They entertain revellers in clubs, at events, on radio and TV, but that does not necessarily mean that their life is one big party. Absolutely not. Theirs is a career and they take it seriously. We sought after some of Kenya’s biggest DJs to get insight on the serious side of the DJ career, what it takes to be successful, the long road to mastering their skills and the breakthrough.
DJ Joe Mfalme is arguably Kenya’s most popular DJ; his name is a synonym for entertainment, both locally and internationally with a big following. The soft-spoken radio, TV and events DJ found his passion while growing up in Meru and through the years, he has made a career out of it.
Growing up, did you always want to be a DJ?
Yes, I realised that when I was in Standard Four. I loved music and I used to listen and watch a lot of music TV shows. I also listened to mixes from various DJs like Pinye, who were popular at that time.
Does one have to listen to diverse genres of music to be a great DJ?
Not necessarily; there are DJs like Kris Darling who just do reggae, or Protégé who plays a lot of Electronic dance music… they don’t have to be diverse. You can still find your niche.
What did you do next after realising you had a passion in deejaying that helped you to actualise your dreams?
I started doing a lot of networking with DJs, watching what they did and learning from them. I also used to watch music TV shows. When I became an adult, I started going to clubs. But networking helped me a lot.
Where did you play your first gig?
At a club called Dimples in Meru, I don’t remember what year it was but I was in Form Three.
Young people tend to think that being a DJ is all about partying. Is that true for you?
For me, it’s different. It’s a job like any other. I wake up at 4 am to practice and go to work the whole day. When I get to work, I download music. During week days, I have gigs. Some end at midnight but I still have to wake up at 4 am. I also have to record my TV shows and edit them. Basically, it’s all work back to back.
Does one have to go to a DJ school to be a great DJ?
Yes and no. Yes if you do not have anyone to teach you and no if you have money to buy equipment and someone to teach you. You can also take classes online.
How did you start working at Capital FM?
I did auditions when they were looking to hire DJs. It took a bit of time for them to confirm our contracts and a few people pulled out. I was picked alongside DJ Andre and DJ Electric. With corporates, you have to be patient.
Did you ever apply for a job and got turned down?
Yes. I had applied for a show at KISS, Capital FM, Nation FM and K24 and all the applications were turned down. K24 called me later to offer me a show and I was also hired by Capital FM.
When can one say they’ve become big brands and stop taking some offers?
It will come naturally though I’ve never thought of it that way. I just play passionately. At some point, the people who call to offer small contracts like Sh15, 000 or Sh20, 000 will stop calling.
On average, how much can a regular DJ earn in a month?
Sh10,000 to 20, 000 per night. Some get paid around Sh80,000 per month and in some high end clubs, one can earn up to Sh300,000 per month.
Advice to a wannabe DJ ?
There is no shortcut, you have to work and network a lot.
DJ TABZ
She is probably the most recognisable female DJ in gospel music but most people do not know that she was a student at Kenya School of law and just completed her degree a week ago. She has appeared on all major gospel shows on TV and now has her own show at Ebru Africa TV. DJ Tabz tells us that being female and a gospel DJ, she has had to work twice as hard. But despite all the odds, she has managed to break out and become one of the most successful female DJs.
How did you realise you wanted to be a DJ?
In 2007 while I was in Form One. I had a passion for music, and especially gospel. Being a member of Christian Union, I would participate in many events and would meet various DJs who came to play at some of the events. I even recorded a few songs while in school.
How did your parents react when you told them you wanted to be a DJ?
At first they did not want me to be a DJ. They did not understand why I wanted to be one. They wanted me to do CPA, which I did. But I would not let my passion die. I started saving pocket money and hoped to get Sh30, 000 to go to a DJ school. I managed to save Sh15, 000. It took me five months to convince them to allow me to go to a DJ school and they finally did.
Deejaying is a career dominated by male figures; did you have to work twice as hard to break through?
Actually, I did, especially at events. Some people would give me an event and then they add another DJ on the list. This made me feel that they did not trust me enough to deliver because I am a woman. But I am lucky to have a mentor – DJ MO- who actually believed in me more than I even believed in myself when I was starting. He encouraged me to take up big roles when I didn’t believe I could do it like playing on Crossover in NTV.
What would you say it takes to start earning a decent income as a DJ?
It takes a lot of patience, nobody breaks through easy, even the biggest DJs had to work extremely hard and be patient. I did a lot of free gigs, playing at small events like weddings where they didn’t pay me a lot or nothing at all. Even when you finally have achieved a considerable level of success, money does not flow constantly, so you still have to work hard. But never let that stop you, do it because you love it.
What principles guide you and help you to maintain professionalism and discipline in your career?
