Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to DJ CHUCK-T. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

DJ , appreciate you joining us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

I’ve been making a living off my talent and skills for nearly 20 years. Like most millennials, I was raised with the traditional mindset: go to school, get good grades, go to college, and then land a good job or join the military. For my parents, entrepreneurship and turning passion into a paycheck was just a dream—not something to prioritize.
Music has always been my passion, and deep down, I wanted to pursue it full-time. But at first, I didn’t think it was a realistic career path. Like most teenagers, I worked the typical mall jobs in high school and college, but landing a job at Sam Goody changed everything. Working in a music store fed my addiction to the industry—I was getting paid to do what I loved. I got to unbox new releases, hear albums before they dropped, learn how major labels signed and promoted artists, set up in-store meet-and-greets, collect exclusive merch, analyze sales data to predict trends, and have endless debates about music with coworkers and customers. It was a dream job until Sam Goody went out of business, forcing me to move on.
After that, every job I had ended the same way—I got fired because of my love for music. I spent late nights in the studio recording, making beats, and learning how to DJ, only to show up late for work the next day. When I started DJing seriously, I’d be getting in at 3 AM, then dragging myself to a 9 AM shift, completely exhausted. My performance suffered, and eventually, I kept losing jobs. That’s when I realized: the jobs weren’t supporting my dreams—they were getting in the way.
I was making more money from music than I was from my 9-to-5s, and I knew it was time to take my career seriously. Now, when I coach entrepreneurs and business owners, I tell them the same thing I learned firsthand: keep your job until your job starts getting in the way of your business. Once your business brings in more income than your paycheck, you’ll know it’s time to hand in that two weeks’ notice.

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

I got my start in the music business as a recording artist, which is why I have such a deep connection with music creatives. I dedicate my life to helping them succeed because I’ve walked in their shoes. I know firsthand how challenging it can be to break into the industry and thrive without experienced guidance.
Eventually, I stepped away from the mic and explored different aspects of the business—producing, managing artists, audio engineering, and record promotion. That journey led me to a job as a sales rep at a local radio station in my hometown of Charleston, SC. There, I learned the ins and outs of the radio industry, including how stations, major labels, and listeners connect.
But the music creative in me wasn’t satisfied with just selling ads. I started producing radio commercials for my clients, and my work stood out so much that the station manager moved me from sales to the production department full-time. That transition allowed me to work closely with DJs and radio personalities, sparking my fascination with their craft. I’d spend hours watching DJs mix live on air, blending, cutting, and scratching records. I tagged along to clubs, seeing firsthand how they controlled the crowd and made people dance. I was especially drawn to the mixtape culture—how DJs would introduce brand-new artists to the world and gain recognition beyond the local airwaves.
Determined to be part of that world, I bought a pair of turntables and some records, taught myself how to DJ, and started throwing parties and making mixtapes. Those mixtapes became my ticket into the industry. I was always one of the first DJs with exclusive new music, and I invested in my own CD burners and printers to produce and distribute my mix CDs worldwide. At my peak, I was selling over 6,000 mix CDs per month to stores in 35 states and four different countries.
Over the years, I’ve won more than 40 awards for DJing and mixtape production, worked with major artists, and collaborated with top record labels. But beyond personal success, I recognized a major issue—artists focus heavily on the creative side of music but neglect the business side, often signing terrible contracts.
For the past seven years, I’ve been committed to changing that. I took my industry experience and began teaching music business classes, ensuring artists and producers understand how to protect their rights and earnings. My program, The Foundation of Music, has educated nearly 1,000 creatives on the business side of the industry. My mission is clear: to continue empowering music professionals with the knowledge they need to succeed—for the rest of my time on this Earth.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My goals evolve every few years because I’m always pushing myself to achieve greater things. At one point, my goal was to get on the radio—and I did that. Then, I set out to become one of the top mixtape DJs in the nation, and I accomplished that too. After that, I shifted gears to focus on DJing in clubs consistently, and I made it happen.
Now, my main goal is to take my music business classes nationwide and teach them in different states. While I could do it virtually, I prefer being in the classroom, engaging with students face-to-face, and providing hands-on learning. The music business is complex and ever-changing, and webinars or virtual classes often fail to hold people’s attention long enough for the lessons to truly sink in.
My vision is to set up a nationwide tour, teaching my classes in two to three cities in every state across the U.S. I love DJing, but I love teaching just as much. Being able to teach full-time would not only make me happy—it would help me fulfill my purpose of educating and empowering the next generation of music professionals.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

One of the biggest lessons I had to unlearn was the myth that artists and producers sign bad record deals because they’re “dumb” or “money-hungry.” That couldn’t be further from the truth. The reality is that the business side of the music industry is intentionally deceptive and difficult to navigate. Major labels and publishing companies collaborate with lawyers and legislative bodies to keep the system complicated and full of loopholes, making it easier to manipulate music creatives and cheat them out of their fair share of earnings.
Once I started learning the business, I saw this happening in real time. That’s why there’s a saying: “The music industry is 80% business and 20% talent.” And it’s the truth. Understanding how the industry works is far more important than just being talented—because if you don’t know the business, you’ll always be at a disadvantage.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.DJCHUCKT.com
• Instagram: @djchuckt
• Facebook: @djchuckt
• Linkedin: @djchuckt
• Twitter: @djchuckt
• Youtube: @djchuckt

Image Credits

Ben Thomas @FrankFilmedIt
Garion Magnum @D2RgMac
Symone Wright-Flowers @Symflicks