A thick, surging bass rumbled through the air as bodies twisted, swayed and shifted beside the stage. Lights spun against the wall and danced along the floor, just as the crowd moved to loud, seductive beats booming from the speakers. Only the music—no words at all—could be heard.
When the announcer finally revealed the winner of the Georgia State’s Project X DJ Competition, the crowd erupted into a rapturous applause: DJ Roco took the title for first place.
When 23-year-old Rodgerick Copeland, known by his stage name DJ Roco, isn’t studying to complete his computer science major, he’s hard at work compiling new sets and practicing his technique.
Copeland’s journey into the world of DJing began as an eighth grader creating mix CDs and handing them out to his friends. According to Copeland, it foreshadowed his future endeavors.
But those future exploits couldn’t have been possible without the radio.
“One day I was listening to the radio, and I heard mix shows like Hot 107.9 and V-103, and I was interested in the mixing. You put one song on top of another and it amplifies it,” Copeland said.
Copeland bought his first audio mixing program, Virtual DJ, and saved money from his job at Kroger to buy turntables. DJing quickly became more than just a passing interest.
“I would practice day and night, day and night. It wasn’t an easy process. It took roughly three years to become efficient at scratching and blending,” Copeland said.
Copeland said that his musical inspirations can be separated between artists inside and outside the disc jockey scene. His favorite DJs include DJ QBert, Hershey and Spinz, while his favorite rappers include T.I. and Kanye West.
When Copeland first started, however, his family was not certain of his decision to plunge into the disc jockey scene. He recalled his family’s apprehensive reactions to his newfound interest.
“They kind of shook it off… I wouldn’t say entirely, but it wasn’t a reality for them. It wasn’t there yet,” Copeland said.
As Copeland gradually began landing small events at cookouts and birthday parties, earning his first payments and working his way into the clubs, his parent’s reception gradually changed as well.
“They started becoming believers. They started saying ‘wow, he’s really doing it.’ My sister’s there in the background going “Go Rodgerick, go Rodgerick,'” Copeland said.
The years of hard work paid off Wednesday, April 9, at Project X DJ Competition, where Copeland won the battle for first place.
“It felt like I won the Superbowl or something. It felt good to put work into your set and have it pay off,” Copeland said as a smile spread across his face.
Tips for DJing
1. Play for the crowd, not just yourself
2. Learn the business side
3. Stay humble
4. Practice your craft
5. Have fun with it
