Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sway Hunter. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Sway, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

One of the biggest risks I ever took? Man… moving to Atlanta. No question.

It really started with a conversation between me and my mom. Nothing dramatic, just one of those real moments where we both kinda knew… yeah, it’s time. Time for me to get out the nest and see what I’m really made of. Around that same time, I’m at the park, just talking to God like “alright… what’s next?” And Atlanta kept coming back to me.

The funny part is, Atlanta had been the plan. Since I was like 18 or 19. I was out here trying to build a content house with my friends before that was even a thing. I’m talking pre-AMP, pre-everybody moving in together and going viral. Everybody was hype in conversations… “yeah we gotta do that”… “that’s hard”… but the second it was time to actually commit, sign something, put money down… crickets. Silent. I had to laugh at it after a while.

So I stopped waiting. Simple as that.

No long plan, no safety net, no “let me just get one more thing together first.” I packed everything I could fit into my 2-door Honda and moved to Atlanta in less than two weeks. It was one of those moves where you don’t think too hard because fear will start sounding real logical if you let it talk long enough. I just trusted myself and went.

Now when I got here… yeah, it got real, real fast.

I was renting a room that was basically the size of a fitting room for $600 a month. Air mattress on the floor, barely any space, and I was living off non-perishable food. Not even by choice fr… my roommates had me looking at the fridge like it was a crime scene. I wasn’t about to keep donating groceries, so I adjusted. Survival mode kicked in, but mentally I was solid. I kept telling myself, “this ain’t forever, just stay locked in.”

Then life hit me in a way I wasn’t ready for.

I lost one of my closest friends, Yanna Mac. That was my person. We met freshman year of college and really never separated after that. We were locked in. Everybody loved Yanna, and I mean EVERYBODY. She had this light about her that made people feel seen without even trying. You could be having the worst day, get around her, and somehow feel better. She was funny as hell, naturally genuine, and she loved people in a way that you just don’t see every day. Nothing about her was forced.

Losing her changed me. Completely.

It made life feel real in a way nothing else ever had. It made me understand that time isn’t promised, and you don’t get to keep putting things off like you’ve got forever. That moment really pushed me into adulthood mentally. It made me more intentional about everything. How I move, what I chase, who I show up for. I knew I couldn’t play with my life anymore. Not after that. She became one of the biggest reasons I go as hard as I do now. In my head, I’m like, “I can’t waste this… not when she don’t even get the chance anymore.”

So, I locked in even more.

Now I’m starting to see that risk actually turn into something. I’ve built a real presence in Atlanta, not just online but in the city. I’m getting booked consistently, DJing everywhere from retail stores to birthday parties. I’m out on the BeltLine whenever I can be, just creating moments and bringing people together through music.

And one of the most full-circle moments for me was putting together a 2.5-hour mix and personally giving it to Premo Rice. I’ve been a fan of his for years, so that wasn’t just a gig to me. That was one of those moments where you sit back and realize, “yeah… you really outside doing this for real.”

Looking back, that move could’ve went left in so many ways. But I trusted myself before I had proof. I was moving off faith, a little bit of delusion, and a whole lot of purpose.

And the crazy part? I still feel like I’m just getting warmed up.

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?

For those who may not know me yet, I go by Sway, professionally known as DJ Sway Fly Guy—the flyest DJ in all the land, back by popular demand, and no ladies, I can not be yo man! I’m a DJ and multi-disciplinary creative based in Atlanta, and what I really specialize in is creating experiences, not just playing music. Everything I do revolves around energy, connection, and making moments feel intentional.

I got into DJing in a way that feels very natural looking back on it. I used to work at a bowling alley called King’s in Raleigh, and every Friday they’d bring in a DJ—my homeboy Michael—to spin. I was already deep into music, so I’d always be watching him, studying what he was doing without even realizing it. One night, he stepped away for a second, and I asked if I could hold it down. I didn’t really have a reason to be that confident, but I trusted myself. When he came back, everything was still flowing, the energy hadn’t dropped, and from there he started teaching me more every week. Eventually, he gave me my own little sets during the night, and that’s when it clicked. I realized DJing is really about controlling energy, reading people, and creating a feeling in real time. That moment turned into a skill, and that skill turned into my career.

My path into this hasn’t been traditional either. I took a major leap moving to Atlanta with nothing but belief in myself and built everything from the ground up. That experience shaped how I approach my work. I don’t take opportunities lightly, and I don’t treat this like a hobby. This is purpose-driven for me, and that shows in how I show up.

