What More Can I Say - DJ DelightFull on a world of travelling, and his recent retirement
Description
Summary
DJ Delightful shares his journey of growing up in Bulgaria, discovering hip hop through his brother's tapes and CDs, and the challenges of accessing music in a country with limited resources. He discusses the influence of skateboarding culture on his interest in DJing and his early experiences with mixing and scratching. Delightful also talks about his move to the UK to study and DJ in Edinburgh, as well as his time volunteering in Calais during the migrant crisis. He shares his perspective on the DJing journey and the challenges he faced in finding a hip hop community in China. Del discusses his struggles with DJing in China and Bulgaria, the challenges of establishing a DJ career in Sofia, and the lack of support and opportunities in the local DJ scene. He talks about his decision to move to Vienna and later to Kuala Lumpur, and the difficulties he faced in finding gigs and building a community in these cities. Del also shares his experiences in winning battles and the lack of career opportunities that came with it. He concludes by announcing his retirement from DJing and his focus on teaching scratching online.
Takeaways
- Building a DJ career can be challenging, especially in cities with limited opportunities and a lack of support for alternative music.
- Winning battles and gaining recognition in the DJ community does not always translate into career opportunities or bookings.
- The mindset and preferences of the local DJ scene can greatly impact the types of gigs and opportunities available.
- The lack of diversity in the DJ scene can limit the growth and development of different styles and genres.
- Teaching scratching online can be a fulfilling way to continue sharing knowledge and passion for DJing.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
00:54 Growing Up in Bulgaria and Discovering Hip Hop
05:31 Record Shops and Access to Music in Bulgaria
06:38 Influence of Brother and Early Interest in DJing
07:28 Getting Started as a DJ
09:12 Challenges and Influences in the DJing Journey
11:44 Learning to Scratch and Mix
12:52 Internet Access and Learning DJing Techniques
15:18 Transition to the UK and DJing in Edinburgh
24:00 Impact of Studying in the UK
26:25 DJing in China and Volunteering in Calais
29:18 Perspective and Challenges in the DJing Journey
31:39 Moving on from Edinburgh and Teaching in China
35:13 DJing in China and Limited Hip Hop Scene
36:42 Struggles with DJing in China and Bulgaria
37:21 Creating an Instagram Page and Gaining Attention
38:11 Switching to a Different Lifestyle in Bulgaria
39:00 Teaching English and Practicing Heavily
39:20 Time Difference Between Bulgaria and China
39:41 Having More Time to Practice
40:12 Entering International Competitions
41:03 Creating Videos and Gaining Attention
42:10 Struggling to Establish a DJ Career in Sofia
43:09 Lack of Opportunities in the DJ Scene in Sofia
44:08 Struggling to Find Regular Gigs
45:06 Trying to Run Multiple DJ Projects
46:08 Challenges of Organizing Events in Sofia
48:30 Lack of Support and Opportunities in the DJ Scene
51:03 Feeling Unappreciated by the Local Scratch Community
52:48 Feeling Unwelcome in Sofia and Deciding to Leave
54:36 Moving to Vienna and the Pandemic
55:37 Impact of Winning Battles and Feedback from Vect
58:58 Leveraging Battle Wins into Bookings and Touring
01:01:42 Moving to Kuala Lumpur and the Lack of Opportunities
01:05:37 Announcing Retirement from DJing
01:13:40 The Challenges of DJing in Kuala Lumpur
01:20:43 Continuing to Teach Scratching Online