A show about what we can learn from anyone’s job
A show about what we can learn from anyone’s job
Transcript: Episode 2 - Everyday Experts
INTRO
Thanks for tuning in to Everyday Experts -- a show about what we can learn from anyone’s job.
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EPISODE INTRO
[00:00:00] [00:00:00] DJ Big Will: [00:00:00] It's not about me. If it was about me, I would stay at the music by myself. My job again, is to make you have a good time. And to dance. And if I don't have the necessary music that's going to make you happy, I've got to find a way to make you happy.
My favorite part about creating this podcast was finding excuses to interact with people who are passionate about the work they do. That's why I was so excited to talk with DJ Big Will, the Resident DJ at the Debauchery Ball.
I didn't meet DJ Big Will on the dance floor, but in a Lyft I took in Chicago in the fall of 2019. (Yes, I’m one of “those” people who talks to her Lyft driver. And I’ll tell you this -- it’s one of the interactions in life I’ve missed the most since the pandemic has all but quashed our ability to connect with strangers. But I digress.)
As we drove down Lake Shore Drive into the city, I asked him about the catchy songs he’d been playing, which then launched us into a 20-minute dialogue about his love for house music and what it takes to be a good DJ.
I could tell immediately that his subject matter expertise and intentionality behind his choices might be something we could all learn from. So I asked him, “Would you be game to share a little bit more about your job with me?”
Continuing along this season’s theme of people who work face-to-face with others, you’ll notice that DJ Big Will has a keen awareness of the energy levels of crowds and groups of people.
During our original interview, conducted in November 2019, DJ Big Will was gearing up for one of the biggest events of the year, the Debauchery Ball, an afro-centric house music event in Chicago that celebrates individuality, eroticism, and artistic expression. So we spend a lot of time talking about this keynote event.
Be sure to listen for examples of how he gets inside the head of his customers -- well, dancers, in his case -- to predict their needs and even adapt as needed. There may be no better example of reading the room than what it takes to be a DJ for a massive event.
In our follow-up conversation, conducted in December of 2020, you’ll hear what changed for him, what he’s working on now, and how he survived life as a DJ in the year without live dance parties.
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INTERVIEW - DJ Big Will
[00:00:00] [00:00:00] Bethany: [00:00:00] welcome Wil.
[00:00:00] DJ Big Will: [00:00:00] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I appreciate it.
[00:00:03] Bethany: [00:00:03] I'm really excited to learn all about what it's like to be a DJ. This is an area I'm not very familiar with, so maybe we can start off with just the basics. What exactly is in your job description?
[00:00:16] DJ Big Will: [00:00:16] Um, well, um, basically as a DJ your is to make sure that everyone is truly dancing.
[00:00:25] Bethany: [00:00:25] Okay.
[00:00:28] DJ Big Will: [00:00:28] The ones sitting around you really doing your job as a DJ, uh, just jockey on the radio was a little bit different, you know, but when you're doing live events, you want to make sure you have the people enjoying themselves and they really, truly enjoy themselves when they're open about dance.
[00:00:44] Bethany: [00:00:44] So a clarification for your role is you are not a radio DJ or like a like online DJ. You are an in real life in person. DJ. You've done it all.
[00:00:56] DJ Big Will: [00:00:56] I know. Um, right now, uh, I have a SoundCloud with over 500 mixes. I've done radio, uh, internet radio with Swank Society, uh, Definitive Beats, uh, cafes, radio. Uh, I've done college radio with KKPsi, which is people, uh, for house music in Chicago as well. So, uh, I've done a little bit of both.
[00:01:22] Bethany: [00:01:22] So you have a 20 year history of being a DJ in the Chicago scene. Can you kind of talk about what's changed in that industry over over those two decades?
[00:01:33] DJ Big Will: [00:01:33] Why within Chicago? That's the only thing I can really say. Sure. In Chicago, has anything changed? No. I only thing changed is the technology. You know, before the technology was. Turntables. And when I started off 20 years ago and started graduating into CD format, and from there it is graduated into MP3 laptop controllers format. So if anything, that technology is changed, but the scene itself really hasn't.
[00:02:09]Bethany: [00:02:09] [00:02:10] And you've been in the house music scene specifically this whole time?
[00:02:13] DJ Big Will: [00:02:13] the whole time.
[00:02:15] Bethany: [00:02:15] Can you describe for me, um, I've had very limited knowledge of house music. So how would you describe it to someone for the very first time?
