Meet Tammi Norman / “Pretty Tammi the DJ” / DJ, Entrepreneur, & Educator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tammi “Pretty Tammi the DJ” Norman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tammi “Pretty Tammi the DJ”, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I am from Shaker Heights, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland. Wonderfully raised by two parents who believed in well-roundedness doing the right thing and always being a lady. My upbringing undoubtedly impacted who I am today. I carry the many lessons I learned growing up in my daily walk.

Luckily, something as simple as just watching my mother, the lady she was, the educator, singer, wife, and mother. The hard-working woman who sacrificed for the home and family, I learned selflessness traits early on and certainly how to conduct myself out in these streets. I pride myself on “being a lady” and I proudly “get it from my Momma!”

Dad always used the word autonomous and was the husband, father, and man of the house. From small-town middle Georgia, he was also educated and hard-working. He provided a wonderful home, life, and upbringing for my sister, brother, and myself. I am blessed and so proud of the woman I am today. Humble, God-fearing, fun, charismatic, and a lover of music, people, and education. I couldn’t ask for a better path. God has been faithful.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I was raised in a household that believed strongly in education. Both parents were college educated with Master’s Degrees so I knew I’d be going to college but I felt differently about “becoming a teacher until retirement”, without fully exploring my creative side. As somewhat of a shy kid, I knew I had talent, and dreams and I secretly thought outside the box so it would take appeasing my parents for a while in order to really be able to tap into these areas. These dreams were going to be chased! Period.

Today, my professional career along with my creative career collided very nicely. I do work in Education and have to some extent been in some area of Education since I left high school. By the time I got to grad school, all I could find myself doing was downloading music, grabbing tracks, asking dj friends to send me crates on hard drives and really begin to grasp what I felt was finally about to happen. While teaching in the local school district, I began embracing my teenage dream of becoming a dj and was building my music library while trying to focus on Quantitative Methods in grad school. #epicfail. I was a first-year graduate student at my Alma Mater, Kentucky State University, unmotivated and I was 41 years old.

I got to this place TODAY, by doing just what I wanted to do! lol I honored my parents’ vision by having “something to fall back on”, while now teaching youth during the day, adults in the evenings, and DJing as my full-time gig. Easy? Not breezy but I push. I’m strong. I got through. I have to find a way to always get through.

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?
We in the A-T-L, baby! What????? lol There is electricity and magic in the air around this place and that’s exactly what led me here once it was time to come! (plus Freaknik ’93 sold me already)

The energy feels magnificent, the people, the weather, the history, the pride, the food, nightlife, and festivals are amazing! The simple fact that there is always something to do, someplace to be, somewhere to go and someone who will alllllllways need a deejay! lol #prettytammithedj! (wink)

My bestie JUST came and by me being a DJ, our itinerary was packed! But if I should happen to be gig-free for the weekend, (very unlikely. wink.), we’re definitely hitting some good food spots like Busy Bee, NOBU, Pappadaeux’s, or Slutty Vegan, then creep out to Buckhead to Lenox or Phipps Plaza to window shop a lil. Have drinks at 5 Church, The Sugar Factory or the Blue Martini, then gots to make our way to the Tabernacle or City Winery for a dope live show. Live music is a must! Wanna boogie a little, Whiskey Mistress or get a lil rachet at Central Station off Old National Hwy. Church service Sunday morning at ANY of the awesome mega churches I often dj for and then lunch at Park Tavern or just chill, catch up, and laugh for hours outside at Peidmont Park. Take one of the ATL Segway or Bus tours,…. its TOO much to do! That’s why I love it here!

This list can go on,…. 🙂

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Gots to Shoutout MANY who helped facilitate my dream of becoming a DJ. A dream I had since age 14. So-
DJ Inspirations – D-Nice, but the girls call me Derrick, Eddie F, Jam Master Jay, Cut Creator, Eric B, Pete Rock, Jazzy Joyce & Spinderella, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Mike Loe, DJ Shaolin and SO many more!

I have to shout out a few that poured into me in major ways and those are Kemba, Eric, Mikey, Shaheed, Regg, Tisha, my parents & brother in heaven and I MUST thank God for my many gifts! HE gets the largest Shoutout EVER! #GodChick

I gotta say there are some people who weren’t the least bit surprised when I started deejaying at age 43. I want to thank you for that level of support and for the ones that jumped right on board once I started,… You are LOVED because y’all really ride for Pretty Tammi the DJ! That all has been amazing!

Also, shout out to ME!! For dreaming still, even in my 40s. For pressing through the hesitancy and even the slight embarrassment of doing something I ALWAYS wanted to do, and actually doing it so late in life. Kudos to ME for doing ME! Yes!

Instagram: @prettytammithedj

Facebook: Tammi Norman

Image Credits
Photo Cred: Heather lashun Photography