Today we’d like to introduce you to Charles Washington II.
Having an eclectic diet of Funk, Soul, Reggae, Hip-Hop and Classic Rock due to his mom’s vinyl collection. DJ Charlee Brown is hard to pin down musically. His inspiration comes from the different environments and cultures that he encounters each and every day. As Resident DJ to some of the top clubs and bars in Houston and The Vibes HTX CEO, Charlee has developed a vast knowledge of genres giving him the ability to blend different worlds together to help create unity and positive energy on the dance floor. Through further in-depth research of the power of sound and frequency, The Vibes HTX pushes to educate and move the culture forward in a positive direction through the exploration and true power of Vibrations through music and the arts.
Has it been a smooth road?
The journey has definitely not been an easy one. One of the biggest challenges I faced with creating the brand would be defining and curating a style different than what other Djs are used to playing or are supposed to play and finding a market that appreciates the eclectic diversity that The Vibes offers. Most DJs that are in the club industry do not understand the effects on the listener from the music that we are playing. We have the power to mold minds and thought through song selection. Some say that “it’s not that serious” I could not disagree more. I feel ignoring the obvious effects is very irresponsible. The position of DJ is essentially that of an influencer and in-turn brings great power and responsibility.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into The Vibes HTX story. Tell us more about the business.
I am CEO of The Vibes HTX, I map out the direction and goals of the brand and such as “VIBE SZN,” TheVibesHTX clothing line, and TheVibesHTX events, I set up and execute events and projects for the brand. I specialize in DJing and audio production for company events and designing for the clothing line, I’m known for my DJ and production style. The foundation of DJ Charlee Brown helped to create a platform for the brand to grow. As a company, I am most proud of the influence and impact on our city and the embrace that we have received. Our passion for moving the culture forward and upward. With the help of The Vibes HTX collective, we all help contribute to creating the future of the culture. Artist like Corbin Dallas, Netta, Brandon Vayne, Good Grief, BrodyMusesick, Nuel Hookman, Milan Madison, and Jupawideco.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
In the next few years I see the market becoming more saturated with content directly from the hands of independent artist due to the level playing field that home studios, new production technology , and social media has given us this is not necessarily bad or a good thing, it can be a good thing because it opens the doors for new talent that does not need to ride the current “Wave” because their content is so pure and innovative it can become the next “Wave”. It also can be bad as well because again it can be saturated with music that is not aesthetically pleasing to the ears but due to the level playing field, we must take the bad with the good. With that power of direct connection with the worlds ear, we must be responsible with it and remember it is an art and should not be solely used as a tool for monitory gain. With the shift of physical copy sales such as CD, Tapes, Vinyl, etc. Artist are more dependent on touring, live shows, merchandise sales, and most importantly digital sales. Digital sales are a major game changer and a way to connect to audiences worldwide, someone can stream your song in Japan every morning during their work out and you will be paid for it, this was not possible or as easily accessible to do years ago. The use of visuals attached to audio is not a new concept because music videos have been around for years but using with audio with video in the form of a Youtube video or similar platforms or even doing things on video like fighting, dance challenges or extreme stunts, to attract attention and build a following based on views they accumulate and then starting a music career from the platform they created from their video, this is called going viral, this is a smart business tactic but it does nothing for the true artistic side of the industry, unless the viral video creator is actually talented.
Contact Info:
- Website: TheVibesHTX.com
- Phone: 832-718-4984
- Email: thevibeshtx@gmail.com
- Instagram: @thevibeshtx
- Facebook: @thevibeshtx
- Twitter: @thevibeshtx
Image Credit:
Photos by Jeremiah Wallace, Datubo MacHarry
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