Today we’d like to introduce you to Dj 7Tre.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I developed a love to play music for others to enjoy in High School. I was the one in the crew that had all the music. I took pride in playing a song that my friends liked but never heard before. At that time, music was not as easy to get as it is today. I had no idea I was creating a career path. Fast-forward to me going to college, where I attended Alabama State University. Soon after arriving on campus, I joined Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. Although we worked hard around the community and campus, we also found time to have a little fun. We always hosted several social events. Since I was the person that stayed up to date on current music, I volunteered to provide the soundtrack for these events. This is really when everything changed for me.
I started to notice the way I selected songs one after another made people start singing and dancing. I managed to do all of this with no fancy DJ equipment, just an iPod. This would happen all the time, so I decided I would invest a little into my new hobby by buying some entry-level equipment. I started with just doing house parties. Soon after, those house parties lead to me doing small events on campus. Once word spread that I was a DJ, other organizations started booking me for their parties at the club. This is when Dj7tre was born. I started making money and was then able to buy more equipment and travel from school to school doing what I love. I am extremely grateful that I am able today to make a living from something that started as merely a hobby in college.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road to becoming a full-time DJ is not easy at all, in my opinion, and I will tell you why. With all the technology available today, the art of DJing has been made quite simple. From a person being able to get any song from the comfort of their home to then being able to mix these songs with a press of a button. It really seems to take no effort at all. As a result, everybody feels that they can become a DJ. I am sure everyone has at least one family member that says they are a DJ. This causes the market to become (even more) saturated, which means the service is easy to receive at a low rate because there are so many options. Going into this career field, you really must commit to standing out. You must be unique so you can get multiple bookings, which will lead to creating a demand for YOU and garner higher paying gigs. Creating a distinct style as a DJ not only creates an exclusive space for you in the field but also allows you to buy milk, bread and cover your bills each week.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I started DJing in 2006 in Montgomery Al., while in college. Fast forward to 2013, I set my sights on moving to Miami, FL, to pursue DJing as a career. I was truly ready to take my life to another level. With these two cities being totally contrasting, there was a lot I had to learn first about becoming a professional DJ. This process took me a lot of long nights. When I made a move from Montgomery, I had a partial plan but not a real one. I saved up about $5000 and hit the road towards my dreams on April 1st, 2013. It was a day that I would never forget. I planned to stay with a friend from college but the day before the move that friend did not answer the phone. I had this move planned for years and was not going to let one person stand in the way of my dream. I still loaded my truck up with two bags of clothes and all my equipment. With no job and no place to call home, I was moving to Miami no matter what.
It took me about two months to find a job, but this job had nothing to do with music. I just knew I needed income because that money I saved up was running out fast. I started work and soon after landed my first DJing gig I was truly on cloud nine. I will never forget that first check. After that, I then started to stream together with a gig sporadically but nothing consistent. It took about two years to land a residency at a nightclub, but once I got into that circle, it changed everything. Moving to Miami was great for my DJ career. It was not only a major party scene, but it was also very diverse. I learned how to play a lot of different genres of music for vastly different crowds. After the movie, I began landing gigs in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, and the list goes on. Now that I have moved back to Atlanta, I feel like I am back home.
Atlanta played a major part in my early years of DJing. Going to college in Montgomery, Atlanta, was right up the road. I frequently traveled to Atlanta to see what it was like to be in the big clubs. Looking back, now everything has come full circle like a dream come true. I am DJing in some of the same clubs I would come to just to enjoy myself. Now that I am here in Atlanta, I believe what sets me apart is my ability to play different styles of music in my sets while still being able to maintain the base of whatever genre the venue is promoting that night. I have no pre-recorded sets, no playlists, no plan. I let the energy of the room guide the night. I do not force a good time. I just play good music all the time, and good times are created naturally. When you come to hear me spin, I sound different every single time. I pride myself on no two (DJ) sets being the same.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
Due to COVID-19, many creators were forced to pivot because all social events were canceled. As a DJ, if there aren’t any social gatherings, there is no work. As a result, I spent a few weeks just wrecking my brain on trying to come up with a new plan on how to make some money. I became overly frustrated because nothing was coming to mind. My mentor would say, “just be where your feet are,” and I never understood the meaning of that. Until one day, I woke up and decided I would never have this moment in time again. I began to embrace my time at home, and my perspective changed. I just decided to use what skill I already had. As we all were settling with our new realities, we found solace in socializing online.
During one of my school’s alumni events online, I was tapped to DJ a set live on Instagram. At first, there were a few people, then hundreds and eventually thousands of people watching online and vibing together from all over the world. Once again, music was impacting my life. Soon after folks started enjoying my set, the Cash Apps began rolling in. I could not believe the support. This moment really transformed my mindset about so many things, but above all, I had a renewed faith in my skill.
When you are given a pure talent to do something, you must commit to sticking to it no matter what. Even when it gets hard, you must remember why and how you started. You have to let the answer to that guide you when things get rough. That is what kept me and what keeps me. No matter what you decide to do with your gifts, always know that your story may inspire at least one person. To me, that is more than enough to keep going and providing the soundtrack to so many lives.
Contact Info:
- Email: djseven.tre@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/dj7tre?utm_medium=copy_link
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/Dj7tre
- Twitter: https://soundcloud.com/dj7tre
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/DJ7TRE3/featured
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/dj7tre