In terms of what I offer, I provide DJ services across a wide range of environments. That includes retail activations, private events, parties, brand experiences, and curated public sets. But what I really bring is atmosphere. I focus on how the music feels in a space, how it flows, and how it impacts people. I’m intentional with transitions, pacing, and energy so that people aren’t just hearing music, they’re experiencing something. Whether it’s a brand trying to increase customer engagement or an event that needs to stay alive from start to finish, I make sure the music actually works for the moment.

I also work across photography, videography, and styling, which allows me to understand branding on a deeper level. So when I collaborate with clients, I’m not just thinking about the sound. I’m thinking about the full experience—how it looks, how it feels, and how it lives on beyond the moment through content and memory.

The problem I solve is that a lot of events have music, but they don’t have direction. They don’t have someone intentionally guiding the energy of the room. That’s where I come in. I bring structure, awareness, and intention to the experience so everything feels cohesive and elevated.

What sets me apart is my attention to detail and my ability to connect with people in real time. I’m not just pressing play, I’m building moments as they happen. I pay attention to crowd reaction, timing, and flow, and I’m able to move across different sounds like R&B, hip-hop, house, bounce, and more depending on what the moment calls for. That versatility allows me to adapt without losing the energy.

One of the things I’m most proud of is building a name for myself in a city like Atlanta, where the culture is strong and the standard is high. Being able to consistently get booked across different types of events and spaces means a lot to me. Moments like creating a 2.5-hour mix for Premo Rice, someone I’ve genuinely respected as an artist, are reminders that the work is connecting and reaching the right people.

What I want potential clients, followers, and supporters to know is that I take this seriously. I care about the experience I create, and I care about the details that most people overlook. I’m intentional about growing, not just as a DJ, but as a creative overall. My goal is always to leave people with something they remember, not just something they heard.

At the end of the day, this isn’t just something I do. It’s who I am.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I think one thing non-creatives sometimes struggle to understand is that for a lot of us, this isn’t just something we do on the side, it’s really how we exist.

For a lot of creatives, this is all we know. It’s not just a skill or a job, it’s how we process life, how we express ourselves, and how we make sense of the world. We end up molding our entire lifestyle around our craft, not the other way around. The hours aren’t traditional, the path isn’t linear, and there’s no guaranteed outcome, but we still choose it every day.

From the outside, it might look like we’re just “playing music” or “being artistic,” but what people don’t see is the constant mental work behind it. The self-doubt, the discipline it takes to keep going when nothing is happening yet, the investment of time, energy, and sometimes money with no immediate return. You’re building something off faith in God and belief in yourself long before there’s proof.

There’s also a level of identity tied into it that’s hard to explain. When you care deeply about what you create, your wins feel personal, but so do your losses. You’re not just clocking out at the end of the day. You carry it with you.

At the same time, there’s a freedom in it that’s hard to replace. Being able to create something from nothing, to move people, to make them feel something… that’s what keeps you going through all the uncertainty.

So I think the biggest thing is understanding that for creatives, this isn’t just a path we chose. In a lot of ways, it feels like something that chose us. And once you accept that, you don’t really look at life the same anymore.

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

Now that right there is an excellent question, whoever thought of that deserves a raise. I think the biggest thing society can do is start taking creatives seriously before they “make it.”

A lot of support only shows up once there’s proof—followers, numbers, viral moments, big clients—but the truth is, most of the real work happens long before any of that is visible. If more people valued creatives in the early stages, whether that’s paying them fairly, sharing their work, or even just showing up consistently, it would change everything.

Another big piece is understanding that creativity is real work. Just because it looks fun or comes naturally doesn’t mean it isn’t labor. There’s planning, practice, investment, and a lot of unseen effort behind every finished product. Respecting that means budgeting for creatives properly, not expecting free work for “exposure,” and recognizing the value they bring to experiences, brands, and culture as a whole.

Access also matters. More spaces for creatives to work, collaborate, and showcase what they do would go a long way. Not everything has to be exclusive or gatekept. When people have environments where they can experiment, connect, and grow, it creates a stronger, more diverse creative ecosystem.

I also think mentorship and community are huge. A lot of creatives are figuring things out as they go, so having people who are willing to share knowledge, opportunities, and game without ego can really accelerate someone’s journey.

And lastly, just genuine support. Engaging with someone’s work, telling people about them, booking them, investing in what they create—that all matters more than people realize.

At the end of the day, creatives shape culture. The more society pours into them, the more that energy comes back in the form of experiences, ideas, and moments that actually move people.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/djswayflyguy?igsh=M3AxbHpscm1kdmY=
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@himjaminfranklin99?si=SVR_OTcjVoS7BHZU

Image Credits

@xcsta.cee, @filmedbyfabio, @fm3productions