The role DJs play in the music ecosystem cannot be overstated and undervalued. In the grand scheme of things, DJs are the vessels that help connect artists to their audiences outside music streaming platforms.
As taste makers, they have been instrumental in dictating what listeners consume and the marketing of sounds at one point or the other. Following in the footsteps of the many DJs before him is Ghanaian DJ and creative curator Adom Samuel Opoku widely known as AD DJ. As someone who grew up around music, it was not surprising that he ended up becoming a DJ during his time in university.
With a career spanning a decade, AD DJ has risen through the ranks starting off as young a student DJ, winning the inaugural YFM campus DJ competition to being an integral part of Ghana’s biggest urban radio station YFM and currently a leading name in Ghana’s ever evolving night life space as resident DJ at Front/Back in Osu and a regular at other notable nightclubs in the country.
His attention to detail and understanding the craft of Djing has earned him several nominations, won him awards and seen him play on some of the biggest stages in and outside Ghana. With a decade under his belt, AD is widening his scope in the music ecosystem from just being a DJ to venturing into music and championing the amplification of African music and culture through his craft as a DJ and an event curator.
He talks about all this, his life, career and his journey as an event curator amplifying African music in a conversation with GQ.
For those who do not know AD DJ, who is AD DJ?
AD DJ is a professional DJ who has spent 10 years of his career championing night life in Accra, Ghana primarily, even though he started his professional journey on Radio. In recent years, AD DJ has taken on a new interest of seeing the world through his career, Djing while experiencing new cultures. AD DJ is an ambitious and talented individual who is constantly striving to break new boundaries and master his craft. AD DJ is someone who isn’t scared to take on new challenges each day of his life because of his unending desire for knowledge and growth.
GQ: Growing up in Ghana, it is complicated to be open about wanting to be in the creative space. How was your journey as a young adult getting into the space and how receptive was your family?
AD DJ: At the beginning of my career, I was in university, it was challenging combining it with school work but I was lucky enough to have had open minded people around me who constantly believed in my choice of career. As for my parents, they were happy with my decision as long as I put school and education first. They supported me especially as I navigated my way to being more financially independent.
GQ: What are your earliest memories of being a DJ? Which people can you point out as being influential in your decision to become a DJ?
AD DJ: My earliest memories of being a DJ was my time on campus when I had just started playing around with the DJ software and been called by my friends to DJ for their campus mini parties and trusting that I was going to do a decent job. Felix Amartey, an old friend, was very influential in taking it up a notch professionally. He encouraged me to enter the DJ competition that led to working on radio after I won. Another friend, Tasha was always positive about the decision in the very early stages and was always ready to assist me with whatever I needed to keep moving forward. When I got on radio KillerFingers was like a mentor and a guide to me. There are many others that have played small but influential parts that I will always appreciate.
GQ: As someone who has been in the space for some years now, how would you describe the DJ scene now as against how it was back then?
AD DJ: Back when I was starting, the DJ scene didn’t have much of a buzz or much recognition. Over the years the internet has made it much easier for the general public to appreciate the craft and what it really entails. Technology and the growth of social media have also greatly improved the DJ scene. Now it is very easy to put out your work on social media and get people to discover and relate with your craft without necessarily having to be present for your gigs or performance.
GQ: DJs are the bridge between artists and consumers. As a DJ how would you describe the value the industry ascribes to you and your colleagues?
AD DJ: As a bridge between artists and consumers, I personally think DJ’s aren’t awarded the respect needed to compensate for the work they do especially in the circles of afrobeats and other connecting genres. The industry seems to think the work of a DJ is automatic and doesn’t place much value on it. Most artists feel entitled to their songs being played by DJ(s) and the consumer is always not patient enough for DJs to do their work and always feel they know better.
GQ: YKTFV. For those hearing about this for the first time, talk to us about this event and what prompted the need for its creation.
