There are very few Djs in London who can claim to currently have a residency in three of the hottest clubs in town, Dj Bayo is one of them; Naija Djs UK sat with the man who is considered to be one of the quietest men in the industry.
What’s your real name?
Bayo Awelenje
When did you start Djiing?
I started out about 11 years ago my older brother was an avid collector of vinyls and I grew up listening to a lot of 80s and early 90s music, it was there I created an interest in the art form of djiing
How did your parents react when they found out you became a Dj?
My father was very vocal about his dismay and my mother was also not as pleased, but not quite as vocal as my father, my dad wanted me to become an accountant, being a Dj to Nigerian parents is not a seen as a respectable profession.
Why do a lot of Nigerian parents frown on the idea of their children becoming Djs?
It’s a bit like football, I’m sure during its early days if you wanted to become a footballer back then your parents will try and knock some sense into you, but now that footballers can earn as much as a £1million a year, your mother will now encourage you and your father will support you and if possible be try and be your agent. Hopefully one of these days we as Djs will eventually get handsomely paid and then we’ll start seeing the change in parent perceptions.
What is your ideal Dj set up
For me an ideal set up will be two Technics 1210s and a Pioneer DJM 600, with the advent of technology mixers such as the Rane TTM 57SL which has a built in Serato box that allows you to set up your laptop without a Serato box that will also be an ideal equipment to have as part of my ideal set up
What are your hobbies?
I used to play football but couldn’t get up early enough due to my late finishes from my gigs, I love music and also enjoy swimming.
If you had to be someone else for a day who would it be and why?
I would happily be me Bayo, the reason I say that is because those people I would like to be started from humble beginnings, which is where I am at the moment.
What is your favourite all time song?
The Boys-Dial my heartWho is your all time favourite Artist?
Notorious B.I.G
If you never became a Dj what other vocation would you have gone into?
I would have been a Financial Analyst.
In your opinion what makes a good Dj?
What makes a good dj in my humble opinion is a dj who has a lot of patience, has got versatility and can be play a wide range of music, being able to control the crowd is also quite important
Who’s is your favourite Naija Dj?
This Dj in my opinion has to be one of the most under rated djs amongst his contemporaries, his love for djing knows no bounds, he is skilled in every aspect of djiing from his technical know how to his djiing ability, to me he is well ahead of his time, his name is Mixmaster Tee and he’s my favourite Naija Dj.
Do you have any advise for any upcoming Dj?
My advise is as a dj you have to be patient and be in it for all the right reasons, whilst on your way up be prepared to do free gigs because that’s the way people get to listen to your skills, whilst I was a student I remember doing gigs to 900 students for £20 a week, I stuck with it because it was a way people could hear my skills. Practise your skills all the time, that’s the only way you can master your craft.
You can catch Dj Bayo on Friday at The D'Den Legacy-135 Finchley Rd, NW3 6JH
Every Saturday at CokoBar (Clause Bar)1 Lovat Lane EC3R 8DT
Every Sunday at No 5 Cavendish
Facebook--Deejay Bayo
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