DJ Geno has been putting it down on the turntables since he was in the sixth grade. Schooled by some of the most influential DJs in Chicago, his dexterity on the 1s and 2s is unmatched, as he can “play everything.” Geno, also known as “Papeon,” recently shared some of the tricks of his trade with rolling out.
How did you come up with your DJ name?
My DJ name is my name, but the aka Papeon part was given to me by Woodie White [entrepreneur], Happy [music executive] and P [Parrish Duke, entertainment entrepreneur]. They wanted me to have a DJ name that would stand out since I was spinning a mixtape for LRG [Jonas days]. So, Woodie called me Papeon, and that’s been with me ever since.
When did you start deejaying?
I started deejaying around sixth grade. Prior to that, I used to go to the DJ booth at Screamin’ Wheels [roller rink]. DJ Farley, Mike Dunn and other DJs used to show me a few things here and there, but my first real lessons happened at Danny Sorge’s place [Channel Zero] in [Oak Park]. They gave me no mercy.
How do you define your style?
My style is defined by my upbringing. I love music, and I grew up in a melting pot of every race of people. So, I have a lot of experience in different genres of music. I play to the crowd, but the crowd knows what it can get from me, and that’s an experience.
What or who were your early passions and influences?
I’m from Chicago so, of course, house music had a big influence on me. But I came up through the hip-hop and house music merge[r]. It was called hip-house, and since I loved hip-hop, it was perfect. You had the Jungle Brothers and then you had Fast Eddie, who was from the same part of town I was. It was great being in seventh grade going from a Fast Eddie record to a Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock record.
How would you describe the vibe of moods music?
The vibe is the people that are attracted to the music. I know certain music makes certain people feel a certain way, but we also know that doesn’t mean that will translate. So, my take is to set the mood going off the crowd. It’s really about controlling the crowd.
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