AI: The Promise vs. The Reality
The current DJing landscape is polluted by grifting, with many operating with impunity. The increasing reliance on AI for basic DJ tasks is eroding the cultural integrity of this art form. While some may argue that as long as a DJ keeps the crowd happy and dancing, the means don’t matter, this viewpoint overlooks a crucial aspect—the importance of the creative process. But then again, a grifter will always focus on the outcome (likes and going viral), disregarding the artistry involved in DJing.
“Well, this looks pretty cool. Everything is personal preference, and we DJs shouldn’t be critical of someone else’s choice. What is GRIFTING??” – @djnfinite (Threads)
In DJ terms, grifters are those who think they’re just one more expensive laptop, controller, or app away from getting booked. Grifters often abandon the process of creativity in favor of chasing viral trends. Additionally, grifters tend to overproduce content, flooding social media with images of themselves “DJing,” sacrificing quality for quantity to maintain visibility. Please don’t mistake my commentary as me being “critical.” Instead, I want to hold some of my contemporaries accountable for diluting DJ culture.
“I can’t hold it against a person for using existing technology. At the end of the day, if it sounds good, no one cares how you did it.” – @djpapalok (Threads)
There is often at least one person in the comments of similar posts who says, “No one cares how you [DJ].” However, those with this mindset often overlook that the DJing the Brolic Army platform advocates for involves making choices. These choices guide our students on a journey to discover their God-given abilities. Uncovering your creativity takes patience and consists of a process that cannot be outsourced to artificial intelligence.
“If you’re a DJ, don’t you want more tools in your toolbox? Versatility 🙌“ – @owldotmusic (Threads)
Each year, DJs are being grifted into buying the new this and the latest that. You guys spend thousands of dollars on equipment only to end up scratching “Ahhh” and “Fresh” the same exact way you did on the previous gear you owned. So many of you are under the delusion that the “more tools in your toolbox,” the better the workman, but a job poorly done is the workman’s fault, not his tools! The modern DJ is just another consumer trapped in the algorithm matrix of DJing. AI and the coders proliferating it are not your friends. They are your masters, and you’re their slaves. You’ve been commodified by social media platforms and companies that don’t care about your content but that you consume and upgrade their products every couple of years so you can continue making half-assed content. The message is clear: if you’re not spending money on the latest subscription or “tools,” you’ll be left behind. If your content isn’t polished to perfection, it’s not worth watching, and if you’re not churning out daily DJ posts featuring some viral TikTok song, you’re irrelevant as a DJ. AI and its builders are grifting you, plain and simple.
So, how does a DJ stay authentic in a digital world?
1. Define your goals clearly: The key word is “your.” Find out what success looks like for you, then build towards accomplishing whatever that is. Stop chasing other people’s definition of success.
2. Build an authentic community: Focus on developing genuine connections with other DJs. Get off online every once in a while and step into the real world. Practice with other DJs and listen to music with other DJs. Go to your local nightclub with other DJs to study other DJs! Your community will always outlast an algorithm.
3. Pace yourself: Be patient. Don’t be in such haste to go viral and gain followers that you burn out from overexposure. The creative road can take long sometimes, so don’t rush the process. Quality, not quantity.
4. Be a DJ, not a consumer: Remember that great art doesn’t come with expensive tools but how you use the tools at your disposal. So work with what you have and upgrade because it makes sense for your workflow not to keep up with other DJs.
5. Play the long game: Trends come, and trends go, but authenticity lasts a lifetime. Stay true to your creative values, and your DJ foundation will be unshakeable.
The DJ matrix will not change overnight, but as DJs, we have the power to shape our engagement with it. We can confidently resist the pressure to conform to its algorithms, reject commodification, and focus on what truly matters: creating art that resonates deeply with us and our audience. At the end of the day, the grift only succeeds if you choose to buy into it. So don’t. Stay true to yourself, prioritize genuine connections over mere clicks, and ignore the competition. By doing so, you’ll carve out your own unique space in the DJ industry and thrive.