From Atlanta to across the globe, DJ Trauma has performed his unique mixes of hip-hop, R&B, commercial dance, and Top 40 hits for crowds everywhere. Whether on tour with Dave Chappelle or deejaying for Beyoncé and Jay-Z, Trauma is known for keeping the women on the floor and the guys buying bottles.
Trauma spoke with rolling out about how he’s impacted deejaying through his career and mixing for one of the biggest couples in the music industry.
How do you think you’ve impacted deejaying in today’s society?
One thing I’ve proven is that I have longevity. There are a lot of people who started with me that are not there anymore. I’ve learned to not necessarily follow trends but acknowledge what those trends are and be relevant to them. However, I feel like I’ve always had my own voice. When I was in Atlanta, we were at the forefront of trap music. I sat down with Jeezy and them before they popped off. I remember T.I. coming to my radio show when his first record, “Dope Boyz,” was out, so I remember being a part of that revolutionary Atlanta scene. I remember being an integral part of what we do in Atlanta. I was one of those DJs that traveled, and I would do the All-Star Weekends, I would do the Super Bowls, I would be in Miami or wherever, and I’d always be representing Atlanta, like, “This is what we’re doing out here.”
What was your experience deejaying for Beyoncé and Jay-Z?
The first time I deejayed, and they knew who I was, was when I was deejaying for Beyoncé’s cousin for her 40th birthday. I was in there, but it’s kind of one of those things where you always see if they’re dancing. Beyonce and their whole crew were from Houston, so I went and played heavy Houston and New Orleans music, and they were dancing. So I was aware that they were there, but by the time that happened, I had already done a lot of big parties. I definitely tried to make sure that they seemed entertained, but I think the biggest party I did for them was their baby shower, and I was a little nervous about that because it’s like, what do you do deejaying for somebody’s baby shower? That’s a monumental time in their personal lives. It’s not like a party for an event or anything; this is like their lives. I was a little bit more on edge for that.