[00:02:23] DJ Big Will: [00:02:23] Well, house music is subjective. House music kids has grown and it spreads a wide range. Basically, if it makes you get up and really boogie. I mean, not just tap your feet. I mean, just really get up and boogie, that's somewhat house music. Because when it first started, it started back in 81 here in Chicago, and it started at a place called the warehouse where Frankie Knuckles was located and what was being played within the warehouse was everything. We danced to a country band called Ram Channel. Old Black Betty. That was considered house. Well, the reason why I was considered houses, because it was played within the warehouse.
[00:03:15] Bethany: [00:03:15] Ah.
[00:03:17] DJ Big Will: [00:03:17] And then what happened was Import Records, they made a section for people that came in and said, Hey, I want that song that was played at the warehouse. And then they cut it down to just, House.
[00:03:32] Bethany: [00:03:32] Oh, that's so interesting.
[00:03:33]DJ Big Will: [00:03:33] So now for us, first generation, second generation individuals. That's what's house music is to us. Disco, R and B dance. Anything that made us get up and boogie. James Brown, we played everything. We listened to Queen. Everything. Then what happened was the guys that were inspired by the music that was being played, they went down into their basements of their homes and it got little eight Oh eight machines, your Steve seal Curley's your, um. Marshall, Jefferson, uh, the Chippies... But they were playing the sounds on machines and they were making beats. And then that's what house music, quote unquote, [00:04:20] became, beats and tracks, you know, so, so it's grown from that point on.
[00:04:29]Bethany: [00:04:29] So when you take a set today and you're figuring out what songs to play, are you doing some of the old stuff, some of the new stuff or a combination, or is it based a lot on who's going to be in the room that night?
[00:04:40] DJ Big Will: [00:04:40] Well, all of the above. I'll be above because, um, most of your DJs don't have the ability. To do the old because they want there. Uh,
[00:04:51] Bethany: [00:04:51] so that gives you a leg up.
[00:04:52] DJ Big Will: [00:04:52] That gives me an advantage, because now I know what the old is and I can bring in the newest, well now again, I could have in mind for the day what I'm going to put, Oh yeah, I'm gonna play this. I'm going to kick this thing and I'm gonna get that in. But then you go there and the crowd dictates the direction you're going.
[00:05:12] Bethany: [00:05:12] How does that happen?
[00:05:14]DJ Big Will: [00:05:14] You have to understand who you're playing for.
[00:05:17] I remember a story of a, uh, of a great, great producer, DJ little Louis. He was sharing with us that he was in Europe, and he was playing in front of thousands of people and he threw on one of his famous old school house songs. And he was prepared just to go down that path. And as he played the song, he said, you don't know how hard your heart beats and how scared you become when you just see thousands of people just staring at you and no one's moving.
[00:05:53] So he realized that, okay, I don't have with these people need. So his protege who was with them, he tapped him on the shoulders, like, come on up. It came up, started beating the EDM one 50 BPM type of music. The place went up. Wow. It's happened to us all. But you gotta be prepared. You gotta know your crowd.
[00:06:15] Bethany: [00:06:15] So your job is almost a blend of this expertise in this deep subject matter as well as being able to read people.
[00:06:25] DJ Big Will: [00:06:25] Exactly. Because you know, I've gone to, been hired [00:06:30] for events and. Then next thing you know, you become a jukebox
[00:06:36] Bethany: [00:06:36] jukebox is more like taking requests from people. So you don't like that
[00:06:40] DJ Big Will: [00:06:40] I like seeing the people have a good time. Yeah. It's not about me. If it was about me, I would stay at the music by myself. My job again, is to make you have a good time. And to dance. And if I don't have the necessary music that's going to make you happy, I've got to find a way to make you happy.
[00:07:04] And if that moment with this small, intimate crowd, it means playing some songs that I would not normally play, I gotta give the people what they want.
[00:07:13] Bethany: [00:07:13] Do you think most DJs are as self-aware as you about that?
[00:07:17] DJ Big Will: [00:07:17] No.
[00:07:18] Bethany: [00:07:18] Can you say more about that?
[00:07:19]DJ Big Will: [00:07:19] You get a lot of Chicago DJs that actually have the audacity to say a particular song that is very popular to the people that they've retired.
[00:07:32] Bethany: [00:07:32] Oh. Like they've, they've given themselves the ownership to say the songs gone. Oh, I see.
[00:07:38] DJ Big Will: [00:07:38] Exactly. And I refuse to play that song anymore. Oh, really? Okay. That explains why you're not on the marquee as often as you should be. You're playing for yourself, you're not playing for the people.
