Meet Michael DJ M DOT Hankerson | DJ

We had the good fortune of connecting with Michael DJ M DOT Hankerson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Michael DJ M DOT, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
This is a question I’m asked constantly. Early on in my career I was extremely work driven, I worked at least 6 sometimes 7 days a week and didn’t think much of it. It was my happy place, my place of peace. A place where I felt most alive. I was in love with my career and consumed with checking off goal after goal one by one. From holding a full time radio show Monday through Friday, to nightclub gigs every Friday night, to Miami HEAT basketball games once or twice a week, to radio appearances two Saturday’s a month to FIU college football games on Saturday nights and hopping on a plane every two to three months for tour dates with Jamie Foxx. I was always working and the thing that suffered the most was my personal life. I missed birthday parties, numerous live concerts from some of my favorite artists, live sporting events, hanging out with friends, and playing ball with the fellas all because I simply didn’t have the time. Then you have a child and the world you once knew along with everything in it shifts almost immediately. Yes you continue to grind but now your first priority is being a father. So now the work life personal life balance revolves around my daughter and if I have any free time in between only then will I make other plans.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As a professional DJ I love to create a musical experience with my audience. I’m the captain of this cruise ship. The curator of vibes. Yes you will hear your favorite song at the moment but I also want to take you back to a particular time and place with a few of the older songs. That’s what makes music so special. There’s always that one song where you can mentally picture where you were and who you were with when you first heard it. The road to success is never easy. You will encounter numerous reality checks. There will be sleepless nights, a lot of self guessing yourself and your talents and tears. However if you believe in yourself and others believe in you, you will get your chance. Now what you do with that chance is entirely up to you. I like to use the phrase “keep on keeping on.” What I’d like the world to know about DJ M DOT is that I’ve never worked a day in my adult life. I’ve been one of the fortunate ones to have “get to job.” I get to do this for a living, not got to. And when you look at it that way, you will also walk into your place of business with excitement and complete gratitude.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Negroni, Moxies and Red Rooster for dinner vibes, Better Days for bar vibes, Top Golf for fun, Kaseya Center for a Miami HEAT game or concert, Strawberry Moon and SLS Brickell for pool party vibes, Kiki on the River for scenery and beautiful people and lastly anything Ocean Drive Magazine is hosting. That’s always a good time.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There have been so many inspirations along the way. First and foremost my mother who by example taught me the meaning of hard work and accountability. On the professional side, Mike E Simm, DJ IRIE, DJ KHALED, K foxx, JWoww, Babs, Dj Konflikt, The Florida Marlins now known as the Miami Marlins, The Miami HEAT, FIU Athletics, all the gigs I was passed up on which led me to really work harder on my craft as well as marketing myself better and last but not least Jamie Foxx for believing in me and trusting me to always deliver.

Website: www.djmdot.com

Instagram: @djmdot

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/djmdot

Twitter: djmdottweets

Facebook: www.facebook.com/djmdotfanpage

Image Credits
David “Trick” Alvarez, Julia Rose, Cristina Sullivan, Mikey B, Eddie “Create” Chance III, Nick Vega, David Badia,