About this episodeDJ Spinking discusses his journey from a traumatic car accident at age 16 to becoming a prominent DJ and artis…AI summary
DJ Spinking discusses his journey from a traumatic car accident at age 16 to becoming a prominent DJ and artist, highlighting the importance of mentorship from figures like Jay-Z and the Simmons family. He shares anecdotes about sneaking Tekashi 69 into Powerhouse and working with Cardi B, while emphasizing his strategy to release diverse singles across multiple genres to achieve a number one record. The interview also covers his strict professional standards regarding DJ etiquette, punctuality, and maintaining genuine relationships in the music industry.
Key takeaways 5
Career Origin: Spinking entered DJing at age 16 after a car accident grounded him; his brother taught him to use equipment in the basement, leading to a career that started with throwing parties at 17.
Mentorship Impact: Jay-Z advised him not to stay permanently as an artist's shadow DJ, encouraging independence. This advice led him to build his own brand while maintaining relationships with artists like Diggy and the Simmons family.
Music Strategy: He is releasing singles across various genres (Afrobeat, House, DBO, Spanish) rather than a traditional album, aiming for a number one hit that will eventually support an album release.
Industry Observation: Spinking notes that the current music industry lacks the clear 'next big thing' trajectory seen in the past (e.g., Fetty Wap, A Boogie), making it harder to identify breakout stars compared to the club-centric discovery model of previous years.
Professional Standards: He enforces strict rules for himself and others, such as arriving 30 minutes early, never playing the biggest hit record during an opening set, and reading the crowd rather than just playing for oneself.
Notable quotes 4AI-generated: wording and quote attribution may be wrong. Use the play link to verify.
“You can be next to them, but just don't stay with them your whole career cuz when they're done, what are you going to do?”
▶ 10:54Advice from Jay-Z that motivated Spinking to build his own independent career rather than relying solely on being an artist's DJ.
“If I see a DJ DJ and he's like into it for himself and the crowd is like not doing anything, I'm like, yo, you're like not a good person.”
▶ 34:11Spinking's pet peeve regarding DJs who fail to read the room and engage with the audience.
“It's not what you play it's how you play it.”
▶ 33:41A lesson Spinking learned from competition in clubs, where he would play the same record as another DJ later in the night to demonstrate his superior mixing skills.
“I'm in all those worlds. I'm in the Spanish world. I'm in the house world... So I'm trying to target all the markets.”
▶ 20:09Explaining his multi-genre musical strategy to maximize reach and increase chances of a chart-topping success.
Chapters & Sections (19)▼
0:07DJ Spinking Personal Preferences and Career Goalschapter3
1:39Handwriting, Chicken Curry, and Karaoke
3:44Cologne Layering Techniques and Ratios
4:56Cologne Preferences and Celebrity Crushes
6:23DJ Spinking's Early Career and Car Accidentchapter2
8:32Car Accident and Anger Management
9:46Simmons Family Mentorship and Early DJing
11:50Artist Relationships and Sneaking Tekashi 69 Into Powerhousechapter1
13:42ASAP Rocky Support and Sneaking Tekashi 69
16:34Music Industry Trajectory and Club Culturechapter1
19:07Music Industry Strategy and Club Culture
20:26DJ Spinking Cardi B Tour and Music Releasechapter2
22:47AR's Involvement in Video Production and Singles Strategy
23:55Fashion Choices and AI Image Critique
25:02DJ Etiquette and Professional Boundarieschapter1
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