Meet DJ Dem Ones | Artist DJ & Creative Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with DJ Dem Ones and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi DJ Dem Ones, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Risk taking has played a big role in my life & career. I had never DJ’d a day in my life before saying yes to becoming an artist DJ. I wasn’t performing in front of large crowds and to be honest i wasn’t even sure what DJing for an artist really meant in the grand scheme of things. But after committing to being an artist DJ for a year I made the decision to quit my serving job to pursue DJing full time. That meant not having a steady income, never really knowing when shows would come in and hustling side jobs during slow seasons. Personally I think stepping away from the normal 9-5 lifestyle and taking the plunge into entrepreneurship is one of the biggest risks a person can take. But i also think that it can feel the most rewarding. Pushing yourself past the limitations you set on yourself is the most rewarding risk you can ever take.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend was visiting me for a week i would want to take them to places i like and also choose places we both have never been together. I would love to do something active like bike riding along Lakeshore, or playing beach volley ball at Woodbine Beach. I like walking through Kensington Market and breezing through some of the thrift stores. We would definitely have to hit up a patio for drinks and good food and then go to a bar for more drinks and dancing.

Personally I think Toronto has a lot to offer. It’s a very multi cultural and diverse city. If you want to do touristy things i would suggest to try and catch a baseball game at the Rogers Center or take an elevator ride up to the top of the CN tower.

If you want to be where the locals are i would suggest either Queen West, King Street, or Kensington Market.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to take a moment to shoutout a few important people in my life; starting with Haviah Mighty and the whole Mighty Gang team. If it wasn’t for Haviah I wouldn’t be DJing. Thank you for always recognizing my talents and giving me these incredible opportunities to showcase them. The Mighty Gang team; Taabu, Omega, Drew & Renay, thank you for always showing up for me and pushing me to be the best version of myself. Shout out to ya’ll for the endless support we give one another. It truly is unmatched. I’d like to also shoutout my mom for always letting me express my creativity and for helping me whenever i need it.

Instagram: @djdem.ones

Image Credits
@fleenormality @amandaleecoffey