[00:07:49] Bethany: [00:07:49] They're trying to create scarcity in what they're providing by creating false demand for other things and controlling the market. Exactly. That's so interesting that this is not at all related to deejaying, but it reminds me of, do you remember the beanie baby craze in the 1990s so one of the reasons why Ty Warner, their creator was so successful is because he had complete control over the entire system of beanie babies.
[00:08:13] And he would decide. When to retire a beanie baby. And then when he did that, it increased the demand for that being baby and it increased the price of it and then made people go crazy. But it occurs to me that unless you're the owner of this music, that's like a kind of a weird thing to, to try and do in a different sphere.
[00:08:31] DJ Big Will: [00:08:31] Right? So it just blows my mind when so many DJs have the audacity to say something like that. So [00:08:40] what I done is I just limited myself now, not limited, but I pride myself and just being the resident of the Debauchery Ball.
[00:08:49] Bethany: [00:08:49] Okay. Can you say more about what that is?
[00:08:54] DJ Big Will: [00:08:54] It started off 15 years ago, and, um, it was originally a birthday party for a poet. He calls himself the Disco Poet. Kahari B Kahari Bolten is his government name, sorry, KB. So and I was doing any van again. I was starting off. Uh, I was doing a, an event with a group called Ear Candy. We got invited out because he's a poet, but he's called the disco.
[00:09:24] Okay. And he
[00:09:25] stayed and listened to me. He had a great time. It came to me after one of my, one of my sets, and he was like, Hey, will you do my birthday party? This guy prior to me or knowledge he had already can join Med's knowledge of a whole bunch of DJs, had a great run going on. And for him to ask me to be his DJ was an honor.
[00:09:49] Bethany: [00:09:49] So his birthday party is a big deal.
[00:09:51] DJ Big Will: [00:09:51] It's become this big but the very first birthday party was a big deal.
[00:09:56]Bethany: [00:09:56] And how was this different from another party?
[00:09:59] DJ Big Will: [00:09:59] Well, uh, it's a unique type of party. His, Kahari's birthday party has grown. First it was just let's all dress in all black . Then it became less dress black and scandalous. Now it's becoming more risque now and again. I remember this is in the middle of, I would call beginning of December. It's always the second
[00:10:25] Bethany: [00:10:25] ice cold in Chicago,
[00:10:26] DJ Big Will: [00:10:26] ice cold in Chicago, and we're asking. For the com it then it became scandalous and debauchery. It was already called the debauchery ball, but now we're, you know, dictating and telling people how we wanted to come. And then someone came with some cat tails and then someone came with some handcuffs, fuzzy handcuffs, [00:10:50] and then it grew into this whips and chains and tying up people with . People were still dancing to house music, but you would have a little section where people were doing things. And so it became a BDSM thing, Chicago house
[00:11:05] Bethany: [00:11:05] style park, and that's how it stayed until today.
[00:11:08] DJ Big Will: [00:11:08] And it's grown growing and we've added things to it.
[00:11:14]So what happened is we decided to throw a, another event in July called winters babies revenge, which is a, what we call the summer debauchery ball. So that's more afro-centric type of vibe cause the summertime. So we really don't want you to come and dress the black, so wants you to come dressed, uh, authentic, free and still have a good time.
[00:11:39]Bethany: [00:11:39] I'd love to talk more about both the people and the system side of how you make an event like this happen. So on the people side, it sounds like you're getting people who are coming in maybe dressing apart or playing a role that they wouldn't play in everyday society.
[00:11:57] DJ Big Will: [00:11:57] You are absolutely correct.
[00:11:58] Bethany: [00:11:58] So, so how do, how do you think about like catering to that vibe in your music when you're figuring out what your set should be.
[00:12:05] DJ Big Will: [00:12:05] Well, again, um, they know it's Chicago house from the very first beginning event. It was Chicago house and it's never stopped being Chicago house. Only thing that is changed is the attire.
[00:12:22] Before they were just all dressed in all black, black shirt, black jeans, you know, black dress, you know, but now they're coming in leather and fishnet. Latex, lace
[00:12:35] Bethany: [00:12:35] and what like types of people come to this? Is it a pretty wide range? Yes,
[00:12:38] we have bankers. Yeah. Um, what I really also found out is because we've been doing this event with scantily clad women and we've never had one incident because we protect the community.
