In Honor of the NBA All-Star Game and the rerelease of the Jordan 3 Cements:

MJ Quotes on Motivation, and Hard Work

I have been fortunate enough to be able to see MJ compete on the basketball court. His sheer desire is very aspiring. In high school, he was cut from his high school team then was able to work hard enough to make the team the following season.   As a basketball coach myself, I try to motivate my team to never back down and give it their all.  In basketball and in life, we have big events and it is what we do to prepare for the event is what matters the most.

I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.

Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.

I can accept failure. Everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.

My attitude is that if you push me towards something that you think is a weakness, then I will turn that perceived weakness into a strength.

If you accept the expectations of others, especially negative ones, ten you never will change the outcome.

Talent wins games but teamwork and intelligence wins championships. 

Always have your backups

I always try to be two steps ahead. I always take multiple computers with me to events. 2012 was the last time I had a beach ball on my mac on my external hard drive and it took like a minute but have had not other issue since.   The next day I ordered another mac book pro and no longer use an external hard drive but an internal hard drive. Not only computers, I take I do take multiple set ups too since I always like being prepared. I am grateful for controllers since it is turntables and mixers all in one.

I have a big suv that I fill it up to the brim with equipment. I believe in having back ups to my back ups. Yes, it is more work to carry everything but it is for a piece of mind. I was talking to another dj that only carries one controller and one computer. I asked him what happens if something does not work. His response was oh well. I do not do oh well. If for some reason my computer is not working, I have another one with the same music and I will have the playlist on my phone. Say my controller goes on vacation, and then I have another one who is ready to be on the starting line up.

One never knows what to expect at a gig. One gig may not have electricity at a close proximity or extra speakers maybe needed. I have speakers on the bench waiting to wave them in.

A lot of events that need djs are special days and everything has to be run smoothly. Every little detail counts to make your special day even more special. Be prepared at all times!

HIP HOP LOVE JAMS

LL COOL J  I NEED LOVE

BUSTA RHYMES AND MARIAH CAREY  I KNOW WHAT YOU WANT

THE PHARCYDE  PASSIN ME BY

BIG DADDY KANE  SMOOTH OPERATOR

JA RULE AND VITA  PUT IT ON ME

50 CENT FT NATE DOGG  21 QUESTIONS

METHOD MAN AND MARY J BLIGE  ALL I NEED

POOR RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS  SHAKIYLA

MOBB DEEP  HEY LUV

SNOOP DOGG FT PHARRELL  BEAUTIFUL

LL COOL J  AROUND THE WAY GIRL

CHINGY PULLIN ME BACK

HIP HOP LOVE JAMS

https://www.mixcloud.com/wingmansj/hip-hop-love-jams/

FEBUARY DEMO 2018 PLAYLIST

JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE  SAY SOMETHING

ZEDD  THE MIDDLE

DRAKE  GOD’S PLAN

BRUNO MARRS  CARDI B  FINESSE

NF  LET YOU DOWN

MIGOS  WALK IT TALK IT

CAMILA  CABELLO  NEVER BE THE SAME

SIA DAVID GUETTA  HELIUM

MAROON 5 WAIT

EMINEM  RIVER

HAILEE STEINFELD AND ALESSO  LET ME GO

CHARLIE PUTH  HOW LONG

HALSEY  BAD AT LOVE

G-EAZY ASAP CARDI B  NO LIMIT

MIGOS  MOTORSPORT

ASAP  PLAIN JANE

R&B and 90’s Video Playlist

I love me some 90’s R&B music. I was inquired for a video mix opportunity and they wanted one of my favorite types of music.

112 FT NOTIORIOUS BIG  ONLY YOU

702  WHERE MY GIRLS AT

AALIYAH  ARE YOU THAT SOMEBODY

AALIYAH  BACK AND FORTH

AALIYAH  IF YOUR GIRL ONLY KNEW

ADINA HOWARD FREAK LIKE ME

BBD  POISON

BLACKSTREET  NO DIGGITY

BOYZ TO MEN  MOTOWNPHILLY

BRANDY  I WANNA BE DOWN

BRANDY AND MONICA  THE BOY IS MINE

CASE  TOUCH ME TEASE ME

DESTINY’S CHILD  JUMPIN’ JUMPIN’

DESTINY’S CHILD  SAY MY NAME

DONELL JONES  U KNOW WHAT’S UP

DRU HILL HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE

EN VOGUE  FREE YOUR MIND

EN VOGUE  MY LOVIN’

