Hi fellow Dj's out there in and on Nairaland,

I'm writing this post hopefully to connect with others out there who Dj, on a full or part time basis.

As a dj I would classify myself as part time. I'm also old school ie my musical references go back to the 80's. I was introduced to the art of dj-ing while at secondary school in Warri. Rap had been growing steadily as a music form in the early 80's, and those of us in Nigeria young enough to understand it bought into easily. For me it was in 83' that I recognised the dj as we think of him or her today. Ice-T rapped in the movie "break dance", with a dj called Chris the "glove" Taylor, and it was this dj Chris that inspired me.

As the whole hiphop/rap thing began to grow the dj was at the center, as most groups tended to have a dj as the focal point, and 2 rappers to compliment, RunDMC used that formular till DMC's demise. By the early 90s there were djs everywhere, the art of beat mixing, and scratching, became the trade marks of any real hiphop dj.

Viv Uku aka Dj Reckless, who happens to be my cousin, and with whom I grew up with in Benin City, was the only real dj champ I knew in the 90s, who was Nigerian. He was DMC mixing champ for the UK, and Europe, but wasnt a Hiphop or Rap dj in the true sense, but rather drew his musical inspirations from Dance music.

http://youtu.be/g-zpuq4L7Us - DJ Reckless at work!

As a part time dj, I've amassed quiet a bit of kit, I'm constantly buying bits and pieces be it software, or hardware. I learnt to dj using CDs, this was mainly due to the fact that I never bought Lps. I had nursed the idea of buying some vinly turntables and then use timecoded Lps to mix, but haven't done anything about thus far. I currently have migrated to mp3's format mainly for its ease of use, and accessiblity. I use Tracktor Pro, and VirtualVinly software. I've found Tracktor to be a fantastic tool for mixing and dj-ing songs that were originally created as digital audio ie anything created after 1990! Virtual vinly on the other hand I use for my oldies and 80's music which were recorded as analogue.

Some of the equipment I own include:

2 x Pioneer CDJ1000 - industry standard CD decks
2 x Numark CDx - Vinly feel CD desks
2 x Native Instruments Tracktor Kontrol 1 - Great midi controller for Tracktor
1 x American Audio VMS4 - MP3 midi workstation
1 x Pioneer DJM800 - Industry standard 4 channel mixer

I dj at parties, and functions when I can, and have never done the club scene. I play old school, 80's, 90's rnb, hiphop and 9ija mainly.

It would be nice hearing stories from other djs operating in Nigeria, what equipment you use, and music you play.

Weymo

Hello NLer, am an old skool dj but still very relevant in todays dj world. I started djing in d mid 80s with a pair of technics turntables/mixers, kenwood stereo amp/two pairs of jamo speakers.I
became a pro in 1989 with these same equipments, i later moved on to gemini dual cd player because of the trend. then to a pair of numark axis 9 table top cd player with two channel mixer. Am presently using a pair of numark ndx 800 cd player/controller/numark four channel mixer because am presently into digital
(laptop/virtual dj) djing. As a dj i have flair for good music selection/sequence. smooth transition with minimal scratch; but because my son who is presently 18yrs of age with flair for battle scratch etc is a better dj than i. I marvel when i see him performing, he has asked that i buy a pair of denon dns 3700 cd player/controller due to its rotating large jog wheel (hes trying to have a feel of the traditional turntable). Due to the high cost of dj equipment in 9ja today & my slim budget i would preffer a fairly new denon dns 3700. Pls who has information on where to get these stuffs should pls reach me on this forum or on this no: 08036345358. Thanks.

[size=13pt]<sup>Imagine: There’s a crowd of people in front of you, and they’re all grooving to your sounds. And it’s all because you’re mixing and beat matching in perfect harmony with the mood. Sound appealing? Maybe you’re meant to be a DJ.

Don’t be daunted by getting started; even the biggest names had to take first steps. Like global phenomenon ,Paul van Dyk, a Grammy-winning DJ who’s played before millions (check out his newest album, Evolution, that is already out the year 2011).

Borrowing from the pros, here are some tips and tricks for making like a master DJ, whether you’re mixing for a packed club, or to pump up your friend’s birthday party.

Get Set Up
Try a software program like Virtual DJ that mixes your chosen mp3 songs; you’ll just need a laptop, mixer, and sound system to start. From there, upgrade to two turntables to go with your mixer and add in a system like Serato that lets you access all your digital files (no more lugging around creates of records or CDs), matches beats, loops songs, and has other nice tricks.

Find Your Sound
Let’s be specific here. As I've said, “Find your sound. Not the one everyone else around is playing, not the one all your mates are necessarily talking about, but the one that speaks to you. You can be an exceptional DJ, but if you’re doing what every other one on your block is doing, you’ll only rise up a certain part of the way. It’s about passion.” ‘Nuff said.

Go Out and Play!
Get out the word on Facebook, among friends, at any party you attend that you’re willing to play—for free, to start. Ask around at restaurants, do house parties, sign up for open turntable nights at cafés where you sign up for half-hour slots. Above all, practice, practice, practice!</sup>[/size]

Lol.... Started DJing in my room in 2016 using just virtual dj. Still consider myself as a room dj.

