Sound Select: DJ NoLita
It’s been quite some time since we dug into our Sound Select series, a collection of an interviews where we feature different DJs and have them speak about their careers and have them premier exclusive mixes. Our first edition featured a budding female DJ from Houston, Cre8shun. As we continue to gear up the series, we feature another female DJ who’s killing the party scene in NYC.
DJ NoLita, hailing from Brooklyn has gone on nationwide tours, been mentored by the famous Kid Capri, and has earned her stripes as being one of the leading curators of sounds in the emerging scene of DJs coming out now. We recently had a chance to speak to her about upbringing, influences, the tips of being an excellent curator of sound, and more.
Read Below.
How’s Your Modern Life?
My modern life is good, really good. I'm not in school but I read a lot in my spare time to make sure i'm indulging any knowledge i'm missing out on. And I get paid to turn up, so it's safe to say I'm living a dream. When i'm not working I don't party much, I like to take that time to get my mind right as well as prepare for the next adventure, visit my family and make sure everyone is okay. I like to laugh a lot.
Where are you from and how has your upbringing there shaped the way you are now?
I'm originally from Brooklyn, NY. I didn't have much of an upbringing there, my family moved around a lot. I definitely was always the girl that did not give a fuck about consequences, getting in trouble, but always maintained good grades in school always did what I was supposed to first then bullshitted later. Till this day I try to keep an open mind but still do whatever I want, I know I drive my team crazy because I always need a second opinion to make sure i'm not wilding out before doing something then kind of end up doing it anyway. I'm wild as hell when I want to be, and when i'm in chill mode my mind is most definitely the only thing running wild.
What inspired you to start DJing rather than picking up any other art form of music?
Aside from my family, I started hanging with this group of girls in high school and they introduced me to the party scene, where I started hearing music I've never heard before and started meeting a ton of new people that were very understanding of us as well as interesting.
Being a DJ based in New York you get the ultimate party experience compared to other cities. What are the most vital things to remember while DJing in the Big Apple?
Most vital things to remember is to always bring your A-game. New York is very hard to please if you're not a DJ known by everyone out here, so you always have to be prepared to win in all situations when it comes to New York, especially cause as a whole we blunt as hell.
"I need everyone to feel me. I want everyone to give everything I do a chance and know there will always be a list of things pertaining to my career that they can relate to, check off, I wanna move countries not just states. I want everyone to have 10+ reasons why I'm their favorite DJ."
Along your road of success you were brought up by one of the most decorated DJs in the game, Kid Capri. What were some vital things that he has taught in your path of being great?
I actually taught myself everything. He told me to keep a strong mindset tackling this industry. stand my ground, he always dropped gems on my cousin and I on how to be strong women.
Aside from Capri giving you some game, what other vital people in the industry has offered you advice or a helping hand along the way?
Besides my mother, Rico Love show's a lot of love and always throws really good energy my way, as well as Asap 12vy, Combat Jack, Taxstone, a couple of my other producer/DJ friends including Thelonious Martin, Vdon Serious Soundz, all great people contributing to the culture in their own way.
When being a director of vibes in any setting, how do you find the medium of following your own wave along with catering to your audience’s ear?
I just listen to myself. I don't second guess me, and/or my instincts, EVER. If I ever play a jam it's cause my heart tells me the crowd will fuck with it, everything I do has something behind it, I never do just to do. Also, I work at my best when i'm getting good energy from the crowd but I know they are having the most fun when i'm reciprocating good energy back while i'm on stage. I just do me. My style will always differ from others and my supporters like me because of that.
How do you try to separate yourself as a curator of sound rather than being just a DJ?
I'd like to just say i'm a little bit of both, but being a curator of sound I like to mix things that are totally unheard of, I'll play a house instrumental in a trap party and people will love it just as much as the trap song following up, then i'll mash the two tracks together. I'm a producer as well I just don't flex my production as much, because that's a little bit more personal to me. I love a interesting sound, and there are so many different sound combinations.
If someone had to dig in your crates, what five albums would would be apart of your holy grail in your music collection?
In general.... Purple Rain (Prince), Take care (Drake), Por Vida (Kali Uchis), The Sweet Escape (Gwen Stefani), Diplomatic Immunity, etc etc.
How do you plan to cultivate people with your delivery when it comes to your curation of DJing?
I need everyone to feel me. I want everyone to give everything I do a chance and know there will always be a list of things pertaining to my career that they can relate to, check off, I wanna move countries not just states. I want everyone to have 10+ reasons why I'm their favorite DJ.
What are some of your goals for the rest of this year?
More collaborations that will matter/make sense in the long run, make my supporters prouder, hopefully more tours, and to make sure my team, the people around me and the people who deserve it make it big and need someone to count all their money's for them at the end of the day.
Follow her here and listen to her exclusive mix, "Hot Aux" below.