Sucker DJ Culture!
In 2024 Artificial Intelligence will continue to reshape the working environment once ruled by humans and DJs need to develop strategies for adapting to the consequences automation will bring.
Here are 4 ways to remain relevant during the expansion era of A.I.
1. CULTIVATE EXPERTISE A.I. CAN’T REPLICATE
Devote the necessary time into developing proficiency and aptitude in areas that A.I. cannot be designed to, like creativity. Understanding how to be thoughtful is going to be the most crucial advantage a DJ can have. Every time you sit down to curate a “party rocking” set for your residencies in the new year, perceive the process you’re engaging in as art. Artwork, above all else, is what brings people pleasure. People spend their hard earned paychecks on art every day. Get more serious about cultivating your unique style as a DJ next year so that the substance in the way you play music can stand out amidst all of the machinery.
2. DIVERSIFY
A.I. is expediting the way DJing in clubs is done today, and how it will be done in the future. So much so that eventually, there’ll be no need for a human being to push a button on their Controller to get the party started. A robot will be programmed to do it. This underscores the need for DJs to focus on diversifying. In other words, do not put all your eggs in the DJ residency basket. There are a variety of ways you can share your creativity and generate money from it. So be flexible in your expertise so that you can multiply your income streams. Consider adding new skills to your DJ repertoire. For example, explore the world of the studio DJ. Recording music (producing, scratching, etc.) are passive income streams that provide a steady source of revenue that give you more financial stability over time. I bought my apartment with a royalty check Asphodel Records gave me for recording my first solo album, “The Ablist”. This was back in 1999. It’s 2024 and I still receive a percentage of revenues from album sales.
3. BECOME INDEPENDENT
Lastly, spend the next year learning how to transform your DJ skills into architecture. Better said, use your DJ talent as a resource to build your own platform. A podium you can stand on so as to elevate yourself above Sucka DJ Culture. Sucka DJ Culture is the race to the bottom on behalf of DJs that are so thirsty to land a residency, they undercut their competition’s prices to “get on” at the expense of quality DJing standards. This cutthroat mindset is pervasive in our community as a result of DJ gadgets with features like the “sync button” that do the DJ thinking for you. This is the kind of technology that has allowed any Joe Schmo off the street to assimilate into the DJ workfield and get paid $100 plus drink tickets for a 6 hour shift. Deregulation affects the DJ sphere like any other work environment and leaves professional DJs unprotected. So flip the script and protect yourself by building your own DJ infrastructure. It’s the DJs who build their own platforms that often end up the biggest winners in times of technological disruption.
4. BUILD A ROBUST BUT TIGHT DJ NETWORK
As important as it is to be self-sufficient, there are also advantages to fostering strong connections with people who share your goals. Especially considering AI technologies will continuously evolve and become inevitable in the workplace. So if it is your goal to etch your place in the club scene, make it your business to attend local events in-person. Join online forums and communities, partake in social media DJ discourse, attend and enter DJ battles or showcases. Undoubtedly, some of these relationships will prove invaluable in helping you thrive as a DJ.
The growing use of robotics in the DJ world is a mixed blessing because it makes the experience of being a working DJ more convenient while at the same time threatening the very work a DJ gets hired to perform. But time and the meticulous implementation of these 4 simple principles, you’ll be too busy thriving to feel the adverse effects of A.I.