[00:12:53] An incident of like a negative incident,
[00:12:56] DJ Big Will: [00:12:56] a negative incident where someone's, uh, aggressively [00:13:00] approaching a woman or, and you know, doing anything that she's, we like to have the under ground foundation permission, you know, and we, within the community itself, we protect our women that are in this circle because again, this is a once a year event like this now twice, but we want to make sure that they feel comfortable.
[00:13:23] Bethany: [00:13:23] If you're not creating a safe space, then people won't continue to come. So I imagine creating some of those foundational rules are really paramount for the safety and security of everyone.
[00:13:32] DJ Big Will: [00:13:32] Indeed. And one of the main things that we've done is we never tell you the location of the event unless you have a ticket
[00:13:42] Bethany: [00:13:42] oh, interesting.
[00:13:43] DJ Big Will: [00:13:43] And we don't release the location until the day before the event.
[00:13:49] Bethany: [00:13:49] And do people, you said that like, bankers will come to this, like who, who else comes to this and like what's the age range of people that you see?
[00:13:56] DJ Big Will: [00:13:56] So our age ranges from 21 to 60 you know, so, and all walks a lot like a session. How police officers, teachers, students bank. There's a CEO, you know,
[00:14:08] Bethany: [00:14:08] how many people come to the debauchery ball?
[00:14:10] DJ Big Will: [00:14:10] Uh, it's grown to about five to 700 people.
[00:14:13] Bethany: [00:14:13] Wow. Okay. And then how long is the event itself?
[00:14:16] DJ Big Will: [00:14:16] Uh, we usually start off about nine or 10. It usually ends about three or four.
[00:14:23]Bethany: [00:14:23] So that's a pretty long time and you are deejaying the entire time.
[00:14:27] DJ Big Will: [00:14:27] Well, what has happened was, um, I started off as a solo DJ.
[00:14:31] Bethany: [00:14:31] Okay.
[00:14:32] DJ Big Will: [00:14:32] Then Kahari wanted to like, I guess, give other DJs opportunities.
[00:14:37] So now we're talking about 3d J. So what I would do is to give everyone an opportunity, I would rotate my times. I would not just stay at the prime time. You know, I would go first, middle, or last, and I would rotate eachyear. it just so happens this year I'm in the middle. That's the prime time. That's the hot time, you know?
[00:15:01] But really with the performance now being a part of it, the opening DJ as well is the hot time because we just got right off of this hot [00:15:10] performance. And now as a DJ, you got to keep the imagery going. You're opening up, you're leading off, let's do this. Let's keep the party going, food, let's take it up to the sky.
[00:15:21]Bethany: [00:15:21] So each DJ has 90 minutes to make the crowd as excited as possible. Read the room, make sure you're giving them what they want. Have you had like, incidents where you just picked completely wrong as a DJ and D and what was that like?
[00:15:38] DJ Big Will: [00:15:38] It's, it's what we call the dreadful parting of the red seas.
[00:15:44] Bethany: [00:15:44] Good ones,
[00:15:44] DJ Big Will: [00:15:44] big old crowd, and all of a sudden they start splitting up, going to the wall because the song that you just played is no good. I know. I believe that soon as I see that that song is not about to get played to its entirety. I got to get out of this song because I got to bring them back.
[00:16:01] So you always got to have something next up because just because you feel something is great, that doesn't mean that they feel something. Did is great.
[00:16:08] Bethany: [00:16:08] I'm jealous of the feedback loop that must exist for you as a DJ. One of the things that I experienced a lot in the tech industry is our users are so far away from us. We're sitting behind computers at desks, in offices, and maybe our user is on the other side of the world, on their computer, logged in, and we never see them. We don't get to interact with them. We don't have to make eye contact with them. We maybe can see how they click on the website and do a couple of things, but it's so much farther away than seeing it in real time. And this ability to be able to pay attention to and react to what's happening must just constantly be helping you improve, assuming you're paying attention to it.
[00:16:49] DJ Big Will: [00:16:49] Assuming you're paying attention to it. Again, that guy that says, I retired that song, he's not paying attention to that. He's paying attention to what he wants to hear, not with the people, you know. So many songs I played hundreds of times that I wish I could never have to play again, but it's not up to me. If I don't want to play, if I just don't play it at home. You know what I'm saying? But when I'm out here on the highway in front of you, I got to play that song because I know. That soul is going to make you have a wonderful time.
[00:17:19][00:17:20] Bethany: [00:17:19] So for the debauchery ball this time you're in the middle, which is that kind of high point. How do you work with the DJs that are going to be before and after you to make sure you're having a consistent experience of music listening?
