Brooklyn, N.Y. — Gospel DJ Dr. D (aka Duane Knight), first appeared in our pages 20 years ago. This year, he celebrates 40 years in the DJ industry, so we figured it’d be an appropriate opportunity to see how DJing in the gospel community (and beyond) has changed from previous decades.
We’ll let the Brooklyn-based Dr. D explain.
OK, it’s been 20 years since we last saw you in the magazine. You’re also celebrating 40 years as a gospel DJ. Give us an idea of how the vocation has changed.
Let me answer by stating, “That which has not changed has changed.” The DJ has but one purpose and one purpose only: to rock the party! We do this in four ways, or stages, as a DJ: To break. To promote. To remix (live). To produce (in studio) the artists and their music.
From Day One in 1977 with DJ Kool Herc in the Boogie Down Bronx or in 1979 in the Planet Brooklyn where I came out of those parties in the park, DJs rocked parties by extending the song, not shortening it. Most of us old heads grew up in households that played and enjoyed the full songs, intros, breaks, bridges, outs, and everything in between. Music was made to be listened to and enjoyed – the full song! We then took those great vocals and tracks and extended them while we rocked parties. The 12-inch single was birthed out of what we did.
