On The Rise

I interviewed a Puerto Rican member of the music community, DJ New Era, who works as a disc jockey for La Mega 97.9, a popular Latino radio station in New York City. He has been apart of this community for ten years since he was sixteen; first as a roadie who carried music equipment for other disc jockeys and now at twenty-six years of age, has been a disc jockey for five years. DJ New Era is one of the top DJ’s On The Rise believes people should most look out for, as his prevalence in the music community has sky-rocketed over the years. He is making his way to the top and continues to strive for more. Through his clear talent and dedication, On The Rise approves him as one of the Must Follow DJ’s.

Miryam with La Mega 97.9 DJ AJ El Kallejero (Left) and DJ New Era

 

Q: What country does your family originate from?

A: My parents come from Puerto Rico.

Q: Have you always lived in New York City?

A: Yes, I am a Brooklyn native. My parents and I have always resided in East New York.

Q: How many years have you been in music?

A: I have been in music for 10 years. But as a DJ? I have been a DJ for 5 years. I started as a roadie and worked my way up to an MC. From there, I went on to becoming a DJ.

Q: Was music a big part of your home life growing up?

A: Yes. Growing up, I learned to play the congos from my father. That’s how I really learned about listening to beats and working with tempos. I also remember my mom always singing in the house all of her salsa songs when I was growing up.

Q: How did you gain an interest in music?

A:I really gained an interest when I was a roadie. At first, I would see my bosses get paid. These guys were all DJ’s and I would think “I want that!” When I started really learning how to DJ though, I grew passion for music and discovered a talent I never knew of. That’s when it became less about the money and more about sharing music with others, creating an experience for them, and showing the world my talent.

Q:Why did you decide to continue working in music as a career?

A: Once I got that passion and drive, there wasn’t turning back. I left college to continue my career as a DJ. I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else once I realized how much of an impact music had made in my life. When I started to get really good at mixing, I knew I had to keep on working on it. I didn’t want to give up on something which I felt I could really succeed in.

Q: What events do you participate in as a DJ? Tell me about your experience in these events.

A: I go to several music festivals and the usual club scene. Now that I’m apart of La Mega 97.9, I’m going to a lot of concerts to DJ the start of the shows. I also have been involved in some charity events and fundraisers involving Autism awareness.

Q: How do you identify yourself in the music community?

A: Honestly, I like to consider myself as a role model. Disc jockey would be the term most people identify me as, but I see myself as more than that. I have eyes on me at all times and realize that my actions impact others. I want to be seen as an inspirational and motivational figure. I want to be able to teach those in underprivileged neighborhoods, especially, to keep on working hard because their dreams really can come true no matter the circumstances they are in right now. I want to show them how they can remove themselves from the bad influences and concentrate on reaching their goals.

Q: What music genre are you mostly involved in?

A: I’m involved in Latino music. For the most part: dembow, bachata, merengue, tipico. I do branch out into hip-hop, rap, and house though.

Q: What encouraged you to decide on this genre?

A: My Puerto Rican background definitely got me into Latino music. As far as I can remember, I have always been exposed to Latino music in my house and in my neighborhood.

Q: Do you have any musical influences?

A: Alex Sensation is my musical influence. He is one of the best DJ’s in our Latino community. So many people admire him and he is extremely talented. I aspire to be on his level of expertise one day.

Q: Do you think New York City differs from other musical communities you have been to? If so, in what ways?

A: Of course. It is the music capital of the world. I have seen other communities, such as Miami, North Carolina, New Jersey, and others. New York City is so diverse. You can find any type of genre here and all types of artists doing completely different things from the mainstream. New York City is so diverse and being here, you get exposed to different music and artists without even needing to search for it. Music is all around in New York; on the subways, in parks, radio, parades. You can’t get away from it.

Q: What are your goals or aspirations while being a part of this community? Have they changed throughout time from the beginning of your involvement to this present time?

A: My goal was to become a recognized DJ. Now that I am on the radio, I need to just work on my skills. I am so thankful for where I am today. In the future, I want to be able to open up a music school for underprivileged kids. I want to teach them the skills needed to become a DJ, artist, or musician. I want to give them a positive influence and somewhere safe to go. I also want to be able to raise money in order to provide scholarships for them so their financial status won’t be much of a factor for them to go to college or music programs.