[00:17:32] DJ Big Will: [00:17:32] Well, what I don't like to do is I don't like to tell another DJ how to play. I usually just say, Hey, it's the Batu ball. You shouldn't know what to do.
[00:17:48] Bethany: [00:17:48] Wow. So you give them a lot of autonomy.
[00:17:50] DJ Big Will: [00:17:50] Yeah.
[00:17:51] Bethany: [00:17:51] That's scary.
[00:17:52] DJ Big Will: [00:17:52] I let them be themselves. Because if they dropped the ball, they won't be back. I've had one incident, one ball. Again, we are trying to bring more females into the fold. DJ one was supposed to open it. Female DJ was supposed to be in the middle. I was supposed to close. DJ one that was supposed to open call and said, I can't make it cause I have another event. Okay, cool. That means now I've got to open and close and close. I was prepared. I was, my mind was set, but I'm opening and closing. Female DJ... Usually the protocol is to be there at least an hour before your set. So I'm up there cause I'm opening now because the first DJ can't make it and I'm looking, I'm like, okay, where's she at? Where's she at? So I'm still going now I'm floating into now middle section right time slot and Kahari finally arrives. I'm like, where's she at? All she had a migraine. She's not going to be able to make it. Ah, for real? Okay, no problem.
[00:18:55] Bethany: [00:18:55] Were you prepared for that?
[00:18:58] DJ Big Will: [00:18:58] Gotta be prepared. Gotta be organized cause I already knew because I already had the music for opening. I already knew what to play. I already got this music. I got it categorized. I know this is how we open. This is how we bring it to the crescendo. Is how we are in the middle, and this is how we make them lose their minds. So I'm not making them move their minds at the beginning.
[00:19:19] Bethany: [00:19:19] No,
[00:19:20] DJ Big Will: [00:19:20] you know, I can't do that. No, no. That makes no sense. Let's get you nice and move. Let's get you slowed in here. And now I'm finding out that she's not here. So now I'm like, okay, now I got to play my [00:19:30] middle set, you know? And the guy who was supposed to open for part a, he finally shows up. I'm like, okay, you're closing the night. You know, I could have gone ahead and just done it, but you know, I'm not selfish. You know? So I'm like, okay, you're here. Go ahead and just close out the night. So I played the first four hours of the event and he closed out the last six.
[00:19:49] Bethany: [00:19:49] Wow. So you've alluded a couple times to DJs who have something come up at the last second and either can't come get held up is there a lot of that sort of reliability as an issue when you're working with other people in this industry?
[00:20:02] DJ Big Will: [00:20:02] What you find out is when it's new people that you started to work with, that they find that they show their unprofessional side. Like for instance, the summer event, we had the venue told us that we will be able to set up at a certain time. Our sound guy had our event plus another event of equipment out in the suburbs with a lot of equipment. Okay. So our event was supposed to start, I think at 10 he was supposed to set up at nine. The venue still had a previous event going on so he couldn't set up at nine. He leaves the equipment at nine o'clock, goes back out to the park so he can get his equipment from out thing at 10 o'clock people are walking in and door. We have no equipment set up at all.
[00:20:54] Bethany: [00:20:54] What?
[00:20:55] DJ Big Will: [00:20:55] None. 11 o'clock still nothing. Midnight. He finally arrives and now he's plugging into equipment. Then after that. Someone was like, I smelled smoke, smoke. It was coming out of one of his speakers.
[00:21:11] No.
[00:21:12] Yes. So again, me, I wear my emotions on my sleeve. I was very, very highly upset. But the community, because they're musicians at times, because they understand the vibe, they start making their own music. They started beating on bongo.
[00:21:33] Bethany: [00:21:33] No way, man.
[00:21:34] DJ Big Will: [00:21:34] They start dancing and they just started. They just really just are very patient with us, and I [00:21:40] love them for that.
[00:21:41] Bethany: [00:21:41] I'm curious what you think. I've noticed some DJs sort of like turning themselves into icons and, um, whether it's wearing a particular costume or like hiding their face and like really like tokenizing their look right. Like, how do you think your identity plays into being a DJ? And like, what do you sort of make of that newer trend?
[00:22:05] DJ Big Will: [00:22:05] Well, I don't have an identity. It's not about me. It's about the music. Matter of fact, we were, uh, our recent promotions that we're doing right now for the debauchery ball. Uh, I discovered I have no professional photos. Of me.
