Today we’d like to introduce you to Derron Griffin.
Derron, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
In the beginning, my inspiration to DJ came from hearing a bad DJ while in junior college lol. It was the last kickback of my freshman year at Blinn college. The kickback was going great! The liquor had finally set in and everyone was lit. He started a quick freaky mix then dropped Wet the bed by Chris Brown, which was the hottest song at the time so everyone went crazy! I even manage to get a dance with the cute girl I’d been peeping all semester. The song has a long intro so everyone was able to find their partner quickly. He let the song play for about 30 seconds and hit the backspin transition button (yes in the middle of the hook) cutting the song immediately. His follow up song was Riding On 4s by J Dawg! You’ve got to be kidding me! It instantly killed the mood.
ALL the females left the kickback. I was drunk and irate! “Why would he do that…. this DJ is trash! Hell, I can DJ better this dude!” I said out loud as my crew decided it was time to go. The next day I started looking up DJ videos on YouTube and was instantly sold on the idea of becoming a DJ! Ironically, that summer I ran into my old high school teammate who had become a DJ at Prairie View A&M. He gave me the best thing ever… a starter pack of music! It was at least 500 songs which was way more than I currently had! Without him giving me that selection of music I would not be the DJ I am today! It helped me find my way as a Dj to where I am today. I’ve come a long way from using the family’s stereo system to Dj gigs.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I’ve definitely had my fair share of challenges during this Dj journey. A challenge I faced in the beginning was getting good quality equipment. Being a Dj is not cheap! Quality equipment cost money and that’s something I was low on when I first became a DJ. In addition to not having a steady income, when I first saved enough cash to buy some equipment I went the cheap route which cost me in the long run. My speakers were low at crowded parties and events. My old computer would crash in the middle of the party due to high ram use and low space. You get what you pay for, so my advice for DJs is to pay the cost to be the boss when it comes to equipment. Another challenge I faced as a DJ was talking to the crowd. I’m a very outgoing person when you talk to me in a regular conversation. Yet, for some reason, I would always get nervous when talking to the crowd. Instead of just being myself I would allow my mind to be consumed with doubt. Realizing that as the DJ I must engage with the crowd or I decided to go for it and have fun. That’s what it’s all about. Having a good time!
Dj Liive – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I’ve been Djin for about six years now. What makes me stand out as a Dj is my diversity and crowd interaction. I can take you from new school to old school, to Latino, reggae, country, all the way back to trap! Some DJs only sound good playing one type of genre, but not me. No matter what crowd is in the room, I will have the party rocking! Another thing would be crowd interaction. I don’t normally stand behind the booth my entire set. Sometimes I like to go dance too! Lol, For example, I can be in a line dance mix, and if the crowd doesn’t know how to do the dance, I would happily go out and teach them myself! Even stay out there and dance myself for a few mins. If I’m at a college party and play a super lit song like Faneto you will see me jumping in the crowd shaking my dreads turnt!! I love to bring energy when I Dj!
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I would define success as achieving a goal you set out to accomplish no matter what it is. However, I am looking to have continued success for that is the key. You must continue to be successful. Especially being a DJ. You must have continued success in order to not only keep the clients you have currently, but also to ensure future business. DJin is a heavily referral-based business. So, you must have continued success in order to survive! I have had some success my career thus far! I’ve been able to meet some amazing people and Dj plenty of parties and events.
Accomplishments such as being signed as an official DJ for both colleges I attended (Blinn college and Sam Houston State) and I’ve even Dj’d for Megan Thee Stallion a few times. I was able to grab radio air time with Street 93.3 and Breaking Texas 102.5FM recently and recently became a member of the prestigious Dj coalition known as Fleet Djs. I am happy with the success I have so far, but far from satisfied!
Contact Info:
- Email: djliive713@gmail.com
- Instagram: DjLiive
- Facebook: DjLiive
- Twitter: DjLiive713
Image Credit:
BMProd
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