Today we’d like to introduce you to Jared Johnson.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Jared. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I never thought that I would become a DJ ever. I came to the University of Texas-San Antonio, UTSA in 2015. I started off going to parties that a few of my friends told me about and I always found myself interested in how people reacted to the music. I always had a feel for music through my whole life. I grew up in my grandfather’s church on the Southside of Houston playing drums since I was in middle school so I always had a connection to music. I remember going to a party and see a DJ’s name that sounded familiar to me. Come to find out it was a person that grew up in the same hood as me and we had met in high school playing football against each other. So from there, I became even more interested on what it was that DJs did.
So I started off by linking up with my friend, DJ Yung Troy, almost every day in order to help me learn, I invested in myself and my own equipment and that was the start. I remember staying in my room for hours just downloading music and practicing how to mix, blend and just the basics of being a DJ. As I started to become better, I started to get booked for house parties. House parties set the foundation of my DJ career because it lets people really know who I was. After that led to events on campus and big parties at the university. The more I started to DJ the more people I met and it opened up a lot of doors for me. I always travel back to Houston to DJ at events and to make sure that I stay connected to the city that has done a lot for me.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. I have heard people tell me flat out no, that I was not good enough to DJ their event and etc. With also going to a school that focus on academics a lot more than an HBCU, I really had to try to change the culture and do my own thing and build a name for myself. Since I went to school in San Antonio, I had to work even harder to make sure people knew who I was in Houston also.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with DJ JayyRedd – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
I am DJ JayyRedd. I am an open-format DJ who can do formal events, clubs, parties, proms, weddings and etc. I am most proud of me and my accomplishments that I made for myself starting from the bottom up. I can say that I have been blessed to DJ at a lot of major clubs in San Antonio, DJ a lot of memorable parties in Houston and San Antonio and that I have met some great and influential people that represent the city of Houston or San Antonio with great honor. What sets me apart is being able to be a crowd-pleaser or controller. I feel like I can read people’s vibes and being able to control someone’s emotions or feelings for a certain period of type is a feeling I will never forget. I carry the city of Houston on my shoulders no matter where I go. I take all the music that I grew up listening to and make sure that I can bring some of that old-soul feel and good vibes into my DJ sets nowadays even with the new music that I play on a constant basis.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
My plans for the future is to be the best DJ that I can be. I want to represent Houston and become a known name in the city that has given me everything and that has taught me so much.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 8325461910
- Email: bookdjjayyredd@gmail.com
- Instagram: @djjayyredd
- Facebook: Jared Johnson
- Twitter: @DJJayyRedd
Image Credit:
Anthony Lafleur
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