[00:22:23] Bethany: [00:22:23] Yeah. I was looking for some before this interview and I couldn't find any,
[00:22:27] DJ Big Will: [00:22:27] you know, I, I'm not with some guy who was standing around with turntables or I have a microphone. My headphones are at the lack of Spanish. I have none of that because I'm not the important part of it. It's the music. It's not about me. Hey, I find a ride songs. Yay. I can make you move your body. But it's the song that's making you move. I'm just playing.
[00:22:50] Bethany: [00:22:50] But you're also an entrepreneur, right? Because if you're not hired, then you won't get these jobs. So how do you sort of strike that balance of not being a presence online, but still getting hired for these high impact gigs?
[00:23:03] DJ Big Will: [00:23:03] My gig is the Debauchery Ball and Winter's Babies Revenge.
[00:23:07] Bethany: [00:23:07] Okay. That's it.
[00:23:09] That's it. you know, that's why I drive Lyft, you know, to pay the bills, you know, because the Debauchery Ball is December Winter's Babies Revenge is July, you know, and it's not as lucrative as some people think it may be. It will get there because again, the production has grown. We have this film now, we're getting ready to try and take it on the road. New York is looking at us, you know, we want to start taking it across the country.
[00:23:34] Very cool. You
[00:23:34] DJ Big Will: [00:23:34] know? And now that's where the money would come in. But for now it's just all the hard work and love that we want to make sure that people have a good time, not those cats that are putting a mask on and so many young ladies dressing scantly behind the [00:23:50] DJ and stuff, you know? Now it's more like, Ooh, look, not, Ooh, let's listen and dance.
[00:23:57] Bethany: [00:23:57] That's a really good observation,
[00:23:58] DJ Big Will: [00:23:58] you know? Cause again, that's, that's why we take away the cell phone.
[00:24:03] We take away the cell phones because what happens here, the city of Chicago, you have people doing selfies while at the party videotaping the DJ while at the party, but now that join the party,
[00:24:19] Bethany: [00:24:19] you know what I'm saying? You're designing an experience that people aren't present for that. Then you're not really making the most of it.
[00:24:26] DJ Big Will: [00:24:26] You're not. You just paid $25 or $100 for VIP. Just to stand around and take a picture of yourself instead of just really given to an experience that you're going to be like, Oh, ma, I can't wait for the next one.
[00:24:41]Bethany: [00:24:41] I'm curious, do you take anything that you learned as a DJ and apply it to other areas of your life?
[00:24:48] DJ Big Will: [00:24:48] Oof. Um, well, I would think that I was in sales before. So I think more likely I take my experience in corporate American sales and bring it more to my DJs. Again, reading people, you know, uh, making sure that the customer comes first before my needs come first.
[00:25:14] And, you know, um, customer satisfaction, you know, things of that sort, you know, making sure, again, that you're happy. Before I can be happy, because if you're happy now, I'm happy because everybody's happy and you're not angry. And you know, so that type of sense of, you know, um, being organized, being prepared, you know,
[00:25:38] Bethany: [00:25:38] that's not something I would put at the top of my list of things I would think a DJ needs to be, is to be organized and prepared. But can you say more about that?
[00:25:45] DJ Big Will: [00:25:45] Well, again, you have to be prepared for whatever you're coming in with your plan to be able to change it.
[00:25:53] Bethany: [00:25:53] Ah, yeah.
[00:25:55] DJ Big Will: [00:25:55] You know, you gotta be flexible.
[00:25:57] Bethany: [00:25:57] That's like the killer in, in a [00:26:00] lot of companies, right? You, you set a goal for the year. As you're collecting feedback along the way, that goal needs to change. And the best leaders recognize when they're getting that feedback and they're like, you know what? We set this plan, but we have to pivot. That must be a really great skill to acquire.
[00:26:16] DJ Big Will: [00:26:16] Yeah. That partner, the red sea means I can't keep going in this direction. Yeah, I got to change cause now I got to make sure that again, they're having the best time that they could possibly have. It's not about me. If I wanted it to be about me, I would, Hey, everybody is me. That's another thing that we don't do at our events and when you see a lot of DJs on microphones talking over the song. Ugh. Don't do that because you probably talking over the part that's going to make someone's spirit rise. You know why you're making it all about you when it's supposed to be about them feeling that particular sound, those words that use it, whatever instrument may touch a soul. You're talking over it right now. Shut up.
