DJ MICK Interview
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” It’s a question most every child is asked, with answers ranging from astronaut and firefighter to president or pro athlete. For Brooklyn-based DJ, producer and investor MICK, the answer seems to change each week as new chapters of his career continually unfold. In the midst of award season and a slew of events hosted by the omnipresent performer, Vivid Seats spoke with MICK about his winding road to success, the evolution of his job title and balancing his work with fatherhood.
Vivid Seats: LeBron always talks about how he’s just a kid from Akron, Ohio. You’re yet another successful product of the Cleveland area. How’d you get your start?
DJ MICK: I was a kid in a dorm room in Cleveland. I had two crates of records and two turntables. That led to college radio, then Ohio clubs, then national mixtapes, and finally NYC!
VS: Your career in hip-hop has opened doors with another one of your passions: Sports. How did music open doors to other facets of your career?
'DM: Music has been the lifeline to everything I want to do. Work with sports entities. Find investment deals. Do brand partnerships. It’s even created lots of opportunities for my kid. Music, especially hip-hop, is a cultural currency these days. And respect and longevity allows access that money can’t buy.
VS: You’ve found a way to impact so many different people across the globe, from NBA arenas to corporate events. How do you cater to so many different styles?
DM: I grew up loving all types of music. Hip-hop. Soul. Funk. Grunge. Disco. ‘80s. You name it, I can play it. So I find ways to merge genres and make it all make sense… somehow?!?
VS: On top of your success as a DJ, you’ve also got a proven track record as a tech investor. How did that start?
DM: I got an email from a kid, Kyle, years ago who asked me to take a chance on an idea. I’m not great at evaluating ideas (plus ideas will change), but I am pretty good at evaluating people. So I took the chance… and that started what has been a very successful investment career. And update: Kyle’s company, dotdotdash, is crushing it doing next level brand experiential work - ironically, at the intersection of sports, music and tech.
VS: Music, sports and tech became intertwined at the end of the last decade. What other industries do you see coming together in the near future?
DM: I think you can add fashion and entrepreneurship into that same intersection. It’s all one world now. I love it.
VS: Anyone that follows @MICK on social media has seen the real star of the show: your son Myles. How do you balance life as a DJ and still manage to be the world’s number one dad?
DM: It’s very intentional. I make time. I have him half the week and I DO NOT MISS my days. Non-negotiable. He is my reason for being. This involves lots of red eyes, sleepless nights, and non-traditional parenting. But he is my bestie and all the sacrifice is worth it!
VS: What’s next?
DM: Working on two books… one business, one for kids. Starting a branded dinner series called The Menu, which will be kinda like HBO’s “The Shop” meets really good food. And trying to finally get some abs this summer. Ha.
Follow DJ MICK on Instagram, Twitter and his website.