BusHouse:
Hello NLer, am an old skool dj but still very relevant in todays dj world. I started djing in d mid 80s with a pair of technics turntables/mixers, kenwood stereo amp/two pairs of jamo speakers.I
became a pro in 1989 with these same equipments, i later moved on to gemini dual cd player because of the trend. then to a pair of numark axis 9 table top cd player with two channel mixer. Am presently using a pair of numark ndx 800 cd player/controller/numark four channel mixer because am presently into digital
(laptop/virtual dj) djing. As a dj i have flair for good music selection/sequence. smooth transition with minimal scratch; but because my son who is presently 18yrs of age with flair for battle scratch etc is a better dj than i. I marvel when i see him performing, he has asked that i buy a pair of denon dns 3700 cd player/controller due to its rotating large jog wheel (hes trying to have a feel of the traditional turntable). Due to the high cost of dj equipment in 9ja today & my slim budget i would preffer a fairly new denon dns 3700. Pls who has information on where to get these stuffs should pls reach me on this forum or on this no: 08036345358. Thanks.

Could help you there. Wouldn't know if you'd be disposed to buying it as it has never been used (just placed in a coffin that has never seen a party also).

Would consider disposing the pair for N340k (coffin not inclusive).

BusHouse:
Hello NLer, am an old skool dj but still very relevant in todays dj world. I started djing in d mid 80s with a pair of technics turntables/mixers, kenwood stereo amp/two pairs of jamo speakers.I
became a pro in 1989 with these same equipments, i later moved on to gemini dual cd player because of the trend. then to a pair of numark axis 9 table top cd player with two channel mixer. Am presently using a pair of numark ndx 800 cd player/controller/numark four channel mixer because am presently into digital
(laptop/virtual dj) djing. As a dj i have flair for good music selection/sequence. smooth transition with minimal scratch; but because my son who is presently 18yrs of age with flair for battle scratch etc is a better dj than i. I marvel when i see him performing, he has asked that i buy a pair of denon dns 3700 cd player/controller due to its rotating large jog wheel (hes trying to have a feel of the traditional turntable). Due to the high cost of dj equipment in 9ja today & my slim budget i would preffer a fairly new denon dns 3700. Pls who has information on where to get these stuffs should pls reach me on this forum or on this no: 08036345358. Thanks.

Check on amazon sir for usa used turntables and mixers. There's a way you can ship to Nigeria

ezzylee:
Lol.... Started DJing in my room in 2016 using just virtual dj. Still consider myself as a room dj.

Start from your campus bro. You suppose don ride from room DJing by now. Its a year already. Make mixtapes too. You'll spread awareness

Anyways to the topic

I inadvertently got a path to DJing by observing a friend (who was the secondary school's only DJ). That was mid 2012. I noticed the way he moved the CBGs on virtual DJ. Then virtual DJ 7 was he most popular DJing app. Fast forward two years later mid 2014, I was in 100l and was playing around with a friend's laptop and from there applied the knowledge of computer based grids matching and my DJing good small Like 30% good sha. Then I was considered the 'baddest DJ' in my hall and I had two semi failed gigs lol. They were small gigs though.

Late 2014, I got my own laptop and as a hobby I started DJing on it... I had a lot of time to practice in my room. By March 2015 I had learnt everything about basic DJing and two months later I mastered it. I still even have my first 'trial' mixtape sef. But then I was still scared of making an official mixtape... This upcoming artiste and hustler Benjexx came along and inspired me to do my first mixtape which was purely average but still okay lol. By August, I further worked on my transitioning between music and made a solo birthday August mixtape which was still average in terms of official DJing. Only thing there that was okay was the transitioning and the way I placed tracks with similar beats and time codes next to each other. I spam nairaland die with that mixtape ehn Got about 19,000 downloads from that singular mixtape though. The mixtape helped me breakthrough in my campus and gained me a small fanbase who up till today request for my mixtapes even though I haven't done any for over a year. I have my reasons thoufh . Between August and January 2016 I improved LARGELY. Am still improving and getting new ideas by the day sha. 'Cause am sure if i make a mix tape now, it'll be real solid for me to break through in the market.

I'm receiving my controller tomorrow. Lemme kuku start scratching Just got the picture of the carton containing the controller today lol. That's the picture below.

My DJing mentors are DJ baddo( who when I listened to his 2014 dorobaddest mixtape I knew there was more to DJing than just beat mixing music) and DJ Qbert for his quality scratching and discovering of different scratch techniques.

haryomikun:


Start from your campus bro. You suppose don ride from room DJing by now. Its a year already. Make mixtapes too. You'll spread awareness

Djd at a hostel party last month. That was my first ever gig.

What's next now is doing mixtapes. Haven't had time coz of project.

ezzylee:


Djd at a hostel party last month. That was my first ever gig.

What's next now is doing mixtapes. Haven't had time coz of project.

And you dey call urself room DJ lol. You no b room DJ again joor. The awareness is out already bro

haryomikun:

And you dey call urself room DJ lol. You no b room DJ again joor. The awareness is out already bro

Lol.... It's just one gig oooooo and some few room parties. Buh the hostel party is the biggest I've done.