[00:27:02]Bethany: [00:27:02] Well this is, it sounds like this is at the end of the day, a very people centric business. What is your favorite part about being a DJ?
[00:27:11] DJ Big Will: [00:27:11] Uh, seeing the people having wonderful, wonderful time. That's the best part about making someone feel happy. So...
[00:27:23] Bethany: [00:27:23] And what is another job or profession that you really admire?
[00:27:27] DJ Big Will: [00:27:27] Admire. Wow. I guess, defense lawyers.
[00:27:30] Bethany: [00:27:30] Okay. Why?
[00:27:31] DJ Big Will: [00:27:31] Well, I mean, for those individuals. Those that probably don't have an opportunity to have a chance to fight for their rights in the justice system. A defense lawyer will be able to at least stand for it, and I'm not talking to public defense public defenders, they just work for the state anyway, so they are all together. I'm talking to your private defenders that are really trying to stand up for the people's justice.
[00:27:59] Bethany: [00:27:59] That's great. Um, Will, thank you so much. This has been a really fun conversation. Good luck at the debauchery ball this year, and I would love to link to one of your SoundCloud [00:28:10] playlists in the blog post for this episode, so I will hit you up for that.
[00:28:13] DJ Big Will: [00:28:13] Thank you so much.
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TRANSITION
[AUDIO TRANSITION MUSIC]
2020 turned a lot of things on its head for all of us. I gave birth to a baby in April, two weeks after New York City shut down, who no one else met for months. I had friends who lost their jobs, who fell ill, who got stranded in places they didn’t expect.
But when your life is all about bringing people together in large gatherings, about planning your entire year around one landmark event that can’t happen, what do you do? As you’ll hear in our follow-up conversation, conducted in late 2020, the pandemic was a house of cards for DJ Big Will that impacted nearly every aspect of his life.
I’ll let him tell it:
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UPDATED CONTENT - 2021
[00:00:00]DJ Big Will: [00:00:00] [00:00:00] COVID has killed this year for me,
[00:00:03]this year's events, or to quickly cancel when there's babies revenge in the summer canceled to Batu ball for 2020. Canceled, you know, all of our events that we were planning on doing have been canceled for this year.
[00:00:18]this year was supposed to be the year of the tour.
[00:00:21] because you remember I had a movie that was coming out. Yes. And it still went across the country and won several awards. and we were supposed to follow the film to every city it was going to. It's been to New York twice. It's been to Atlanta. It's been to the Boston international film festival. Uh, it's been in Minneapolis, has been the San Francisco has been the San Diego. Uh, it's been in, uh, in Gary Indiana. and it's like all those places we were supposed to go and generate revenue.
[00:01:01] We were supposed to have events following the fail. So my whole year is, uh,
[00:01:13] I've decided to put my cards all in and create this radio network that I've been, you know, dreaming about for over 10 years. And I have now more of a concrete plan and idea to do a launch and 21.
[00:01:36] Bethany: [00:01:36] What are you building? Um,
[00:01:38]DJ Big Will: [00:01:38] I'm going to have seven different genres of music that I want to focus on. and within those seven different genres of music, there's history that takes place where there's people's birthdays or people pass away. So, so I want to really split all that music up and. Give the history of that music. So you can have a different listening pleasures on a weekly basis.
[00:02:04] You know, I'm really tired of the way radio has just given up and let the computer take over [00:02:10] and just program your music to be like every, you could probably put your clock to it, your watch to it, or what a song is going to be played because they don't care anymore.
[00:02:19] You're just spitting it out. So I want to be able to roll up my sleeves and give you an objective reason to come and listen to the station because music is subjective. You know, when you listen to this, that's always the best of the nineties, the best of hip hop, best of country, you know, all that, you know, but it's, that's all subjective.
[00:02:37] What's your best and my best, maybe in two different best. Yeah, but you can't deny on January 27th was shot his birthday or Michael Jackson died on June 25th, you can't deny times and dates like that. And you just now just roll up your sleeves and just make the music go with what has already been presented before you.
[00:03:02]Bethany: [00:03:02] and are you in charge of your own management, the production and the distribution and getting people listening?
[00:03:11] DJ Big Will: [00:03:11] Yes. I am a one man show right now, entrepreneur.
[00:03:18] Bethany: [00:03:18] does your job as a DJ exists at all when face-to-face isn't possible..
[00:03:22] DJ Big Will: [00:03:23] Uh, most of our events again are virtual. I don't want it. I don't like it one bit because now people are at home and they're on the sprain and they, you know, it's not a personal experience with someone else. Now you're separated. You're all by yourself.
