How did you get your name? 

I got my DJ name when I was in high school. My original name was DJ Sidekick, but I wanted a name that was close to my real name, that I could use when I got older.

Where are you from?

I'm from Harlem and the Bronx, New York.

How did you get into DJing?

I started Djing as a kid back in 1999. I got my first DJ set at 12 for Christmas. I got into DJing honestly out of necessity. Growing up I really wanted to be a stockbroker. My family really couldn't afford business school, so I went to SUNY Oswego and DJayed and produced in College, as a way to make money. Then I couldn't afford to stay in SUNY Oswego along with my parents were having some issues, so I came home and went to Bronx Community College, and have been DJing hard ever since.

What did you do to advance your skills/knowledge? 

I did many things to advance my skills and knowledge, to get me to where I'm at now. I always been doing music even before it became popular. I wanted to be a producer and recording engineer, so in my senior year of high school I started out as an intern at Smash Studios in mid-town Manhattan. Then when I went to Suny Oswego, I found the campus recording studio, so I became an apprentice and student of the recording program chairman Dan Wood. I studied recording and live sound. I read the early pro tools books and spent a lot of hours in the studio practicing and teaching myself recording techniques. Also while at SUNY Oswego, I was a DJ and music director on the campus radio WNYO 88.9. Then once I left SUNY Oswego, I went to Bronx Community College and studied Business and Marketing Management. While in my business program I got an Internship at Sirius XM Satellite Radio, studied everything I could, and built my resume. Then fast forward to 2020, I took a certification program from NYU Clive Davis School of music and finished that. I read a lot, so that has truly helped me with my skills and knowledge.

What did your first setup look like?

My first DJ set up, I started out with Gemini xl 100s back in 1999. With 2 big loud power amps and a cd player. Then later when Serato came about I had the big Serato box with the cd decks.

What does your current setup look like? 

My current setup is Pioneer DJ Controller, Focusrite audio interface, PreSonus preamp, and 1 mac, and a MacBook pro.

If you could produce for any artist (dead or alive), who would it be? 

If I could produce one artist dead or alive, it would be 2pac, simply because of his work ethic.

What is your goal when you create?

My goal when I create is to be myself. Everyone today wants to look and sound like the next person, when I create I want to sound as original as possible.

What's your go-to song right now?

I really always try to change my set everything I DJ, but 2000s reggae is coming back, so my go-to song right now would be Tony Matterhorn - Goodas.

What is your dream as a DJ?

My dream as a DJ would probably to DJ in another country. I have been able to DJ across the country, in the USA, but not overseas yet.

What is some advice you would give to someone with a dream to become a DJ?

Some advice I would give someone with a dream to become a DJ, is 2 things. First, study business and marketing. Secondly, don't let anyone compare you to any other "so-called" big DJ. Build the career that you want to have.

Connect

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_djchase__/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/djchase

Facebook.com: https://www.facebook.com/darealdjchase

Website: http://www.djchase.net

Photography credit: Charles Taylor Kareem Tyson

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