FUGEES  KILLING ME SOFTLY

GHOSTTOWN DJS  MY BOO

GINUWINE  PONY

GROOVE THEORY  TELL ME

JADE  DON’T WALK AWAY

JADE  I WANNA LOVE YOU

JANET JACKSON IF

JANET JACKSON  THAT’S THE WAY LOVE GOES

JODECI  COME AND TALK TO ME

JOHNNY GILL   RUB YOU THE RIGHT WAY

KCI AND JOJO  ALL MY LIFE

KARYN WHITE  ROMANTIC

MARK MORRISON  RETURN OF THE MACK

MARY J BLIGE  REAL LOVE

MICHAEL JACKSON REMEMBER THE TIME

MONTELL JORDAN  GET IT ON TONITE

NEXT  TOO CLOSE

NEW EDITION  HIT ME OFF

PEBBLES  GIVING YOU THE BENEFIT

SHAI  IF I EVER FALL IN LOVE

SHANICE  I LOVE YOUR SMILE

SILK FREAK ME

SOUL FOR REAL  CANDY RAIN

SWV  I’M SO INTO YOU

SWV  RIGHT HERE

SWV  WEAK

TLC  BABY BABY BABY

TLC CREEP

TLC NO SCRUBS

TLC  UNPRETTY

TLC WATERFALLS

TONY TONI TONE  FEELS GOOD

ZHANE  GROOVE THANG

ZHANE  HEY MR. DJ

January 2017 Demo PLAYLIST

I GET THE BAG   GUCCI MANE FT MIGOS

BANK ACCOUNT  21 SAVAGE

MOTOR SPORT  MIGOS FT NICKI MINAJ AND CARDI B

YOU DA BADDEST  FUTURE FT NICKI MINAJ

EX CALLING  6LACK

ROCKSTAR  POST MALONE FT 21 SAVAGE

JUICE  YO GOTTI

PLAIN JANE  ASAP FERG

NO LIMIT  G-EAZY ASAP ROCKY AND CARDI B

PERFECT DUET  ED SHEERAN AND BEYONCE

FILTHY  JUST TIMBERLAKE

BEST FRIEND  SOFI TUKKER FT NERVO, THE KNOCKS  ALISA UENO

THE WEEKEND  SZA FT NATHANIEL

LET ME GO  HAILEE STEINFELD AND ALESSO FT FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE

FINESSE BRUNO MARS AND CARDI B

HAVANA CAMILA CABELLO FT YOUNG THUG

QUESTIONS  CHRIS BROWN

HOW LONG  CHARLIE PUTH

FAKING IT  CALVIN HARRIS FT KEHLANI AND LIL YACHTY

GUCCI GANG  LIL PUMP

BARTIER CARDI  CARDI B FT 21 SAVAGE

Best Advice I have heard about being a DJ?

Always work on your craft. I do believe practice makes perfect.  My parents must truly love me when I first got my turntables and speaker. I would put in the work. Never once they came in and told me to turn it down. I was a man on a mission. Back at that time, there was no sync button so one had to mix by ear.

Keep up with the newest technology

Every January is the NAMM show where the newest latest gear is exhibited. The best time to pick up gear is after that show since new gear is coming out. I do want to pick up these tall speakers for big venues but I do not know what new gear is out yet so I am waiting to see what is really out there.  At the show they will exhibit new software along with new clear sounding equipment.

Customer Service is the most important aspect of a business

There is a lot of competition out there and customer service is a lost art. Customers need to be treated well. People do not hire service companies for the service but rather hire for the experience.  Two ways of communication needs to be had.

Always have your backups

I always try to be two steps ahead. I always take multiple computers with me to events. 2012 was the last time I had a beach ball on my mac  on my external hard drive and it took like a minute for the song to come on. The very next day I got a new mac with a bigger internal drive and have not had any issues since.  Not only computers, I take I do take multiple set ups too since I always like being prepared. I am grateful for controllers since it is turntables and mixers all in one.

Worst Advice I have heard as a DJ

The louder the better! I totally disagree. Every venue or big room has its limits. When people walk by, it just looks bad when everyone is covering their ears since it’s so loud. During weddings, guests want to talk while having dinner so music is just background music.

Promote Promote and Promote

 I do believe in self-promotion but there is a time and place for everything. I heard of a wedding where the dj would play a sound snippet of his dj name through out the night. The wedding clients are already paying the dj a lot of money. Sometimes djs will have their banner up during a wedding. Weddings are all about the couple. If a dj is truly a good dj, people will ask for their card personally or ask the couple for the dj’s contact information. 

How to Dj at a Night Venue that has their own equipment?

A few years ago, I would be playing every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday downtown San Jose. It was an easy set up. I started off by taking 6 cases of vinyl then eventually went to a cd case. Eventually that evolved to taking blank serato special cds with a laptop with all our music. We knew we had the option of using CD turntables or record turntables. It was very familiar.

Recently got a call to do a happening spot up north in Burlingame. We played there years ago then started doing more of the mobile route. The question is what set up do they have and what would I have to bring?  I could go see the equipment before the event but that would require me to drive 40 minutes. I asked for a photo of the mixer and asked what turntables were being used.

The mixer of a top of a line Pioneer Mixer with two technic turntables. It is importatant to know the mixer so the dj can download the driver for the computer. Most often than not it is Serato Friendly. I was able to get the driver and install it on my computer. If one does not do that when the usb is attached to the computer it then it would not read it.

I also brought my controller as a back up in case for some reason the mixer cannot be read by my computer. All I would have to do was to plug in the master speaker cables to my controller.   I had to remember to bring my vinyl needles with Serato Vinyl. Everything worked perfectly.

I was able to talk to some staff to get a feel for the kind of music the folks like at the venue.  I already had my playlist, but it helps get that information.  I knew my age demographic was 21 to 35. That means get all the new hip-hop songs they play on the radio and get in some throwbacks.

The biggest decision of the night was what song to play after midnight. I love the old school and I wanted to throw in Too Short Blow the Whistle after midnight. But I had to succumb to playing G- Eazy’s Limitless. I had the track that was made for NYE and it had the countdown included as the intro. You just had to throw it in exactly one minute before midnight.

It is always good to be prepared. Make sure the computer has the driver for the mixer and make sure Serato Vinyl or Serato CDs are brought with needles. Once you become familiar with the set up then the back up will be easier.  It is always better to be over prepared then underprepared.