Meet DJ Starting From Scratch | Professional DJ & Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with DJ Starting From Scratch and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi DJ Starting From Scratch, other than deciding to work for yourself, what was the single most important decision you made that contributed to your success?
This is a weighted question with many levels & I know it sounds cliché but a long time ago I made a vow to myself that I would not perform publicly until I was truly ready. “Don’t practice publicly” “Be Ready” That’s what made me practice constantly & really understand the art form & it’s what really set me apart from a lot of the existing DJs in my city at the time.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Please tell us more about your art: I am a professional DJ/producer/event planner in the entertainment world. I have been in the business for over 30 years. I have been a DJ on commercial radio for over 20 years. I am the tour DJ for comedian Russell Peters, we’ve been touring the world, doing arenas & theatres for 15 years. We are currently in the midst of another world tour as we speak. I have been the tour DJ for comedian George Lopez, as well as Usher.

We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others: I believe my music knowledge & my grasp of giving the people that musical experience like no other. Taking people on a musical journey every time. My technical skill set is/was very different when I started out because I was a melting pot of all the DJs I grew up listening to & I incorporated little bits that I really liked from the other DJs & I honed it into a unique transformer lol. Even though my name has “Scratch” in it, it has always been my mixing skills & creativity/song selection that has set me apart & made me get noticed.

what you are most proud of or excited about? I’m most proud of the fact that I’ve been doing what I love at a very high level for so long without ever having to jeopardize my character & my body of work. I’ve done it my way & I’ve never had to stray from that.

How did you get to where you are today professionally? I got here by working my ass off. Another cliché but also accurate. Practicing constantly, always learning more about music & genres, not being a shady individual, etc. The MOST important thing that’s got me here is PERFORMANCE. When it’s time to perform, no matter what platform, I give it my all. Whether there are 5 people or 5000, I put in the work & I give it my all. Most of my big opportunities that were presented to me were because of my performance & nothing else. Movies, tours, magazines, etc…All because someone heard me or saw me perform live.

Was it easy? Not at all. Being a white guy, not from the city that I started DJ’ing in was already a strike against me. Now add in the fact that I was playing Hip Hop, Reggae, R&B & I was playing it for Black crowds, there was A LOT of push back from promoters & DJs for the first while. It was tough for me to get gigs because I was viewed as an outsider. It wasn’t until a few people/promoters took a chance with me. Once I was in the scene, my performance/DJ style became my driving force & I just kept going & never looked back.

how did you overcome the challenges? I just kept working & practicing. I didn’t understand the push back. Looking back, I understand more now & I’m glad I was naive back then because I may chosen a different route & played other types of music just to “get in” but I stuck with it because I truly loved the music I was playing. Honestly, being able to make it by truly paying your dues & earning the respect of your peers by showing & proving is a very satisfying accomplishment.

What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. Respect the art form & respect your audience. Be the best at what you are doing no matter how many people are in front of you. Stay creative. Put some respect on your OWN name. Know your worth.

What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story? I am a very passionate, hard working person that will always continue to move people musically for as long as I’m able to.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
This is a tough one because I’m not really a hang out guy lol. If you’ve never been to Toronto before, I would recommend coming in the summertime for sure. Then you can go to Canada’s Wonderland amusement park, you can go the Beaches & play volleyball or just enjoy that beach life. You NEED to experience Caribana at the end of July. There are always festivals happening in Toronto, in every category (music, food, film, fashion) so there is ALWAYS somewhere to go & something to do.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My shoutout will go to my wife Shannon. She came into my life a little later on in my career but she turned my life around (physically & mentally). I lived that dreadful “DJ” lifestyle for too long, the drinking, the lack of sleeping, etc. She really changed the way I think about things & she made me see that I was headed down a very self destructive path. Once we started our family together, then I really started to see the Superwoman she really is. Once kids are in the picture, everything changes. For me to able to do my radio shows, live stream, do remixes, go on tour, my wife has to watch our 3 little kids by herself, while still achieving her degree in University. That kind of support/strength cannot & should not go unnoticed.

Website: startingfromscratch.com (under construction)

Instagram: startingfromscratch

Twitter: djsfs

Facebook: djstartingfromscratch

Youtube: djstartingfromscratch