Some quick facts about DJ JayCeeOh: he was born in Los Angeles, raised in the East Coast, and is currently residing back in LA. He recently competed in a television show called “Master of the Mix” by VH1 and Smirnoff, which he dominated and took first place. So it’s safe to say that when you are crowned champion of a nationally televised DJ competition, the whole nation has their eyes and ears aimed in your direction. In this edition of Get Familiar we go inside the mind of a winner, a music hustler, and your new favorite local DJ.
The 5th Element Magazine: How did you get into DJing?
DJ JayCeeOh: I started DJ’ing in 8th grade. My older brother and my best friend at the time got me really into hip-hop culture. When I saw a DJ battle video of the Beat Junkies vs X-Ecutioners it was over, I became infatuated with DJ’ing that day and haven’t stopped since.
Who or what inspired you when you first started?
There were a bunch of DJ’s when I first started that really inspired me – DJ Jazzy Jeff, Craze, Kid Capri, Revolution, Beat Junkies, X-Ecutioners, and Funk Flex to name a few.
Being in demand means you are probably jet setting across the country. What are your travel item essentials?
Neck Pillow, fresh underwear + socks, passport, multiple phone chargers, and an iPad.
Outside of the US, what’s one country and city you would love to spin at?
I have been privileged to DJ in over 20 countries in my career thus far. High on my to do list is Ibiza, Spain.
What style and genre do prefer when on the turntables?
It really depends on the crowd and venue. I am known for my versatility so I can mix in any genre with my sets. I have a lot of fun with Trap and EDM music in my sets because it is not as formulaic as most of today’s hip-hop. You can experiment and get more creative in those types of sets.
What kicks are you rocking right now? And what are your go-to clothing brands?
At this moment I am wearing some new HUF shoes that they just laced me with. My go-to kicks right now are my low-cut camo print converse chuck taylors. As for brands, 10Deep, HUF, and The Hundreds hold me down nicely with their latest releases.
What was it like competing in Smirnoff’s “Master of the Mix”?
It was a very intense experience. Having cameras on me at all times and knowing that the whole world was going to be watching and judging everything I did was a lot of pressure. Luckily I had been around cameras and on shoots before so I wasn’t too phased by that aspect of it.
As a DJ, how does it feel to win that competition and hold the title?
It’s the ultimate achievement to win the title of Smirnoff’s “Master Of The Mix.” The reason I started DJ’ing was because I wanted to be a champion battle DJ. I have a few titles under my belt but nothing compares to the magnitude of winning “Master Of The Mix.”
What projects/mixtapes/tracks are you working on right now?
So many! Here are the front runners
- – JayCeeOh & Steve1der – Till a Boy Get Kill (Original Mix) https://soundcloud.com/jayceeoh/jayceeoh-steve1der-till-a-boy
- – Estelle – Do My Thing (JayCeeOh Remix) https://soundcloud.com/jayceeoh/estelle-ft-janelle-monae-do-my
- – Jeremih – Let Loose (JayCeeOh & B-Sides Remix) https://soundcloud.com/jayceeoh/jeremih-let-loose-jayceeoh-b
- – JayCeeOh – “Pop Models Vol 6” Mixtape (Late July)
- – JayCeeOh – Steem (Orginal Mix) (August)
- – Boardwalk Empire Remix Project (Early Sept)
- – Karmaloop Back to School Mixtape (September)
Photography by Colin Brennan.
For more info on @JAYCEEOH please visit and follow:
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