Mr Boogie is a London-based DJ and promoter.
He’s deejayed at popular venues across London, New York and Paris.
Mr Boogie has worked with various record labels and brands, such as Schema Records, Smirnoff and Bacardi.
He’s been running his own music events promotion and management company, Soulsa, since 2005.
I sat with him to understand more about the man behind the decks and what it takes to keep a crowd boogying.
1. How did you get into deejaying?
I never actually aspired to become a DJ.
When I launched Soulsa, my music events promotion and management company, with my former business partner, we initially set out to be live music promoters.
The DJ we booked for one of our events didn’t show up. We happened to have some CDs and headphones, so we just jumped behind the decks.
The crowd enjoyed what we played, which gave us the confidence to search for gigs.
Soon after, we secured a weekly spot at Bar Rumba in central London and took it from there.
2. How can someone learn to DJ?
Find your musical style and identity first.
Create playlists in media libraries like iTunes, and get a feel for what tracks and genres complement each other.
Then, spend time watching other DJs and practice as much as possible.
Many tutorials are available on YouTube to help with the science and mechanics of deejaying.
3. What type of music do you play?
I specialise in jazz and Latin music.
I also play funk, Afro rhythms, Brazilian beats, disco and house music.
Mr Boogie and the music he plays via his Soulsa brand.
4. Is it all as glamorous as it seems? The clubs, free drinks and women?
The hedonistic lifestyle of clubs, drinks and women can come easily if that’s what you’re after.
But for anyone starting out, focus on being the best DJ you can be.
5. Tell us about DASP
DASP stands for DJs Against Street Poverty.
It’s a non-profit initiative I launched in 2020 to fight against homelessness in London.
I feel strongly that everyone should have a place to call home.
The initiative was inspired by meeting a homeless man called Joe at my local pub in north London.
We spoke one day, and he told me about a church in London King’s Cross where he went to get food.
I went to the church to find out more about how they help the homeless. The more I read about initiatives that support the homeless, the more I wanted to get involved.
I set up DASP to encourage other DJs to join the cause. DASP DJs organise events to raise funds for charities that support the homeless.
Mr Boogie is one of the founding members of DASP – DJs Against Street Poverty – an initiative that encourages DJs to donate a percentage of their earnings towards charities supporting the homeless in London.
6. Is the DJ community friendly or competitive?
The DJ scene is very competitive, especially if you’re into vinyl like me and you’re up against a growing army of laptop DJs.
Having said that, I’m not against laptop DJs. I sometimes use DJ controllers for corporate gigs.
At the end of the day, it’s all about the music and who plays the best tunes.
Luckily, I belong to a close-knit London DJ community where we all vouch and look out for each other.
Mr Boogie or the vinyl junkie as he calls himself still believes in the power of records.
7. What’s your favourite environment to DJ in?
Now that I’m in my forties, I’ve left my club DJ days behind me.
I feel more at ease spinning in lounge bars and intimate venues. The atmosphere tends to be more relaxed, and you play to a more general brief.
8. What have been some of your best and worst experiences?
One of my favourite gigs is the BST Hyde Park festival, where I’ve been playing since 2017.
The festival has a fantastic summer vibe. I DJ on the Carnival Stage, where there’s great camaraderie between the DJs, dancers and drummers.
I watch artists I’ve looked up to perform at the festival. These have included the likes of Stevie Wonder, Chic and Santana.
I’ve also been fortunate to have deejayed at some of my favourite bars in New York City.
Otherwise, my worst experience was at a pub in Earl’s Court, West London a few years ago.
Most people that night were drunk and kept asking for cheesy songs.
I needed the money so I had to field their requests all evening. Playing music you don’t enjoy all night can be soul-destroying.
Mr Boogie deejaying at the BST Hyde Park Festival in London which last year featured Adele and The Rolling Stones.
9. It must be tough deejaying when everyone is having fun and getting drunk yet you’re working. How do you stay focused?
It can be hard dealing with drunk onlookers.
I stay calm and try not to get sucked into an argument. If people shout for requests, I tell them I’ll be with them in a few minutes.
Usually they get bored and walk away.
But deejaying rarely feels like work as I’m passionate about music.
10. Has deejaying become more diverse when it comes to having more women on the scene, or is there still a long way to go?
There are more women DJs nowadays, but there’s still a long way to go as it remains a male-dominated industry.
Sadly, the biggest challenge for women DJs is to be taken seriously and get booked for their skills rather than their looks.
This often means having to work harder to prove themselves.
I have female DJ friends who’ve shared some shocking experiences they’ve had to go through. Whether dealing with negative comments or having to fend off unwanted advances.
I’m hoping this will change.
11. What would surprise people about deejaying?
Deejaying isn’t as easy as it looks.
Keeping a diverse crowd entertained and dancing is a challenge.
You need to come prepared with a good range of music genres and know what tracks get different people on the dance floor.
It’s also a big jump from being a bedroom DJ (where you’re just playing for yourself) to a professional DJ playing for others in bars, clubs and festivals.
Another challenge is that some venues aren’t always keen to pay on time, or at all.
12. You have an impressive and quirky t-shirt collection. Is that part of your DJ signature style?
Very much so. My t-shirts reflect my personality.
For example, one of my favourite t-shirts has “You’re on mute”.
It’s my cheeky way of telling someone asking for a track that I can’t hear them!
Mr Boogie and his signature t-shirt collection.
13. What’s next for you?
I’ve been running a monthly jazz event called Grass Roots for four years, which supports the next generation of UK jazz talent.
I founded the event and source the bands and manage all the promotional aspects.
My objective with Grass Roots is to provide young artists with opportunities into the music business.
In Spring 2023, I plan to launch a Grass Roots Jazz Festival in London. It’ll feature some of the best bands who’ve performed at the monthly events.
I’m also looking to expand into booking DJs.
I often get more gigs than I can commit to. Through my agency, I would pass on any gigs that I can’t do to a select group of quality DJs.
I want to broaden what I offer in the music space and help new talent on the London music scene.
To learn more about Mr Boogie and his music event management company, visit his website:
Thanks.