We were lucky to catch up with DJ RodWest recently and have shared our conversation below.

DJ RodWest, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you share a story about the kindest thing someone has done for you and why it mattered so much or was so meaningful to you?

The kindest thing anyone has ever done for me was two things: Gave me a couch to sleep on and gave me a stack of books.
A few music producers and artist gave me a couch to sleep on.

One of the biggest risk I’ve taken in life was leaving my 9-5 job and moving to a new place to see after my grandmother.
I sold and gave away a lot of my possessions in order to raise the money to see her.

When I came back to my hometown, for a brief period, I ended up stuck here because of the covid-19 regulations that shut the borders down.

I could not return back to see after her. Being stuck back in my hometown, I had no car, no home, no money, a bag of clothes and bad credit. (Trash behavior smh) One of the kindest things anyone has done was gave me a couch to sleep on.
It really hurt my pride at first, because no one wants to be in that position. Sometimes i felt like it was just karma from the things I’ve done in my past. I personally hate asking for help. I always try to suffer in silence and handle everything on my own. I don’t want to be that friend that is in the way and is a burden. I am thankful because he never made me feel that way. It took some time but i realized that I was right where i needed to be. It was a blessing for me to be where i was at because there were lessons that i needed to learn. Now I have way more than what I had before. I am more than I was. I can finally focus on music, taking care of my community and putting my people in position.

My “doctor” friend gave me a stack of books. At first, i didn’t understand the value of what i was handed. I sat down one day and opened the first book. After that i was hooked. As i read the lines of the books, it was as if the pages were talking to me.
I saw a reflection of myself in the letters. I started to understand that the traits that i have make me a leader. I was already doing what was needed to be done to be successful without realizing it. I needed to see it to believe it. The books i read help instill confidence in me again.

I found life in the words.
I found direction.
I found a reason to not be discouraged.
These books gave me a hunger for truth and knowledge.
These books gave me wisdom which was priceless.

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 background and context?

I am professional disk jockey who is known for captivating a crowd no matter the venue with a variety of music and a unique style of mixing that keeps the audience on their feet and/or tuned-in whether it be on the dance floor, internet or F.M. dial.

From private parties such as weddings, Quinceañeras, sweet 16s and wild house parties to public venues such as clubs, schools and churches, I have many years of experience and the right attitude to help make any event a success.

What separates me from the common “open format” dj is my unmatched diversity. Growing up in Tampa Bay Fl, while also having roots in the Caribbean, I garnered an extensive knowledge of different cultures thus allowing me to be able to entertain and relate to people of various ages, ethnicities and backgrounds creating a loving and wonderful atmosphere for everyone to enjoy through my use of a continuously expanding music collection of over 30,000 songs.

I was introduced to the music industry through my mother Tempest and my uncle. They are huge fans of music. My mother has been on the radio for over 10 years. She has been doing her best to serve her community by pushing music with a positive message into the community. I think this is her way of giving back and carrying on the legacy of her father. It was only natural for me to be interested in the music industry.

My goal is to show other creatives that their gifts can make a way for them. I want to be able to help artist transition from the streets to the boardroom. A lot of people are dying because they do not have the knowledge of how to overcome their situation. They lack hope. I want to bridge the gap between the known and the unknown. I hope to bring the hope back. I want to show people that anything is possible as long as you believe and take action.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

In order to support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem we need to be willing to teach each other. My motto is each one teach one. We need creatives to have a firm understanding of money management from a young age. We need schools to be an environment for free thinkers to thrive. We need to get rid of the cancel culture mess so people can be themselves. That is when we will be able to have real conversations. We need creatives to understand who they are. We need the law to be easy to learn. We need preachers who are teachers of the truth when it comes to finances. We need to encourage ourselves and others to be life long-learners. It is ok to be the jack of all trades. It may even be necessary.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

Here is a list of books that have significantly impacted my management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy:

– Think and Grow Rich
– How to day trade for a living
– Deep work
– The science of getting rich
– Rich Dads Cashflow Quadrant
– How successful people think
– Atomic Habits
– The Art of War
– 1 – Page Marketing plan

Contact Info:

• Website: www.djrodwest.com
• Instagram: @djrodwest
• Facebook: @djrodwest
• YouTube: djrodwest
• Other. https://www.beatstars.com/djrodwest