WHAT KIND OF CREATIVE WORK DO YOU DO?
I am a DJ. I play a wide range of electronic and club music, from techno, jungle, and breakcore to ghetto tech, footwork, bouyon, riddim, gqom, Miami bass, UK garage, and different genre-specific remixes. I like being able to move between sounds and create a set that feels unpredictable but still makes sense.
For me, DJing is more than just playing songs. It's a way to create an environment where people can forget about everything going on around them. I want people to leave my sets feeling a little more hopeful than when they came in.
WHAT ELSE DO YOU DO TO HELP PAY THE BILLS?
Hustle, lol. I'm currently in college, and I recently completed an internship at a Big Four accounting firm in the city. I also have a job on the side while I'm in school.
ANY ADVICE FOR CREATIVES LIKE YOU?
Never give up. Anything is possible, and I genuinely believe the universe will guide you if you keep putting the work in. I know that sounds cliché, but it's something I've learned from my own life.
There have been plenty of moments where things didn't happen the way I wanted them to, but I've learned that you can't let one bad day convince you that your whole journey isn't working. You just have to keep going. Even if you're only getting better by 1% every day, you're still moving forward.
WHAT'S YOUR TAKE ON RETAIL WORK/SCHOOL, AND THE INTERSECTION OF YOUR WORK WITH YOUR CREATIVE PURSUIT?
I feel like Bruce Wayne during the day and Batman at night. During the day, I'm going to school, working, doing internships, and trying to build a normal career for myself and take care of my family and people close to me. Then at night, I get to become Mickelsusb and play music.
I think having that regular life makes the creative side even more important. Music becomes my escape from reality. It's the place where I can completely be myself and keep myself in a good place mentally. The more I keep doing it, the easier it gets.
YOU RECENTLY HAD A SET AT CAFE ERZULI FOR AN ELECTRIC SCAPEGRACE NYFW PARTY, TELL US ABOUT IT. HOW DID IT GO?
I opened for artists like BbyKel, Baby Osama, Six Bill, and more. I had been listening to some of them before they became who they are now, so being in that position myself felt like a full-circle moment. It was one of those nights where I had to stop and realize, "Wow, I'm actually here doing this." It felt like I was in a movie.
Big shoutout to Africa Only for being part of that journey and continuing to support what I'm doing.
WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS?
I want to be headlining major festivals like Coachella and start playing internationally. I want to take my sound outside of the city and eventually outside of the United States.
More than anything, I want to build a career where I can travel the world, play music for different communities, and show people that you really can create something for yourself if you don't give up.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING AND LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT NEW YORK CITY?
My favorite thing about New York is the people and the culture. There is always something happening, and being around so many different types of people and creatives makes me feel alive here. I feel like you can wake up one day with an idea and actually find people who will help you make it happen.
My least favorite thing is the G train. That's it. ∎
