We caught up with the brilliant and insightful DJ CURSE a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

DJ CURSE, appreciate you joining us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

This might read more like a checklist. Learning how to dj is spending many many hours learning the art of djing. The basics. The equipment to use. Mixing two records on beat. What is a crossfader? What is a needle and cartridge? What is a pitch control? How do you balance a tonearm? Knowing when to mix or drop a song in. Knowing how to read a crowd. How to deal with requests. Do you wanna scratch? That’s like taking another major in college! What equipment to use and what suits you best. Is it CDJ’s, Turntables or controller. Then comes music selection and practice. Many, many hours of practice. Like any sport, you get out of it what you put into it. If you practice 25 hours a week, in theory you should be better than someone who only practices one. Back in the day there were no shortcuts like Dj Schools or YouTube to watch videos to learn. Either you practiced by yourself trying to come up original and fresh routines or you knew someone who was a DJ and you learned from them. There were contests, one being the DMC Contest (Disco Mix Club) which would video tape the contest and then sell the VHS to record stores. That’s how most of the DJ’s learned back in the day. You would pony up the $50 or $60 dollars for the VHS and then run home and watch every DJ’s routine to see who was doing what, with what song and how. Then you would practice till the sun came up. You would try not to “COPY” a Dj’s routine but come up with your “OWN” routine. Mixing smooth and scratching clean, reading a crowd along with mic skills are all very important. The only obstacles were obtaining equipment, which was costly like it is today. Convincing your parents that you weren’t wasting your time and you were gonna make some money doing this thing called Djing. Today you have schools, social media and YouTube all offering how to DJ. It’s definitely changed for the good.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I started djing at 15. I heard a mixtape from a friend and did not know how he made two different songs mix. I was intrigued. I found out what equipment I needed to perform such a mix and proceeded to work and bug my parents for chore money until I was able to get my first turntable. After that I got a mixer and then another turntable. I was set. I didn’t have speakers or lights so I was able to borrow from friends or rent the equipment I needed. From there I started djing my friend’s parties and back yard events. Which led to me djing school events. Business events came next and eventually Weddings, clubs and then 10 years on a top ranked LA RADIO station, 92.3 THE BEAT. I’ve dj’d for Magic Johnson, Samuel L Jackson, Michelle Pfeiffer and many more. One of my most proud moments came when I along with DJ MELO D and DJ WHAT? (Beat Junkies) were on a national TV show called “Jimmy and Dougs” FARM CLUB. We were like the “house band” but we were DJ’s which was very unique. Jimmy Iovine was co-chairman/CEO of Geffen A&M records while Doug Morris was chairman/CEO of the Universal Music group. It was aired on the USA network. It was a platform where unsigned artist could upload their music, get feedback and potentially get signed by Universal Music group. I worked with talent such as Eminem, No Doubt, U2, NWA, Kid Rock, Mandy Moore, Methods of Mayhem, Green Day and many others. The services I provide are the music, vibe, professionalism, laughter and joy when on the mic and generally all around positive and upbeat vibe.

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

The most rewarding part of being an artist, creative or Dj like me is coming up with an idea or project and seeing it to fruition. Let’s say a song. First the idea. Then, getting all the samples, instruments or sounds from different records or media. Finding the tempo and mood you want to set. Are you telling a story? Is it happy or sad? Maybe its just a party song. Then you need good beats and drums. Live, drum machine or both? Then the lyrics, rapping, singing or both? Putting all those ideas together and working with different creatives and coming up with a final product that you can say you’re proud of. Sometimes the process is short and sweet but other times it’s a struggle and you feel like you want to give up and work on something else. It’s the perseverance to see it through and share with others is what’s rewarding to me. You need to have confidence in putting out your project. It could be rough. What if you put your heart and soul into a project and nobody listens? Or it didn’t go over with your audience like you wanted or expected? You need to be ready for the positive and the negative. I like to see people smiling and having a good time and if my music can do that, I’m more than good.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

In 2013, I lost my Mom to cancer. The worst day of my life. I was my mom’s full time caregiver. When my mom was alive, I would have to find a friend I could trust to watch my mom as I went out to DJ. I was very fortunate to have a few nursing friends who could do that. I would call my friend and she would take care of and be with my mom from 10pm to 3am when I got home from my club gig. Before every gig my mom would hold my hand tightly and look deep into my soul and ask me where was I going? If I was leaving her, please don’t leave her and am I coming back? Her words would rip holes through my heart, I would go to my gigs just mad and tore up inside. There were times I would chew peoples heads off over a song request because I had so much angst in my head. After losing my mom, I found myself not wanting to or I couldn’t Dj. As a DJ, I’m there to make people happy, dance and have a good time. How could I do my job when I was personally crushed inside? I was angry all the time. I didn’t want to be around people having a good time and decided I needed time to process the loss. Well, that took 8 years of not DJING. I was working at Instacart during Covid and came home one day looking through Instagram. I saw a few of my friends djing, having a good time, taking shots and I was like, WTH is going on here? It was twitch. I talked to a few friends and they put me up to speed on what twitch was about. I said to myself, wait a second. I can stand in my own house, build up an audience and stream to them? I don’t have to move my equipment AND maybe make some money??? Sign me up. So after 8 long years of being away, it was a clip of my friends on twitch that got me back into djing. It’s been almost 5 years back and I’m happier than ever. I had lost the love of djing for 8 years but I’m back loving it more than ever.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamdjcurse

Image Credits

DJ CURSE
aldaleophotography
nannette_rica40_photos