What Is A DJ?
What is A DJ?
A short explanation for those who are still a bit unclear about this:
DJ is an abbreviation for "Disc Jockey", someone who makes music or plays it (especially at live events and/or for an audience).
The live-DJ is usually someone who mixes together songs/music from, among others, the dance genre.
Contrary to the radio-DJ, who plays music usually through a computer, the live-DJ mixes vinyl records and CD's with pitch-control on turn tables and CD-players.
The DJ first stands out as an artist in the seventies as they created something new from existing songs through their selection of songs and mixing techniques. In New York clubs disco DJ's mixed songs together on the spot by letting the end of one song go over into the beginning of the next. This is how the mixing techniques arose which are now standard for every DJ.
Hip Hop also arose in New York in the seventies when DJ's such as Kool Herc made new songs by mixing pieces from funk songs together. DJ Grandmaster Flash developed the first scratch techniques, which are still standard for every Hip Hop DJ to this day.
The selection of songs and the style of mixing is very important. Every DJ has his own unique style and is usually chosen for his style to play parties, events, festivals and clubs.
Since the rise of House music in the eighties, the phenomenon of the DJ became even more popular. In the Dance genre the DJ's that remix the records and play them live are often more famous than the artist themselves.
Famous DJs regularly profile themselves as creators of music. They frequently release records under their own name while in reality it has been made by other, unknown artists. Many famous DJs also have their own recording labels.
The So-called All-round DJs in Suriname
Some Surinamese All-round DJs are DJ Mario, Spinmaster Sunil, DJ Cat, DJ Kuyken.
There are also DJs with a music specialty. Although DJ Jerry Jay also falls under this category, seeing as Classics are his strongest point and he can stand his ground with Rock music, this doesn't mean he doesn't play other styles; weddings and parties are among his favorites to play at.
Another DJ with a specialty is Splashmaster DJ Gilly, because he promotes many Surinamese artists with his style of playing music and his mixes.
Other examples are the Surinamese DJs with a Latin American specialty (salsa, meringue, bachata, bolero and last but not least reggeaton) and the Golden Oldie or the "Soul" DJs like Roy Dragt and Glenn Dest.
In other countries there are DJs with their own specialties also; House -, Trance -, Hardcore -, Dance -, Urban DJs etc.
In a country with millions of inhabitants there are many possibilities as a DJ. Suriname's small population makes this harder. This spikes interest when a DJ from a foreign country comes to play in Suriname, but it is harder to play for the Surinamese audience in the long run as they prefer a varied music style. "This is why I proudly say that we have the best DJs in the world here in Suriname, who can easily mix Reggea in with House or R&B in with Bubbling'."
