UrbanView – By Javier Lopez Interview with DJ Monster Mack
I would like to kick off this 4th of July with special guest DJ Monster Mack, beginning with an exclusive look into his DJ career as it unfolds.
TL: How did you get your name? DJM: When I first started DJ’ing, I asked my dad for a name. We went through a lot of names and we wanted something to sound big and badass and beast mode. He said “like a monster”, so I was like, cool, and I kept the name DJ Monster. Then I started uploading mixes on the internet and I realized there were a lot of DJ monsters, so I had to add something to the name in order to be the only one with that name, so I added Mack.
TL: But why Mack? DJM: Well I’m a fan of Mac Dre if that explains anything. (Laughs) That’s how I got my name.
TL: Tell me the story of how you starting spinning. DJM: As a kid, I was really into art, drawing, painting, and graffiti. That’s when things went a li’l wrong. I was in the streets doing graffiti, my dad saw the direction I was going and he tried punishing me and all kinds of stuff parents do. But I kept going out with my friends, till he found out I had a big passion for music. I would always listen to all kinds of music just to discover new sounds and to admire every instrument in every song, so he bought me a pair of CD players. I fell in love with them. I was always in my room playing with them. I even stopped going out with my friends just to stay at home practicing. My dad saw my dedication so he made me some business cards. Eventually I got some gigs and bought myself better gear. That’s how I started spinning.
TL: Where is your residence at now? DJM: Casanova’s Nightclub and also Palladium Nightclub in Modesto CA.
TL: Are you allowed to speak on the radio station you spin on? How did that come to be? DJM: I’m mostly behind the tables. I don’t talk much, only at live shows. All the energy that people gives me makes me do all kinds of crazy stuff in my shows.
TL: Tell me a story about one of the most important moments in your life that music played a role. DJM: One night we had a BBQ at home, my dad took our speakers out and one of those big TVs with li’l wheels everyone use to have back in the day instead of plasmas. He had a friend with karaoke CDs so it turned into a karaoke night. My dad was already kind of drunk he called me out to sing a song with him in front of all the family and we sang Perfume de Gardenias together. I never had had that connection with my dad, so to me it was one of the best feelings in the world, and that’s something I will never forget.
TL: Anything you like to add? DJM: DJ’ing to me is a passion. I love seeing people having a good time and I like to be surrounded by positive vibes. I had a tough childhood full of yelling, fights, negative vibes, and now I have the power to make people dance, laugh and sometimes remind them of a good story in their lives.
