We were lucky to catch up with Kid Clay recently and have shared our conversation below.

Kid , appreciate you joining us today. Have you been 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? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

I have been blessed to be DJing full time for the last 6-7 years as a DJ/Event Curator although I started learning the art in 2010.. When I graduated from college, i thought Education was the route for me. I really enjoyed teaxching and being a mentor because I was able to see how much of an impact some of my favorite teachers and coaches had on me which has made me who I am today.. To be honest it was a tough journey finding jobs fresh out of college because the market was over saturated at the time. That definitely was a time where i had to figure out what my next move was. I was always a fan of music and curious to learn about the art, but something sparked me to just max out my credit card on equipment and begin learning. I have to give a big shoutout to my friend JR Strickland and my Uncle who allowed me to use their homes to practice multiple hours throughout the day.

About a year after graduating, I had end up landing a full time job as a teacher in Chicago Public Schools so this was my opportunity to move myself to the city but also set myself up to figure out how I can slowly transition to becoming a DJ full time. Graduating from a prestige University like U of I, i was able to develop a large network where people took a chance by booking me for gigs. I think I got very good over a small amount of time that I was Djing in small clubs and doing alot of weddings and private events.

I knew getting paid to DJ just wasn’t good enough, so I figured out how to brand myself and partner with event curators throughout the city that would allow me to get paid more as a DJ. That path along with branding myself by releasing mixes and DJing on 107.5 WGCI allowed me get recogniztion as a DJ who can not only rock clubs, but work major corporate events, work as a brand ambassador for a liquor company, and being a Radio DJ. e

I think what seperates me from a lot of DJ’s is that I never have gotten complacent and realize I’m only as good as my last gig. I pride myself on wanting to get better daily and knowing that hard work can lead to an unlimited amount of opportunities.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

When I was in college, my fraternity used to book “DJ Spanky” also known as “So Dope” from New York. I still remember the energy in the room that he provided. Seeing how he could read the room, his ability to blend, talk on the mic, play multiple genres of music, and keep everyone entertained left me intrigued. That party made me want to understand the science of what he was doing on stage because it was more than only playing music.

After getting my degree and struggling to land a teaching gig I decided this was the time to learn more about djing and give it a try. I reached out to DJ homies, watched youtube videos, and eventually maxed out my credit card to buy equipment. This new venture of mine wasn’t easily accepted by everyone close to me so those that supported me meant a lot to me. I have to thank my uncle Edsel and my childhood best friend JR Strickland for allowing me to use their homes and practice at all hours to get better at my craft.

Going to the University of Illinois – Urbana / Champaign allowed me to create a large network. The relationships that I built there allowed me to get into the club scene in Chicago. Once that took place, it was up from there.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I would have to be say the freedom that comes with being my own boss. Although I am constantly working,. I’m able to create my own schedule

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I really wish I would have got my degree in Marketing. As a DJ, you have to be be great at what you do, but I am always thinking of creative aways to promote myself to my core audience along with people who might not know about me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kidclay.com
• Instagram: djkidclay
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/djkidclay
• Twitter: djkidclay

Image Credits

N/A