I am a born again Christian and God is the pillar of everything in my life. So, I trust Him to guide me. Secondly, I work very hard. Also, patience is key. Nothing comes easy, it might take time but patience is a virtue I find very helpful. Above all, passion is what drives me.
You studied law, how has that impacted your deejaying career?
When I started school, at first I wanted to do corporate law or another type of law but then I discovered entertainment law, which is quite new and very related to what I do. People do not often associate entertainers with academia but I also found out that the fact that I studied law has made me get considered for certain corporate events, where I also do mentorship sessions with young people.
What steps would you recommend for young women who want to be DJs but face resistance from parents or peers?
I can relate to that. If you are in a position to, you can save money and enroll to a DJ school. But if your parents do not want you to pursue deejaying, wait until you are independent, then you can follow your dreams.
I wouldn’t recommend that you disobey and rebel against your parents; there is no time limit to pursuing your passion.
DJ NOID
He was just a university student when he was sort by Nation FM to participate in a radio competion. DJ Noid is a man of many talents, a radio presenter and a DJ, two distinct roles but they work in harmony. He was both a presenter and a DJ at Nation FM. He managed to successfully go through university while still chasing his DJ career. We sought to find out the secret to balance the two and attain that kind of success at his age.
You started deejaying professionally as a student, how did you get there?
I joined USIU radio immediately after joining university because I was passionate about the career. I used this opportunity to explore my talents and it paid off.
How did you balance working at radio, being a DJ and a student at the same time?
Well, it was a bit tricky because you have class, exams and assignments but I always balanced all the roles well and gave each adequate time.
Did you go to a DJ school or are you self-taught?
I went to a DJ school for two months after high school though after that I pretty much learnt everything else by myself.
Did what you studied in school contribute in any way to your deejaying career?
It did, I studied broadcast journalism in school, it helped me in this career in many ways. I learnt how to produce my own shows, photography and writing, public relations, marketing among other things. All those apply to my career and have helped me build it.
How did your parents respond when they learnt you wanted to be a DJ?
Luckily, I have very supportive parents, they even offered to buy me equipment.
What are some of the places and gigs you’ve played?
I have played at many gigs; some include Nation FM (Vocal Nation), Whats Good TV, Safaricom events, Mo Sound events. I am working as a DJ fulltime and it’s earning me a decent income.
Advice for wannabe DJs
Research before you decide to pursue this career. What you see on TV or hear on radio is not always what you get so get out there and know what people are doing. After deciding, you should practice a lot because deejaying is a skill, and just like any other, you only advance by practicing.
If you had a chance to choose between going to university or pursuing deejaying fulltime, would you still go to school?
I would still go to school; being in university made me learn so much on how to take my passion to the next level. Interacting with people and networking and also getting the chance to work at radio, those are things that came with being in school.
For people who are doing courses in school outside media, do you think that contributes towards building the DJ career or it’s useless?
It all depends on the course. There are courses like medicine that are not in anyway related to deejaying but some courses like law will help you negotiate good contracts with clients and to know when you are being swindled.
DJ SHARLY
Did you always want to become a DJ?
It’s funny how I realised it because I was a dancer before I became a DJ. I used to go to clubs to dance but with time, I started envying the DJ when I noticed that he seemed to be enjoying himself more than anyone else for moving the crowd.
I decided to go to the booth and just like that, I decided that I would become a DJ.
So how long have you been a DJ?
For eight years now.
You studied economics and finance in school, has that been relevant to your DJ career?
I can say yes, it has helped me to learn how to manage my finances because I also have a family now. I run my career as a business. I organise events because I learnt how to save money and maximise profits. I could say I use 80 per cent of the knowledge from class.
Did your parents support your quest to become a DJ?
I got very mixed reactions from them. My dad was a bit resistant since he did not consider deejaying to be a career one can live off. My mum on the other hand was very supportive, she even helped me buy my decks and a sound system, she has been very supportive of my career.
You had your own show on Nation FM, how did you get there?
I won a DJ competition called ‘King of The Mix’ and it gave me a lot of confidence, so I approached Tim Oriedo, who was then the general-manager at Nation Media radio division. I gave him a proposal on how I could grow the radio in terms of entertainment as a DJ and he gave me a chance.
How do you get gigs to play at?
First I think am very talkative and it has earned me a lot. I network and talk to a lot of people, club owners and promoters. Also when I was schooling at Kenyatta University, I used to play at a lot of events like culture week and other events, thus I could get spotted and someone would approach me and give me events outside school. Confidence is key when it comes to marketing yourself.
What advice would you give to wannabe DJs?
Dedication is key in this career; the DJ career is very competitive so you have to endure a lot of challenges. Sometimes you play at events and stand for more than eight hours, it is not easy. Take it as seriously as any other career and you will succeed.