John Updike once wrote: "Any activity becomes creative when the doer cares about doing it right or better." DJ 38 has been proving this point for decades. One look at his mixtape catalog reveals a dedication to music, instead of a focus on one genre. Not limited to his forté in reggaeton, he has carefully & artfully constructed over 20 such mixtapes. While some hold the expected focus on Reggaeton, eight center on Hip-Hop, five others on Reggae and one delves into the chaotic world of Drum & Bass.
This unfettered approach to music has garnered DJ 38 success outside of the studio. Using Bayamón, Puerto Rico as a start point, it's a task to map out The Puerto Rican Terror-Wrist's crusade of creativity. Millions of Orlando listeners heard 38 spin live on Mega 88.7 FM, La Zona 1030 AM, EL Sandungueo 98.1 FM and Rumba 100.3 FM. Millions more Tri-State area listeners heard 38 join forces with DJ Ñeko to broadcast "El Sandungeo" on La Kalle 105.9FM every week. Fast-forward to the present, and Bayamón's Finest keeps a schedule as demanding as ever. Tuesday nights play host to The DJ 38 Mixshow; available to all the world at www.lmpradio.com. While this keeps closer to traditional "two-turntable-and-a-mic" DJing, Wednesday nights see 38 step behind the boards. "Activaera Urbana", a DJ 38 produced show, broadcasts from Sacred Heart University's Radio Activa (www.sagrado.edu/radioactiva).
In-home live entertainment satisfies the week-day urge to groove, but nothing compares to the main event: Friday nights at Club Lazer in Old San Juan. With DJ 38 at the helm, the legendary Caribbean dance club welcomes both visiting tourists and revelers from across the island. 24 hours later, Isla Verde's Q Lounge opens it's doors to party-goers with 38 in the DJ booth. Not bound to "La Isla Bonita", 38 travels worldwide to regale crowds with his extensive musical library and honed dexterity. One such performance drew the attention of Cinco Por Cinco recording artist Notch (of Born Jamericans fame). Skip the formalities, and 38 is currently Notch's official DJ for live performances.
Notch is just one of the household names collaborating with DJ 38. "Mr. Conflicto", a mixtape with MC Ceja "El Cejon", has found potentially found it's way into 100,000 iPods. Future downloadable releases are slated with Sony/BMG recording artist Voltio (tentatively entitled "Enemigo") & Yaviah (as yet unnamed), of "Bumper" and "Contacto" fame, respectively.
Developing working relationships with artists is but one of the benefits of a return to Puerto Rico. Sacred Heart University, Puerto Rico's #1 school for communication, now counts DJ 38 in it's student body. Always pushing the envelope, 38 majors in Radio Production and Marketing; this virtually assures even further progress in an already impressive body of work. In an industry where many have trouble separating fact from fiction, it becomes clear that intense, honest effort has led DJ 38 to success, both past and future.
