic and real is something that is difficult for a lot of people to do, including myself. That is why I love art forms such as music. Music and art are such beautiful forms of expression and communication that provide an alternative avenue for us when we can’t find the right words. Through producing and DJing, I am sharing pieces of myself that I may not otherwise know how, or get the opportunity, to. This allows me to build connections with those I already know and even those who I may never meet. My hope is that the music I mix and produce also becomes a way of expression and communication for others, or at the very least, something that makes them feel their emotions in a whole
Have you ever had to pivot?
There have been so many instances in my life where I have had to pivot. A lot of those instances were out of my control, especially when I was young, but nonetheless they contributed to the overall chain reaction that led me to where I am today. I truly believe everything in life is connected. All the moments I had to pivot involuntarily growing up led me to a point where I began working in human services with youth and young adults experiencing homelessness, and it was in that work environment that I met two of MH’s now members, Geo Scott and Tove Lee. Before I met Geo and Tove, MH was at a bit of a standstill. TiigaMarc and I had secured our artist studio, gotten the DJ equipment, taught ourselves how to DJ, and even had a few shows, but something was still missing. When I met Geo and Tove and learned that we shared similar interests and passions for music, art, creativity, and community, it felt like an obvious decision to invite them on to the team at MH. I won’t lie, it was a bit of a difficult transition at first, as TiigaMarc and I were so used to it just being us. But now, two years in to bringing Geo and Tove on, we have made such great strides that otherwise would not have come about had we not expanded our team. The older I get, the more I find this to be true with change/pivoting in general, especially change/pivoting that you have a say in. A lot of the time it will appear daunting, but ultimately, if you trust your gut and listen to your spirit, chances are that the pivot you end up taking will lead you towards something so much better than you even considered possible.
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Contact Info:
- Website: mplshouse.com
- Instagram: @mplshouse
Image Credits
Thomas Reed Luke Muysken Beau Brooks