Today we’d like to introduce you to Dee Johnson.
Hi Dee, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I come from a really big family, and music has always been a big part of who we are, who I am, and who I’ve become. My family is full of singers and musicians. With my dad being in the Air Force, we moved around often & abroad, and in turn, I was exposed to a lot of different music. I’m actually related to the writer and composer of the “Black National Anthem [Lift Every Voice and Sing],” James Weldon Johnson & J. Rosamond Johnson, so I suppose this music thing just flows through my DNA. My mom mentioned singing to me frequently when she was pregnant with me and she was known for singing solos at church. My dad would always play “feel good” music whenever we cruised around. My little brother played the drums. Dancing & karaoke contests were always a thing at family functions. I can’t really remember a time when music wasn’t played in our house.
I knew I wanted to become a DJ when I was much younger. At the age of five or six, I remember watching the movie “Juice” and wanting to be like DJ Q [Omar Epps]. Basketball and track would eventually be my focus in middle school through college, but I could never leave music alone. In high school, I was the go-to for “burnt CDs” and making mixes for our basketball warm-ups. The same thing would translate over into college. Every Friday, I would download music on the family computer or my old Toshiba laptop and meticulously group songs in their perspective genre and make sure the title and artist would match. Essentially, I was “organizing crates” before I even knew what that meant.
My senior year in college, I started researching how to DJ & what I would need, and I realized, “Hey, this is going to be expensive. You need to stack up.” By my final semester, I was working three jobs, but I managed to graduate with all A’s and obtain a B.A. in Graphic Design. I think that was the catalyst that pushed me to take the leap of faith. I remember buying my first DJ controller — a Pioneer DDJ-Ergo and a 50-pound Peavey speaker, haha. I would spend hours at “YouTube University” and just practice as much as possible. The first event I DJ’d was a Valentine’s Day party my friends Ash & Alex and I orchestrated back in 2012. From there, things just took off. I’ve been able to DJ all across the country and even internationally. I’m still “new” to Dallas, but I really am looking forward to bringing Florida with me and making a name for myself out here.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Haha, absolutely not. You know how the saying goes, “No rain, no flowers.” Part of the origin of my DJ name comes from this road being the furthest thing from easy; I just adjust when things are out of my control & make it look — easy. As a woman DJ, I definitely ran into some “no’s” when I first started, but that turned into motivation. I knew I had to prove myself, so I worked relentlessly and honed in on the skills that would be considered imperative for setting me apart from other DJs. I wanted to work so hard that people would HAVE to give me a legitimate reason to say “no.” Those “no’s” would eventually turn into “yes” or me being “too expensive,” and that was cool. That let me know that I had obtained the skills to get paid whatever amount I desired, and clients/promoters respected me & my value enough to know that I was worth what I required.
All it takes is one big YES. I’ve had the opportunity to DJ for a range of people — rappers/singers to big corporations. When one door closes, several more open; therefore, I cannot trip on what some may deem a “missed opportunity.” Especially when I know what a blessing in disguise looks & feels like. Jeremiah 29:11.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m extremely passionate. I take pride in being able to use music as a tool to unify complete strangers in different spaces. When I first started DJing, I remember the rapper Wale mentioning that no DJ set should ever be the same, and I stuck with that code. Being able to blend songs seamlessly and being a “crowd pleaser” is my niche. I’m always trying to find different ways to relate to the crowd, and I love evoking nostalgia & euphoria. Watching people sing their hearts out is the best feeling. Inside and outside of DJing, being the WHY behind someone’s smile or their good day is the ultimate fulfillment for me.
Some DJs think that as long as you can press the start/stop button and play the hottest songs, that’s where it ends. And you know, that might actually work for them, but I know the music industry is only going to get bigger, and the DJ world will continue to evolve. For that reason, I consider myself to be a “student of the game forever.” Even outside of DJing, I’ve always been “teachable” and eager to learn. I knew that if I wanted to be among the greats, I would need to be proactive, be consistent, put my head down, and get busy. At the top of this year, I enrolled in the Keep Spinning DJ Academy [DJ Jay Clipp] out here in Dallas to soak up as much knowledge as possible, be open to correction, and sharpen my skills. I’m going to continue with classes and eventually get into production, so I’m definitely looking forward to tacking that onto my resume.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you, and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
Having gone from being booked every week/weekend to having no clue if and when I’d be able to DJ in an actual venue again felt unreal. I think that was the moment I realized absolutely nothing is for certain, take nothing for granted, and to just appreciate life and all that it has to offer. That huge spike where Creatives would hop on different social media platforms and go live to showcase their talent(s) was a major shift. While life was happening to all of us, I was able to connect with a lot of people all over the world by going live and just spinning. Being able to pour back into others [giveaways, charities, awareness events, etc.] during such an unprecedented time was way more than necessary. Creatives literally built back up community, and I was, and still am, happy to be a part of something way bigger than myself.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.djtooeasy.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/djtooeasy
Image Credits
Raven Crosby
