Support DJ's Journey to South Africa

A little over a year ago I found myself doing my first club gig spinning all vinyl because I simply wanted to play the records I had been collecting for years outside of my bedroom.

At the same time, I was still in the mindset of being a photojournalist holding onto the last couple paid gigs I was able to have in a super oversaturated and competitive market. I was fortunate enough to have some big opportunities shooting festivals and a couple assignments for The New York Times. None of it was fulfilling – all of it soul sucking.

Photography has always been around since I was a kid in 4-H and I taught myself how to edit on a cracked version of Sony Vegas Pro when I was in elementary school.

In college, I started pursuing music journalism and finessed an opportunity to interview Young Dolph (RIP) which didn't materialize because he was too high and came to the club late and I had a decision to stay at home or hop in a sprinter van with him and his crew back to Memphis with no idea how to get back. I quickly learned dealing with certain artists and their ego is a pain in the ass. I started a music magazine after that focusing on local acts which turned into me booking my own shows and I abruptly ended that project because of egos.

Before that I had sports dreams. I played golf since I was 8 years old with hopes of being a pro golfer and that was my entire life until I was 18. Then I started playing soccer and had dreams of being a semi-pro soccer player, but I settled for winning a championship in the local hispanic soccer league I was invited to.

Fast forward to now and I've thrown myself into this DJ thing – which has helped materialize opportunities and interactions I didn't think were possible a couple years ago. I still work a full-time marketing job in affordable housing and I use my paid time off to dj in places I never thought I would financially be able to because of payments I make to my credit card and loans for my car and college. But here I am now planning mini-tours to Europe and losing money in the process. A whole mindset shift.

No money was made on my trip to Europe earlier this year, but a lot of good came from it. Now I'm going back in December for a proper gig that softens the financial blow. I now have an opportunity to go to South Africa in January or February. Usually, I have six or more months to save money from work but flights are double the cost to Cape Town and I have less time to make this work than usual.

I'm not the type to ask for help or let alone want a gift or handout from anyone, but I'm stepping out of habit a bit to extend an opportunity for anyone who feels compelled to support this path that I'm currently on so that I can take on a couple gigs with another dj in South Africa. I've left a lot in the past and put a lot of work in on my own with help from a select few to pursue this path I'm currently on.

The money raised is solely for the price of the round trip flight from Nashville, Tennessee to Cape Town, South Africa. I have arrangements to have the remaining expenses taken care of.

If you're able and willing, I encourage you to donate to my GoFundMe to help keep my momentum going.

God bless.