Sometimes it sucks, having priciples.

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Papa Deuce

Mac Daddy DJ
Aug 8, 2006
19,843
594
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Valley Forge Area
In the last 2 weeks I have had 2 calls to do a teen party. I don't handle these due to the music that they usually request ( hip hop )..... My company does not play songs with explicit lyrics at weddings, either.

Well, this lady just called about 5 minutes ago, and while she was fine with my policy, she still wanted to know what to expect to pay.

35 teens, at a hall, 4 hours.... I told her to expect to pay at least $500 from a reputable company if it is on a Saturday. It is.

Her response?

"That's about what I expected, maybe even a little less".......

Eh, if I just didn't have a conscience. :sqerr::sqwink:
 
Hi Chuck, I am your conscience :sqerr:

My name is ToshibaMeASecret :)

I can be very helpful at times, but also a PITA :sqeek:


My friend is a reddish dude, with a pitchfork, and he sits on your other shoulder. He likes hip-hop, gangsta rap, and saying dirty words, amongst other things...

He says to do the gigs. Something about having a "soul"...

I say, concentrate on weddings and corporate, and play frisbee with yer kids on Saturday afternoon :)
 
Papa Chuck. If you were DJing for a living you would have a change in your policy. Let Promo Only, Primecuts and the other music pools worry about editing the music. If it's safe to play on the radio, it's safe for your event. Playing the songs that people want to hear is a DJ's main focus. Not everyone wants to hear YMCA and Cotton eye Joe at parties.
 
DJ JohnThe1 said:
If it's safe to play on the radio, it's safe for your event.
Click to expand...
Not necessarily! I'm a charter subscriber to PrimeCuts, so I've gotten the "radio edits" of current songs. Radio edits are getting more lax as time goes by. I have plenty of Rap and Hip Hop that wouldn't be acceptable at all schools. Just because it can be played on the radio, that doesn't mean that ethics and moral standards are to be ignored.
 
Papa you stand your ground....look at it this way.....would you want your daughters to listen to or dance to that music someday?..........
 
For example, I have the Radio Edit of "My Humps." Yes, it's the version played on the radio in Atlanta, the Hip Hop capital of the South. I have a Christian High School where I'm the DJ for all their dances. Do you really think I could get away with playing that song at those dances??

The answer is: No. That's why I keep getting asked back.
 
Bryan - Really should that matter...it's just kids having fun.....let them have their fun...Who cares if the song degrades and demeans women , who cares if the song espouses to 9 year olds that woman are only hoes, meant to be used, abused and tossed away like the trash hoes they are.....

By God though, we will not play any song that has that really bad word in it; "sh-it" or that really bad Mony, Mony song...ohhhhhh! the moral decline.

It's only music...Yet even better...It's edited so the kids really don't hear or know of the bad words they speak...

Better yet lets be cop-outs - It's not our fault that the kids want to hear this crap....We're just Dj's. We maintain that we don't just push play, but somehow we must to when it comes to these vile songs. The world would end/our business would suffer catastophic failures if we chose not to play this one song.

We don't need to be responsible or even need to think that at some point we have to be the educators. Respect.....we don't need no stinkin' respect.

Heck, we don't put the music out there...we just play it 4 or 5 times at that middle school dance.....Hey look ....they're just being silly and having fun.......cute kids....Oh look.... Bobby's super soaking that b*#ch...Isn't that cute..Just like in the song.....

Anyway, got to go back to that Souljatellem.com cd...Damn fine music !!!!

Sarcasm cloak disengaged ...................

Last minute Middle School Dance - Our DJ Talk - DJ Help and Resources Chat!

http://start.prodj.com/viewtopic.php?t=43425&start=0
 
Bryan Durio said:
For example, I have the Radio Edit of "My Humps." Yes, it's the version played on the radio in Atlanta, the Hip Hop capital of the South. I have a Christian High School where I'm the DJ for all their dances. Do you really think I could get away with playing that song at those dances??

The answer is: No. That's why I keep getting asked back.
Click to expand...

Bryan. You are talking about a Christian school. Of course you can't play some of the music there.
I am refering to Sweet 16's, Receptions, etc. As long as I get the ok from the Parents or host throwing the party then I will play the music requested.
 
DJ JohnThe1 said:
Papa Chuck. If you were DJing for a living you would have a change in your policy. Let Promo Only, Primecuts and the other music pools worry about editing the music. If it's safe to play on the radio, it's safe for your event. Playing the songs that people want to hear is a DJ's main focus. Not everyone wants to hear YMCA and Cotton eye Joe at parties.
Click to expand...

A fish market doesn't have to sell steaks to stay in business.

I do DJ for a living and I have Chuck's policy as well. I stopped doing teen dances two years ago and the voids have been filled even with all the turn-downs. You can work without compromising your principles.

As for subscription and radio edits ...

"You can remove the bad words, but you can't remove the bad message."
 
I did this once...

I informed (a year and a half ago) the teen dance coordinator about the songs: get low, candy shop, and sugar. She said that the kids all sing the words even in the clean edits, so go ahead and play the song. It was a "dance for the kids, so make the kids happy".

You probably won't run into that philosophy too often though. Take the gig and play clean stuff. If they ask for a dirty song, say you "don't have it".
 
In my market area of NY and NJ a reputation of being a corny DJ will cost you many gigs. It will even drive a DJ out of business. I commend you guys for taking the gigs you want and keeping within your policy. To me it makes no sense to be a DJ if you are scared to play a popular radio edited song at an event. This is what a meeting with the clients prior to the event will avoid.
Just my thoughts, not a bash.
 
Tyrone Blue said:
.... If they ask for a dirty song, say you "don't have it".
Click to expand...

No thanks.... then I just look like I have no idea what the heck is popular.
 
DJ JohnThe1 said:
In my market area of NY and NJ a reputation of being a corny DJ will cost you many gigs. It will even drive a DJ out of business. I commend you guys for taking the gigs you want and keeping within your policy. To me it makes no sense to be a DJ if you are scared to play a popular radio edited songs at an event. This is what a meeting with the clients prior to the events will avoid.
Just my thoughts, not a bash.
Click to expand...

Who said we weren't playing those songs at events? I'll play anything for responsible adults, but I won't contribute to the moral decline of other people's children.

I hardly consider that being "corny". I also don't consider gigs I don't want to be losses. What's the point of running your own business without free will?
 
Exactly, Hank. I'm my own boss. I can turn down the gigs I don't want to play. I think our friend DJ JohnThe1 has to realize also that he is in a much tougher part of the country where being thick-skinned is part of the culture. That kind of attitude won't play here in the South.

I was listening to one of our Hip Hop stations a few years ago, and they played a telephone call. "Hey would you play that song, 'I want to lick lick lick you from your head to your toes?'" The DJ said sure, but how old was the girl on the phone? Twelve.

Push that envelope.

Now John, in the interest of full disclosure, I am in no way a saint or a goody two-shoes or a prude. Very far from it. But our culture is quickly on its way down the commode. It's getting coarser every day. Sorry, but I'm not going to add to the decline. But as you pointed out, if a tune's message is age-appropriate, I will play it.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
 
All along I figured a super soaker was a squirt gun. I got to get with the times here. Anyone want to tell me what this rapper punk means by Super Soaker?
 
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