https://www.facebook.com/djjuicym/videos/982812258441359/
On Friday, DJ Juicy M pumped out another video. This one however was a little more interesting in that she’d replaced turntables and CDJs with iPad Pros running algoriddim djay Pro. And it seems that there are a few things in this video that have clearly pissed off a few people, if the truly depressing comments are anything to go by. Let’s cover them off.
NO TURNTABLES
Are we still talking about this in 2016? Why is this still an issue? Is that #realdjing nonsense still a thing? DJing has evolved to be many things, and in recent times has done a full 360 and come all the way back to turntables again. But all the stops on the journey are all valid, and if you care to look through her Youtube channel you can she that she has and can use each and every one of them. Floors are still filled by people not using turntables, just as floors are emptied by those that do.
And a quick heads up for those who wish to throw sync button DJing at her — djay Pro can sync all four decks inside a single iPad, but it cannot sync across devices, and in this video each iPad is a deck connected only to the mixer. So no sync button is in play here, which does rather piss on that hate bonfire.
You might not use them, but people rocking CDJs, controllers, and mobile devices are all keeping dance floors of different sizes blissfully happy. It’s all DJing to me. Turntables do not make you a DJ — skills do.
NO HEADPHONES
So let me get this right — because she’s not using headphones in this set, she’s a fake? Let me just go through the last thirteen years of DMC championship DVDs I have on the shelf in front of me and see how many of the word class competitors and importantly winners are wearing headphones… yeah pretty much none.
No headphones doesn’t denote a lack of skills, but does show that the set has been created and practiced over and over until honed to perfection. I’m not saying that Juicy M is on a par with DMC winners — apples and oranges right there. But what I am saying is that they’ve all worked hard to create a set that can be performed without headphones. What some call fakery, I call dedication.
NO PENIS
This is perhaps the real issue for a lot of people. For some reason, a few DJs feel that daring to play music to a crowd while in possession of a vagina is a cardinal sin, perhaps even worse than pressing a sync button. Granted, she has looks on her side which is a benefit when standing in front of said crowd of mad-for-it clubbers, and for making videos for social media too. But some of the sexism and misogyny being spouted in those comments isn’t funny or ironic — it’s sickening and smacks of insecurity.
Having a penis shouldn’t get anyone a pass. Nor should having a vagina hold anyone back. There are no physical barriers to entry in DJing — it’s all about how you present yourself and play your music. One this is certain — she has bigger balls than all the haters.
I’ll be honest — a lot of Juicy M’s sets are not my taste at all. Not every turntablist set is either, and I’ve walked out on some big name dance DJs through sheer boredom. But I can see that she’s worked hard to put her sets together. She clearly loves what she does, and pumps huge amounts of positivity energy into her work. Others however choose to pump hate into a keyboard and think that makes them a better DJ. How’s that working out for you?
What’s even more telling is that despite the disparaging comments, sexism, misogyny, and outright hate being spouted, she’s still out there putting out sets, and equally pushing the boundaries. I haven’t seen anyone do a four deck iPad set before, and she did this knowing that she’d get am all new world of unwarranted crap coming her way. Are you so brave?
Is Juicy M the world’s best DJ? No. But 3.5 million Facebook fans and a solid gig calendar does say a lot about her popularity and ability. But she’s out there working hard against the odds to become not only a skilled DJ but a successful one too. She is living the DJ dream through sheer hard work — and winning. And for that she has my upmost respect.