Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with I AM DJ Squirt of Norcross

We’re looking forward to introducing you to I AM DJ Squirt. Check out our conversation below.

Hi I AM, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
A beautiful man, over 6ft tall, with a beautiful voice running a successful business. I will lose time for a long time ….

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a multifaceted artist, entrepreneur, and community advocate whose career threads together rap, singing, hosting, moderating, motivational speaking, and strategic branding.

I am a Recording Academy Board Member Class of 2025, sitting at the nexus of performance, mentorship, and digital innovation, shaping conversations about art, resilience, and opportunity.

My real name Rhonda Sheron, first hitting the mic in 1984 as MC SQUIRT, drawing inspiration from the era’s titans—LL Cool J, Salt-N-Pepa, MC Lyte, and Eazy-E. My origin story begins with THE FLYGIRLS, a high school choir-born rap collective, before stepping into the spotlight as a solo act in 1986, winning over local talent-show crowds and catching the ear of the legendary DJ Johnny O.

A pivotal 1987 collaboration with DJ Ibby Ibb birthed MC Squirt and DJ Ibby Ibby, a duo that soon joined the Sorcerer Crew on the 1988 mixtape OH10 CLEVELAND. The standout track “I Thought You Knew” helped anchor my presence in the regional hip-hop landscape and set the stage for a career defined by reinvention and longevity.

After a period of focus on family, I reemerged in 2014 as DJ Squirt—being a vibrant force in music and entertainment known for nurturing talent as an artist manager and entrepreneur. I built an educational program designed to uplift communities and spark the next generation of artists and creators, merging artistry with purpose.

In 2025, I launched The Do It Yourself Artist Development Program, a comprehensive online platform for music industry professionals. Available at www.thedjsquirtacademy.org, the program also exists on Zoom Workspace, with live, in-person classes anticipated in Atlanta, GA, as part of an expanding classroom experience.

The initiative equips artists, managers, and technicians with practical, stay-ahead strategies in branding, digital marketing, production, and career development. Looking ahead, I am spearheading the launch of a new independent online radio station, designed to elevate unsigned and independent artists by providing a platform for discovery, curated programming, and real-time industry dialogue. Details are forthcoming as the project takes shape, alongside continued expansion of her education and empowerment initiatives.

As founder of a digital marketing company, I am translate creative storytelling into tangible results, helping artists and brands cut through noise with bold visuals and strategic narratives. My work champions accessible, professional digital marketing—from website launches to polished promotional materials—and she brings a storyteller’s instinct to every project. I also have a podcast, Class Is In Session, invites listeners into a classroom-like conversation where knowledge is shared with warmth and candor. Each episode blends practical insight with personal storytelling, making complex industry dynamics feel approachable and inspiring.

Beyond artistry, I champions inclusion, education, and collaboration. My initiatives—PULL UP & PLAY, indie artist showcase “The Splash Tour, and affordable services for emerging musicians—are designed to reduce barriers and amplify underrepresented voices in the music ecosystem.

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
I believe that bonds between people are both delicate and dynamic, shaped by our deepest needs for safety, belonging, and meaning. What breaks them most often is a mix of broken trust, poor communication, and misaligned needs. Lying, hidden agendas, or repeated letdowns fracture trust, especially when actions don’t match words or confidences are violated. Poor communication—misunderstandings fueled by assumptions, defensiveness, and stonewalling—lets hurt fester rather than heal. When people’s needs or values diverge, or when past hurts remain unresolved, relationships strain under the pressure. Defensiveness and shame can shut down honest sharing, while power imbalances and a lack of safety create environments where people don’t feel seen or respected. External pressures—money, illness, stress—can push even caring bonds to the brink.

Yet bonds can be restored through a careful, practiced choreography of repair. Rebuilding trust begins with taking responsibility and offering a sincere apology, followed by consistent, reliable behavior over time. Honest, compassionate communication is essential: speaking from the “I” perspective, active listening, reflecting back what you hear, and validating the other person’s feelings—even amid disagreement—creates space for repair. Empathy and perspective-taking matter: trying to understand the other person’s experience and validating their feelings, while still being honest about your own needs, helps redraw the map of shared meaning. Aligning expectations and negotiating compromises that honor core values on both sides reduces future friction, and cultivating a safe emotional climate—where ridicule and contempt are absent and boundaries are respected—lets difficult conversations happen without catastrophizing.

Small, consistent acts of kindness and reliability slowly rebuild trust and connection. Establishing accountability and repair routines—clear plans for addressing recurring issues, regular check-ins, and adjustments as needed—provides structure in what can otherwise feel like an unruly terrain. Shared meaning—rituals, traditions, or collaborative goals—helps create a sense of togetherness that can weather stress. When relationships are especially important but persistently distressed, seeking external support such as mediation or therapy can provide tools and structure that individuals alone may struggle to muster. Of course, certain situations require immediate safety: abuse or coercion demand urgent professional intervention and protection.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering taught me the texture of resilience in a way success often can’t, because it presses you right up against your limits and forces you to show up, again and again, even when you don’t feel like it. It strips away ego and pretense, revealing what you’re really made of—your stubbornness, your capacity for endurance, your capacity to adapt, and your reliance on others.

It sharpens empathy, because you suddenly understand pain as a shared human thread rather than a solo battle.
It also reframes what counts: small moments of connection, genuine effort, and a sense of meaning become more precious than external wins. Suffering humbles you, builds inner courage, and recalibrates your compass toward what truly matters, a clarity success often glosses over.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes, the public version of me is real, but it’s a carefully shaped real. I show up with the parts of me that I want to be seen—my values, how I want to contribute, the roles I’m stepping into in different spaces. It’s not fake or hollow; it’s authentic in its own way, crafted for the audience, the moment, and the purpose at hand. I do trade a bit of private spontaneity for consistency, clarity, and reliability when I’m in the public eye. The line between private and public isn’t a hard wall for me—it’s a living boundary I negotiate, deciding what to share, how to present myself, and what I keep to myself to protect integrity and trust. So yes, the public you see can be real, and often is, but it’s one meaningful slice of a much larger, ongoing self.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
Absolutely. I push to give my best regardless of praise because the yardstick I care about is my own integrity and growth, not external applause. When I commit, I lean into quality, consistency, and learning, even if nobody notices or acknowledges it. I take pride in doing things well, in showing up reliably, and in moving things forward through effort and character. Praise can feel nice, but it isn’t what fuels me—the real reward is knowing I brought my best to the moment, learned something in the process, and made a meaningful impact, however quietly.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.iamdjsquirt.com
• Instagram: @iamdjsquirt
• Twitter: @iamdjsquirt
• Facebook: @iamdjsquirt
• Youtube: @iamdjsquirt

Image Credits
image credits : I AM DJ SQUIRT