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lease don’t ask US Virgin Island native Benny Demus what part of Jamaica he’s from. That question is his pet peeve. “A lot of times people hear the accent, and the first thing they identify with is Jamaica because Jamaica has been on the scene for a very long time, so you can’t take nothing away from them. But I’m from the Virgin Islands, and I’m here to really make a name for us,” says Benny. And since moving from V.I. to ATL in 2001, the St. Thomas-born Benny D. has done just that. As the personal DJ for R&B superstar Akon, Benny has traveled the world displaying his unique and immensely entertaining DJ skills. Aside from his distinctive appearance (he rocks a Mohawk and a kilt onstage) he has equally intriguing onstage antics, which has led to his title of “The World’s Most Entertaining DJ.” But Benny wants it to be known that he is much more than just a DJ. He is an all-out entertainer that can do it all. You’re a pretty unique DJ. I’m so much more than just a DJ. I’m a full-fledged entertainer: I DJ, produce, rhyme, write, act, and pretty much everything else that goes along with the music industry. I’m always trying to look for something new to bring out and to give people their money’s worth plus more. I want to make sure that they want to come back the next time after seeing me on stage. How did you get started in the game? My brother was a DJ before me, and he decided to start teaching me how to spin on the one’s and two’s back when I was in the 4th grade. At that same time I started playing saxophone, and he saw the potential in me at that time. He knew I wanted to do music. I was very musically inclined so he decided to start showing me how to work on my techniques and everything just started moving from there. What is your trademark as a DJ? My trademark is really my persona, what you see. I wear a Mohawk, which is pretty much like a half Mohawk ‘cause it’s just on top of my head, and of course when I get up on stage I don’t look like the type of person you might see walking through a mall. I wear a uniform, and my uniform is a kilt. I rock the kilt on stage and then my antics on stage is what really gets people going. I’m not just behind the turntables. I jump out in front of the tables, I jump on top of the table, I may jump off the table. I go down and do a couple of things with Akon. I get on top of the speakers, I dance on top of the speakers, jump off the speakers. I spray fire onstage, I do break-dance moves on stage. I stand on my head; I do all types of different things. Like I said, I’m an entertainer. That’s why I got the name now as being the “World’s Most Entertaining DJ.” I’m out there, and I’m not afraid to do extra stuff. A lot of the big name DJ’s out there give me so much props. They tell me, “You’re doin’ things I wish I could do.” But they’ve got their own lanes, and I’ve got my own lane. I’m just always looking to entertain myself as well as the people who come to see me perform. I imagine your energy and persona is what attracted Akon to solicit your services, but how did you two link up? I moved to Atlanta from the Virgin Islands back in 2001, and I was a member of the Virgin Island super-group Rock City. We had already put out three albums in the Virgin Islands, and we decided, we’re so big here [in V.I.], why don’t we take it to America and see if we’re really cut out to be in the music industry? So decided to move to Atlanta, and we came and just started going to all open mics we could find. Every open mic from 2001 to 2003, we were just killing ‘em. Everybody started talkin’ about these three island guys, two guys on the mic and then this crazy DJ. This was right around the time Akon was getting looked at by different labels for his music, and he was saying to himself, “Man, I really need a DJ for what I’m gonna be doing.” So once Akon heard about this crazy DJ from islands he decided to come to one of our shows. One of my guys introduced us, and I was like, “Hey, Akon, nice to meet you.” Akon told me, “Yo, be easy. I’m here for you. Do your show, come back, and we’ll talk.” I did my show, and after that he told me needed a DJ, and that he wanted me to DJ for him.
thedjbooth
benny d Words by Eric Perrin // Photo by Sophia Jones
84 // OZONE MAG
What’s next for the “World’s Most Entertaining DJ?” I want to get into a lot more production. I did tracks on both Akon’s Trouble album and the Konvicted album. I’m one of the main producers for the Rock City, the super group out of the Virgin Islands. I’ve produced for Fishscales from the Nappy Roots, Sonny Valentine, and Willie Joe; all of them are tentative with their albums coming out. Also, I’m trying to get into the acting. I can definitely see myself on the silver screen, because my personality is so there, and I’m outgoing, and I’m daring, and I’m ready for any challenge. I get a lot of encouragement from my industry friends like Busta Rhymes, Doug E. Fresh, and Fatman Scoop. All these people are telling me I’ve gotta do it. // www.myspace.com/supervillainbeats