Getting his DJ start at a popular local drag show, DJ / Cowboy Michael aka M. Samurai is giving us our dancefloor lives as well!
Thotyssey: Hi DJ, thanks for chatting with us today! Summer is nearly over, although you couldn’t tell from this gross heat! How did the season treat you?
DJ M. Samurai: Honestly, these past few weeks has been the most summer this whole summer. This season was just rainy and weird; one could say it was not the vibe. However I definitely worked a lot, and I’m grateful I have a day job and DJing.
Speaking of the heat, I often see you out with a cowboy hat… few can rock that as well as you! Are you a hat guy in general?
Definitely a hat guy, lol:
[M. Samurai sends photos of his illustrious hat hoard]
A marvelous collection! Tell us, if you will, about where you’re from, and if music was always a part of your life.
I’m a Jersey boy, born and raised in Jersey City. I’m of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent (mom = PR) (deadbeat dad = DR). Actually, music was always in my life. My father was a musician; he had a band when he was in his twenties/ late thirties called Amor Caliente (which I plan on getting tattooed on me). Ironically, he never taught me… or he tried, and I never was into it, lol.
But my cousin is a DJ. I remember when I was a kid back in the 90s, he had a setup with vinyls. Then came 2017, and I finally decided I didn’t want to pursue photography anymore; I wanted to get into music. He taught me the basics of DJing.
My first gig was working with Zeta Jones in 2018, and I’ve been doing it ever since.
How would you describe your sound in the DJ booth today, when you’re given the freedom to do what you want?
So starting out I worked with drag queens, and I love my queens… but the venues definitely want a certain “sound,” so it’s mostly Top 40 and pop. I’m really into house–especially Latin house–so if I get freedom, I do house then I go into baile funk.
How do you usually handle music requests from the kids while you’re working? Shouldn’t everyone just leave the DJs alone to do their thing, lol?
I mean, it depends on my mood and if I’m in a groove. If you hand me money, I definitely got you. But I do believe patrons need to leave DJs alone. No one cares if it’s your birthday, or whatever occasion… especially me. We curate sets (well, I hope DJs curate their sets) to establish a vibe or have bar / club owners telling us the type of music they want. It’s a lot of thought and curation that goes into DJing; I mean, there are millions of songs out there, and we have to create a great time for however long we are spinning.
Well said! You DJed at the Q, which of course was well known for its problems… but for a DJ, it was pretty hard to beat that high booth above the large dance floor where no one could bother you!
I got to DJ the high booth maybe three times for [the then-Sunday party] “Soft Serve.” I was usually booked on the second or third, but I can honestly say the majority of talent that got that booth couldn’t keep a room unless it was a circuit party.
That room was a challenge! You really gotta be in sync with the vibe of the room when you’re DJing, right? It’s like mind reading!
Absolutely. But I usually find a person in a group that is having a good time, and feed into that; dancing is contagious.
Your show with Zeta is “Zeta House,” every Wednesday at Rebar, which is such a kiki. What are the joys and challenges of DJing a drag show?
Zeta is the best; I owe so much to her. I’m grateful that she brings her own music and visuals. I find it challenging when I’m subbing for a DJ and working with a new queen or queens that do a production (numbers, games or interactions with patrons etc.). But I think all DJs can agree nothing is more challenging and dreadful than a drag roulette!
You’re also a frequent DJ for Janelle No. 5’s newly rebranded Saturday party “Sexx Dreams” at Metropolitan Bar, and you’ll be back this week! What’s that vibe like?
I love Janelle–she gives me so much creative freedom, and is so encouraging. Honestly, I thought Brooklyn gigs were to start your career–like, low tier–but I’m starting to think Brooklyn will launch my career to where I want to be. So I’m grateful for venues like Metro. But back to the vibes: I love how diverse the crowd is, which allows me to play anything and everything. But I gotta shout out the staff–they are so sweet, and welcoming. Unless you redline–then they will destroy you, lol!
What else is coming up for you? And do you post mixes anywhere?
Hopefully more gigs fingers crossed. I’m definitely gonna do mixes again, so that can keep my name out there and I can reach an audience outside of NYC.
We will keep our eyes and ears open! Lastly, is Kylie’s “Tension” better or not as good as “Padam?”
I think anything Kylie releases after “Padam” is gonna be a hit. We fucked the damn out of Padam, lol. But “Tension” is better, for sure.
Thanks, M.!
Check Thotyssey’s calendar for DJ M. Samurai’s upcoming appearances, and follow him on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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