Buffalo is no stranger to adopting customs and fads, and the DJ scene is one of the more recent cultural phenomena to make its way here. It’s a small group of DJs with loyal fans, with names like Spooky Stephen, DJ Crespo, Drop D, Josh Your Moms, the Camaican Sensation and Lo Pro regularly headlining local clubs and bars.
Historically, “DJ” refers to “Disc Jockey,” or someone who plays vinyl records. The dual-turntable technique most DJs employ today originated in Jamaica circa 1955. Eventually it found its way to the states and became linked with emerging hip-hop scene in the late 1970s.
“Even though it may sound like just noise, there is definitely a talent to it,” said Stephen Pieroni (a.k.a. Spooky Stephen), a DJ from Buffalo. “The better DJs out there have this down to a science. They have built a unique sound and put it out there.”
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Most, if not all, got their start at friends’ house parties and have similar interests in music. Artists including the Beastie Boys, Gang Starr, A Tribe Called Quest, Digable Planets, and the Fugees frequently were named as inspirations.
“I always loved ‘80s music, especially hip hop,” said Scott Baxter (a.k.a. Drop D). “I’ve always had a passion for music, but it was those genres that put me in the right direction.”
Local venues provide DJs with plenty of gigs. Clubs and bars like Savoy, Exchange, Bada-Bing, Snooty Fox, and Allen Street Hardware provide local DJs with consistent work. They generally get around three to five gigs per week, each paying an average of $200-$500 per night.
Bar owners usually give full autonomy to DJs to play the music they feel will amp up the crowd. If a bar or club owner tells a DJ to play a specific type of music, many DJs won’t go back.
“[There are certain clubs in Buffalo] that only ask you to play a certain type of music,” said Josh Scijag (a.k.a. Josh Your Moms). “It’s fun, but it gets old after a while. You feel boxed in and DJs won’t really go for that.”
Instead, DJs feel they need to play to club patrons, feeding their mood.
“I hate EDM, I really do,” said Manuel Crespo (a.k.a. DJ Crespo) about Electronic Dance Music, “But if I feel the crowd wants to hear EDM, I’ll play it.”
Every DJ knows what to play based on the feel of the room and the patterns in the music. But even the vibe felt from a free-spirited crowd has boundaries.
“I can’t play DMX all night,” Crespo said, referring to the oft-angry sounding rapper. “Somebody will get punched in the face. Every DJ knows that.”
Many Buffalo DJs cultivate a fan base, and bars and DJs have a mutually beneficial relationship: DJs bring in business, and bars/clubs give them a place to perform – and a paycheck. For most local DJs, though, this isn’t full-time work; most have other jobs in areas like retail and banking.
“Yeah, it’s fun and you get a pocket full of cash and a night of free beer,” Josh Your Moms said, “but the late hours coupled with that, it’s just not a healthy lifestyle. I wouldn’t want to DJ full time.”
It’s also a cooperative community. Buffalo’s DJs are largely supportive of each other, despite the limited pool and the concentrated area of bars and clubs.
“I actually want to be wowed by other DJs, I want to go home and be jealous of what I just heard,” said Loren Marc (a.k.a. Lo Pro), “It motivates me [to be better at my craft.]”
“It’s a small community and we all bump into each other at the same venues,” said Spooky Stephen. “But I’ll collaborate with any one of them, because it’s a different sound and they might know something different that people are into that I don’t.”
Even though the markets for DJs may be stronger elsewhere, it’s this sense of community that both attracts and keeps DJs in Buffalo.
“It wasn’t competitive when I first got here,” said DJ Crespo, who hails from Queens. “But I had to earn my stripes and prove myself to Buffalo to get into the pool.”
Club hopping not your thing? You can also hear the DJs play their music on sites like Soundcloud or Facebook:
It may just get you out the door to their next gig.
