Working lives – DJs
Parties in Lagos, or pretty much anywhere else, wouldn’t be complete without Disc Jockeys – they are literally the life of events given they control the all-important music that guests dance and vibe to. Being a DJ conventionally meant you had to carry around mini-to-large sets of equipment – speakers, mixers, endless wraps of cords – from one event to another. Now, people DJ with smartphones and mobile apps. That has made the space all the more competitive, especially in an urban setting like Lagos. We speak with some of these DJs – with real sets of equipment – on what the industry is like today, touching on how they started, and how the journey has been so far.
DJ Snow- Ikorodu
Right now, a lot of people own laptops and anybody can just download an app and start forming as a DJ. If you know about music, you yourself can make use of a virtual DJ app. That means anyone can be in the business. But for you to be a professional DJ, you need to get a good laptop and a Serato DJ mixer.”
Where are you from?
I am from Oyo State. But I was born and brought up in Lagos, Obalende to be precise.
Tell us about your education and what was it like growing up?
My primary school was Ereko Methodist school in Araromi, and my secondary education was at Model College. I grew up in Obalende and I am very sure you already have a glimpse of what that must have been like.
Hmm… Tell me about your family.
My dad is a photographer and despite the fact that he is old now, he still takes photography so seriously. My mom is a businesswoman. She sells plastic products like bowls, buckets, hand fans, and so on at Idumota market. I have 12 siblings – six from my mother, four from my first stepmother, and two from the second one.
You have quite a large family.
Yes, I come from a polygamous family. Apparently, my father likes women. Hahaha.
Hahahaha. So how did you start working as a DJ?
There was one DJ very close to our house in Obalende when I was still living with my parents. We called him DJ Father, which was his stage name. I always liked going to his shows because I love listening to music a lot and needed to move closer just so I could learn. But I was always bounced out of the shows. They would say I don’t have access to stand on the stage with the DJ, which was true of course. Then one day, a bouncer embarrassed and beat me up. That was what really triggered the decision to become a DJ. The following week I decided that I was going to learn somewhere else since it wasn’t easy learning under DJ Father, despite him being a good friend of mine and like a brother.
Before we move further, where do you live now?
I live in Ikorodu now. It is a 2-bedroom flat and I pay N250,000 yearly rent.
So, who did you learn under since DJ Father could not train you?
DJ Father told me that he was always busy and that he doesn’t have time. So, I went to Lagos Island at Aroloya, very close to the Idumota area, where I trained under one DJ Collins.
How much did you pay for the training and how long did it typically take to learn?
I trained for 4 years under DJ Collins, and I paid him N50,000. This was in 2011.
And how much did it cost you to establish?
Hmmm. As an upcoming DJ that is hustling in the city of Lagos, I don’t think you would be able to buy all your equipment at once. Back then, I only had a big speaker that I built by myself, and it cost me about N50,000 to build just one pair.
Apart from the speakers, what were the key equipment you bought and how much did they cost?
I bought a laptop and a mixer. I bought my laptop around N40,000 then. Right now, the cheapest DJ mixer, which is a Serato brand, costs N380,000 for a new one. Though there are some that cost about N120,000, for one to be recognized very well, you need to get the one of N380,000.
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They seem very costly. Did you need to get a bank loan?
No, I didn’t get a loan from anybody nor the bank. I was just lucky to have another job that brings in little change for me. So, I was able to save up from that. When I was still learning under DJ Collins, I was working at Tantalizers and am also into photography. So both salaries and the change from photography gigs helped me.
How do you source for events to DJ at?
I have a studio, so most customers come to the studio. But sometimes I get customers through my friends. My studio is at 14 Obalende Road.
What is the competition like in the DJ business?
At the time I just met my boss, the game was still nice, very sweet and lovely unlike now. Right now, a lot of people own laptops and anybody can just download an app and start forming as a DJ. If you know about music, you yourself can make use of a virtual DJ app. That means anyone can be in the business. But for you to be a professional DJ, you need to get a good laptop and a Serato DJ mixer.
So what do you do to promote yourself in the competitive market?
I have a studio so I don’t really stress so much about promotion. I just did a banner and put it outside my studio so passersby can see it. The road is very rough and tough, but we keep pushing
How many hours do you work when you DJ at an event?
I work for 6 hours max.
How much do I have to pay for your service?
I will first ask you about the location, the timing, if it is an indoor or outdoor party, and stuff like that. For an outdoor party, I charge N50,000 above. Then if I am going to weddings, it depends on the speakers I will be using and the hours I will spend. But my normal charge for weddings, if I am using six speakers, is N120,000.
You have a best day on the job?
My best day on the job was when I went to play at a lounge on Victoria Island. It was after I got to the place that I realised it was a very big party. I never expected the kind of crowd I met there but unfortunately for me, I went there with my small mixer. When I finished setting up and started playing, I saw DJ Exclusive cos he was also invited to the party and at that very moment, I was playing his song Jami. He was so happy and came to me to hug me and started praising me. We were going to DJ together but then he saw my mixer and told me he couldn’t play with it because it was obviously small. He then offered to pay for the cost of renting a better mixer. I was so happy.
Wow. It must have been an awesome feeling. Have you had any bad day or experience on the job then?
Well yes. My worst experience was when I went to play in an area where they normally fight. Oshodi to be precise. It was a night party during the December period. After setting up and playing for some time, around 2 am these so-called cultists started fighting and everywhere was in chaos. My laptop was taken as well as some of my equipment. Ever since then, I swore not to collect a street jam gig. But I couldn’t keep my promise because if you want to be popular in the DJ industry, you have to play in street jams a lot.
Can you estimate what you earn yearly?
I can’t really say, I am sorry. I can’t disclose this.
That’s all right. Let’s talk about other issues in your finances. How do you decide what to spend or save?
I always consider my kids first; they bring me joy and I want to be that father figure and provide anything they want.
Oh! So, you are married…
Yes, I am married… So not until I clear whatever bills that are really for my kids, I won’t be able to spend or save. That’s how it works for me.
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How much then do you save in a month?
I save at least N30,000 every month. Savings is very important to me. I don’t joke about it.
For how long have you been in the DJ business?
I have been in the business for 10 years.
Wow. What were you doing before then?
As I mentioned earlier, I was working at Tantalizers and also running my photography business.
That’s cool. If you could go back in time, would you choose the same occupation?
Yes o, I would. DJ for life.
Hahaha. But do you have plans to venture into something else apart from this business?
If I want to go into any other business it is still going to be photography. The only difference will be that I will just invest more of my time into it. Photography is like a family business. My dad is also a photographer as I mentioned earlier.
