DJ Vernon English will be back for another year of the Detroit Diaspora Day Party on May 26. The day party will highlight a lineup of musicians and will feature all genres of music that fit the model of the dance music that is most popular in the city.
DJ Vernon English spoke with rolling out about the day party, celebrated musician Amp Fiddler’s impact on the culture, and where he found his love for deejaying.
How special is it to see this day party continue to happen in Detroit?
It’s great because as you know, Detroit has a musical history that is very deep and this is an extension of that in terms of the dance scene, and it really allows some of the talent to come out and show their skills. Those that come out are some of the cultural veterans musically so we say, and they like to experience different things. At the diaspora, you get different vibes and different genres, so it really satisfies the musical taste and cultural advancement.
What impact did Amp Fiddler have on Detroit’s culture?
Amp Fiddler was huge in the Detroit scene. He touched so many different people and genres, from hip-hop to jazz to funk, from performing live to his production work. He worked with some of the greatest names in the music industry, all types of folks. He was just a good guy, solid guy. His talent was unmatched. He had a great skill and ability to again, just do all different types of musical genres, but he was limitless in terms of sound. It was a very huge loss because he was just a great guy.
What inspired your love for deejaying?
I grew up in a musical family and from that, I played multiple instruments growing up. I started in bands, and then from there when bands were hired, they often wanted DJs as well years ago, and that’s how I started deejaying. Again, it goes back to the love for music. Years ago, Detroit had a huge party scene when we were in high school. We were having parties with hundreds of kids and from there, it went through college into adulthood, and I just kept that love for music.
What has been the most significant factor in the evolution of deejaying?
The biggest thing is the evolution of technology. You have controllers that are a couple of feet and some of them are even battery-powered. The changes and advancements in technologies have made the boundaries. The entry boundaries have become very easy to overcome. Years ago, you had to collect vinyl, you had to go to the record store. You had to probably start in your basement because you didn’t have enough music, because you just couldn’t get the vinyl as easily. Now you can go in and hop on one of these services and download all night and be up and running in a day. The advancements in technology have made things a lot easier.
