So, here’s a little story about the beginning of my DJ career. One of my passions is music, specialty hip-hop. I’m always playing music for myself and friends, everything from throwbacks to mainstream to lesser known tracks to everything in between. Starting last summer, I thought it would be something cool to make mixes of songs that are about 45 minutes to 1 hour long. The mixes would contain cool transitions and cuts of songs my friends and I enjoy. It just made playing music easier. Pressing play on a mix and not having to worry about what song will come up next. It kept the music entertaining.
Eventually, I started to make more and more mixes. Just for fun and for my friends’ birthdays. I then found some free DJ software and decided to play around with that on my laptop. Messing around with transitions, loading different songs, FX features, sound effects and more. It was all very cool to me. I thought myself how to work the software and transition songs live through it.
Around mid-April of this past year, I noticed flyers around school for a music festival. The festival is called Roc For The Homeless. They were looking for more student acts to be a part of the festival to support homelessness in Rochester. At that point I was like why not reach out to them to see if I can DJ it. So, I sent an email and it just so happens that one of my good friends was the talent manager for the event and it was then their job to reach out to me. At the festival I was able to get my own 30 minute set, play songs in between acts, as well as collaborate with 2 other acts in the festival. Overall, it all went better than I could’ve thought and was a fan favorite
All my close friends and about 20 of my lacrosse teammates showed up to support. I couldn’t have asked for a better audience. Everyone was engaged with the music – singing, the lacrosse team was mosh-pitting. Just all around very good vibes. Others who were there that I didn’t know and the people who organized the event thought that I killed it. They loved how it all went. And want me back next year. Also, one of the organizers asked me to then do the club part of a dorm bar crawl for senior week. That was pretty cool.
Sometime pasted and I get a text from someone on PRIMA, which is St. John Fishers integrated marketing communication firm, saying how well of a job I did with Roc For The Homeless. They were asking if I am interested in having my own hour for the Teddi Dance For Love. The Teddi Dance For Love is a 24 hour dance-a-thon that the school does to support childhood cancer and Camp Good Days. This will be a very special event and cannot wait to perform at it.
Over the summer, I also DJ’d at my high schools post senior prom. The organizers at Roc For The Homeless thought I had a little talent, so I took that into consideration and its turning into a nice little side gig. I picked up a DJ controller so scratching, effects and transiting is easier.
As for the future, we’ll see how this all pans out. It’s all for my friends and their enjoyment. I like playing the mixes for anyone who enjoys them.
By Jack Laino
