For the love of music.
Every Monday, I will share a resident of the South Bay contributing to making our community a better place.
Today’s MCM title belongs to Diego Rodriguez, who has followed his passion from a young child of owning his own turntable to becoming one of the South Bay’s most beloved DJ’s and has residency at many of the local clubs.
Diego, 26, grew up in Redondo Beach and now resides in South Torrance. In 2008, he graduated from South High school.
He remembers at just 13 years old, going to guitar center in Redondo Beach with some friends and bought several guitar picks for his friend. While there, he heard “strange sounds” that caught his attention. “It was a sound I never heard of and I had to go see what was making those sounds,” he says.
They were hosting a “DJ competition" and he says he simply, “Fell in love with it.” He knew he had to get himself a turntable. Later that week, his mom and dad told him that they were moving and he was stubborn because he didn’t want to leave his friends and go to a new school in Torrance.
He told his mom the only way he’d accept it is if she bought him some turntables and she did! Throughout his 8th-10th grade years, he’d pass the time practicing in his bedroom. “I was always the class clown and getting into some type of trouble,” he says.
Around 10th-11th grade, he began to discover himself and realized how much he loved music, entertaining people and bringing people together. His first gig was at a backyard party in West Torrance for several West High seniors. “I was really nervous because this could make me or break me since I was just a sophomore,” he says.
Within 30 mins into his set, he looked up and saw so many people enjoying themselves and having a blast. “Crazy what music can do and that’s when I realized I want to do this for a long time,” he says.
He continued to perform for many house parties in high school starting from 2005. His first official gig was in 2007 at Ra Sushi in the Del Amo mall then later that year a promoter from Hollywood heard of him and gave him a chance to prove himself at one of the biggest clubs in Hollywood, named Arena. The club fits 1,500 people and he was only 17 years old and that’s when he broke into the club scene in Hollywood.
Growing up, he looked up to several DJ’s including DJ Atrak , DJ Echo , DJ Enrie , Eric d lux , and what he calls, “The under the table crew.” Later in his career, he actually became friends with his idols and had the honor to open up for them.
A typical day for Diego is Mon-Wed, where he does free-lance graphic designs for different clients, practices, searches for new music and catches up with old friends and shows. He now has residencies at Sharkeez Hermosa, American Junkie , Ocean bar and the Deck in Hermosa Beach every week.
He says the best part of his job is the people he meets, the places djing has taken him and also making a living on something he loves to do. The most challenging thing about his job is trying to make everyone happy. “I’m a versatile DJ and I love playing everything and don’t just stick to one genre and I think that’s why I’ve been so successful,” he says.
For anyone interested in considering a career in the field, he says, “Match your own musical expression with the desires of a given audience. It’s not just matching beats, or scratching over songs. It’s about being observant, empathic, and reactive. He has found that it isn’t difficult to get started, but it is difficult to stand out, and to be exceptional.
Some of the best moments of his DJ career so far has been opening up for Pitbull, Ray Jay,112, Bob Saget, e40, and Lil Jon. He also enjoyed djing at Lake Havasu for 6,000 college students and opening up for Steve Aoiki, Jauz, Piece Tready and Hardwell. In addition, he also opened up for Justin Bieber and became friends with him through it.
When he is not entertaining the night scene, he pays it forward by helping at the Teen Center in Redondo Beach by djing for the middle school dancers and each year in October, he volunteers for the Redondo Beach Police Department Annual Community Safety Fair and Police Department Open House. He says he loves to be a part of the event.
He loves the South Bay mostly for its beaches, diverse people, food and the great community. “It’s a hidden gem,” he says. Learn more about DJ Black Sheep by contacting him directly or following him here:
Email: djblacksheep10@gmail.com
Instagram: @djblacksheep_
Snapchat: @djblacksh33p
Thank you, Diego, for bringing so much joy and memories for the members of the South Bay community and for remaining so humble and continuing to pay it forward despite your busy schedule.
