‘Everyone Wants to be a DJ’

Abstract

Music is ubiquitous; on the radio, iPods, Walkmans, computers, phone ringtones. It marks out our spaces and our sense of who we are. No wonder, then, that many young people aspire to be at the centre of their worlds by creating, managing and controlling the vibe, the mood of the crowd. To be a DJ means having the right networks, to have ‘made it’ in a way that is recognised as valuable by others, to have gained enough cultural and social capital to be recognised as ‘somebody important’ in your universe; to have gained enough of both self-respect and the respect of your peers, to be considered ‘authentic’ and not a ‘try hard’ or a ‘loser’.

Everyone wants to be a DJ. It’s DJ mad. Thirteen and fourteen olds at school, which I was, you know, learning how to DJ, and they get jobs, and once all the jobs have gone… you have to volunteer for a night to do it and it’ll be like, well we like ya. (Tuesday, personal communication, 30 September 2004)

I love (Pink’s song) ‘God is a DJ’. I think when I DJ it takes me away from the real life and gives me power of the crowd (helping control there emotions @ that time), like god has the power of the universe and it’s a fantastic feeling to see what me as an individual can actually create with a few fantastic songs. On the other hand the song is very true, you get what your given and you choose how you use it. I’m a strong believer that Lyrics to songs can help motivate people in ones life and this song is a good motivator in many aspects, DJing, succeeding or just reaching a goal …¹