Sioux Falls DJ Blog | BPM DJ Productions

In my opinion, DJ AM is one of the best mix DJ’s out there.  He is also down to earth enough to participate in the Serato Scratch Live forum.  I thought I would share this recent post from him.  It basically spells out what DJ’ing for money is all about.  Yeah, you might personally like this and not like that, but when you hit the club, reception hall. gymnasium, or whatever, you are there to play to the crowd. 

“Here.. Since some of you seem to think I am a good DJ I will give you my formula. Since I stuck to this my WORK career went up and up.

part 1 - Girls…

There you have it. That’s it. Girls rule. I like girls for many reasons hahaha But the bottom line is they are VITAL to a dancefloor… Unless your at Rage (gay club in LA)
What, are you gonna play onyx, big daddy kane and have a sword fight? Its almost 2007. In LA at least (and I think most everywhere) girls in their 20s make up nightlife. They don’t know that shit. Old school hip hop to them is Biggie. I was playing Special Ed and a girl walked up and asked “Hey, are you gonna play any hip hop?” To entertain myself I said “Like what?” She said “Ummmm I dunno like some J lo or Puffy” THIS IS WHERE WERE AT PEOPLE! And this happens AT WORK!! I am WORKING for a promoter who PAYS me to make people LIKE THAT CHICK HAPPY AND DANCE. So that’s my job. If I wanna play my music I do it at my own club or at home. So, I focus on the girls. Now THIS is where the being a GOOD DJ kicks in.. For ME, I could play Fergie for her or J Lo. And I know she would be thrilled. I also know the radio and every top 40 club plays those songs. But I chose MADONNA.. Why? Cause I LIKE MADONNA! And I know SHE knows it. And I know she will still dance. Now I did my job AND made the promoter and myself happy.

part 2 - Majority

This is actually part 1.2 BUT majority rules. HOPEFULLY you don’t have a sword fight on the dancefloor (all dudes) and the door guy is letting in 1 guy for every 2 girls. If that is the case its allllll part 1. But its all about the genre. You wanna make the MORORITY of people there happy. I used to throw on a record I have never played and then sit and COUNT how many people came on the dancefloor (PAUSE) and how many left. I would then gauge my next song based off the genre of that record. I just want the majority of the floor dancing, not leaving or sitting down. You make the place go NUTS and dance and scream, you ask for a raise. There you have it.
Bottom line I am a DJ. I said this before and will say it again. I am no “GREAT DJ” I am just a DJ. A REALLY lucky and blessed one at that. I use Serato to the fullest I can. Does that make me a fake DJ? Not to me. I dug for years, I scratched (sounding like shit) till I had calluses on my fingers. I paid my dues and worked HARD for where I am. No page 6 LIE will ever take that away. So keep talkin, keep hatin and I will keep jumping outta bed at 6am to try a mix I just thought of that will hopefully bring joy to a dancefloor and make my friends go “AWWWWWWWWW SHIT!!!!!” That is my job and I love it.

“Starve the ego - Feed the soul” - DJ AM “