[00:03:42] Yes. People do dance. So there were people dancing on the streets everywhere, you know, and, um, but it's just not the same because the energy that is just coming from all of the people. Cause again, the numbers weren't as much as we were, if we did it in person. You know, we didn't even have nearly the numbers that we would have.
[00:04:02] We had an event in person when people are doing virtual partying nowadays, you know, but, uh, I didn't like it. The technology involved, um, if you didn't have the right set up, you know, a couple of times I had to do a milli Vanilli. [00:04:20] Yeah, which would put, we have a pre-recorded mix ready to go on cue just in case the equipment didn't work then equip it didn't work a couple of times.
[00:04:30] So they had to cue up a mix that I gave them already that I had to pretend like I was actually DJ in the mix. Yes, yes. I had to milli Vanilli at night, so it was so bad, but you know, As we say in show business, the show must go on. So we had to still make the show, look like the show.
[00:04:53]Bethany: [00:04:53] So when you think about going into 20 21, what do you anticipate that you're bringing to your job and people in your industry?
[00:05:01] DJ Big Will: [00:05:02] I feel that when we get back to getting out, people would want that in person energy, again, that . They've missed out on for an entire year.
[00:05:16] Because they couldn't get that energy that they once had before. And if they feel that within the next year that it's safe to go back out and their minds and hearts, they're going to come and they're going to come with extra people because they're going to tell everybody about it because they missed it so much.
[00:05:35]Bethany: [00:05:35] When will you feel safe being a DJ again?
[00:05:43] DJ Big Will: [00:05:43] Wow. Um,
[00:05:48]I'm in a higher pilot's hands. So I'll take it as it goes. When the energy in the universe tells me it's time to move out, move again, you know, and I'll make my moves, knowing that I'm in good hands.
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OUTRO
After our follow-up conversation, I decided to track down the documentary he mentions, Thee Debauchery Ball online and watch it to get a better sense for DJ Big Will’s world. (By the way, you can find it easily online on Kweli TV.)
In doing so, I was struck by freedom of expression, sensuality, and culture that The Debauchery Ball influences over the black community in Chicago. As one dancer said in the documentary, “The Debauchery Ball, specifically for African Americans, just means a freedom that we typically don’t have in our everyday lives.”
I really got a sense for that “IRL” energy and the “buzz” of people that DJ Big Will talks about. It sounds like he sure misses it.
While it’s clear that DJ life is not the same in a COVID era, I was impressed by his desire to navigate around those challenge and to continue to build and create. And I still took away a lot from our original conversation about what it means to “work a room” -- skills that I think are applicable in any number of public-facing roles.
First off, it's not about him. The number of times that this came up in our conversation was pretty surprising to me. As a DJ, he understands the people in this room are here to listen to music that they want. He said it himself -- if he wants to listen to music that he likes, he should do that on his own time. His job is for the people.
Second, I just loved hear how DJ Big Will watches the energy levels of the group. He refers to that parting of the red seas moment as the nightmare for all DJs. When you play a song and suddenly everyone leaves the dance floor. I wonder about what that's like in other jobs and professions. The moment when you realize your audience is not with you. What are the things that we can look for as subtle cues within our audiences to make sure we are keeping pace with what they really want?
And third, staying cool under pressure. I was flabbergasted to hear the story about the sound guy that showed up hours late to an event that they were supposed to do with equipment that wasn't working right. Or even -- in a COVID era -- having to “milly vanilly” it and fake his way through a pre-recorded mix when the technology failed. In both cases, he kept the show going. His flexibility and adaptability is key.
If you'd like to tune in to DJ Big Wills songs from home, you can find them on SoundCloud with the username, DJBigwill one word. He's the one with more than 500 mixes on his profile. He's also on YouTube at YU dance (That's the letter Y, the letter U dance radio), radio, which is also where you can check out the new radio network that Big Will talks about. Until the Debauchery Ball’s return (hopefully later this year), you can watch their documentary streaming live on Kwelitv.com
If you'd like the Debauchery Ball sound at your next event (virtual for now, in-person in the future), you can reach out to DJ Big Will on Instagram @DJbigwill1999.
Last thing of note -- I've put all of these links in the episode notes and on the blog post linked at EverydayExperts.co.
In our next episode, we’ll hear how a NYC-based bus operator practices mindfulness on the job -- and how she manages to stay so upbeat.
Thanks for tuning into Everyday Experts.