AD DJ: YKTFV all started when I felt the need to unlock my potential and give more of my talent to friends and people around me who appreciated what I was doing. It was always for the reason of consistency where regardless of whatever residency I lost or found it was going to be a constant avenue to experience AD DJ. YKTFV as it grew, always became a hub to nurture new and upcoming DJs by giving them a platform to express themselves and also to learn more about what the career entails. YKTFV has many things in store for the future and seeks to spread its wings across the continent and the world at large.
GQ: You recently put out music with DJay also from Ghana, why music and should we be expecting more of this?
AD DJ: The decision to drop music was to mark the 10-year anniversary of my DJ career. The single is just the first of a possible Ep I will be dropping, so you should be expecting more. As I grow as a DJ I am gradually transcending into new spaces such as an artist, a producer and more, it’s all part of the growth and broadening my scope. I want to be able to be at the point where I am booked to play my own materials (songs, remixes, etc) . It's only just the beginning of a much bigger thing with my debut song “Come inside”.
GQ: As DJs, you are one of the biggest exporters of music and culture and you have shown that with your event YKTFV. With your current event slated for Kenya, what will you say is the role of the event in promoting collaboration between Ghana and Kenya and the other countries the YKTFV train will be landing in soon?
AD DJ: So, as I find out about interesting cultures in my travels, I also get to understand the similarities and differences hence the need for collaboration and connection amongst these cultures through music. Also, music plays a very big role in the collaboration between countries, for instance Ghana and Kenya. Nairobi, Kenya has been warm to me and is becoming like a second home to me. YKTFV in Kenya is themed “Biggest Afrobeats Party.” Afrobeats is at its peak and this plays a great role in connecting people from our walk of life in this instance Nairobi, Kenya.
GQ: As a culture figure what do you have to say about the trajectory of African music currently and what do you feel DJs especially yourself can do to make the most of the attention African music and arts is getting?
AD DJ: As I mentioned earlier African music especially Afrobeats is at its peak and it's currently getting all the needed attention, this is also creating a chance for DJs like myself to travel to other countries while doing the same thing we do back home. In 2023 alone, I was able to visit over 10 countries, just through playing Afrobeats. Countries that aren’t very Afrobeats oriented are open to putting events together and having DJ’s like myself come through and show off our talent. Basically, I am seeing the world through Afrobeats and doing what I like at the same time.
GQ: The year is still young but you have been involved in so many things so far, what other things should readers and your followers be looking forward to?
AD DJ: “CITY NEXT TOUR.” This is basically a tour that I’ve put together this year after a very successful 2023 where I was able to see over 10 cities through my work.
The first phase of the CITY NEXT TOUR was in the first quarter of 2024, and featured cities like Nairobi, Abidjan,Cape Town, Pretoria, Dar es salam and Johannesburg.
The second phase will feature cities like Kampala, Lomé, Paris, Munchie, Addis Ababa, Doha and many more.
YKTFV has its first international edition in Nairobi but that won’t be the last, we are planning on hitting South Africa and Nigeria hopefully before the year ends. Lastly, as part of the 10-year celebrations, there is going to be a mini ‘thank you’ event for my employers, fans, stakeholders and the general public towards the end of the year.
GQ: What's the most memorable event you've ever played at and why?
AD DJ: My most Memorable event will be Afrofuture 2023. I had the last DJ set before the Day 1 headliner. There are two reasons why it was memorable for me. Firstly, I believe I set the tone so well for the headliner and secondly, I played almost everything the crowd wanted to hear and more. The feedback during and after my performance was endless. At the end of the day my employer and audience were very pleased.
GQ: How do you balance traditional Ghanaian music with the international sounds in your sets?
AD DJ: So, what I play totally depends on who is listening. Once I know I have a trusted audience who have a lot of faith in my delivery, I am at liberty to experiment. This is where I sometimes introduce mashups and blends of other international sounds. It is also the opposite when I find myself on international stages, where I introduce traditional Ghanaian music (afrobeats, hiplife, Hilife, etc) during my international gigs.
GQ: How do you engage with your audience during a performance?
Audience engagement during performances comes in the form of allowing them to sing some very popular lyrics to songs out loud and creating a vibe where they feel included. Also, playing back some of the crowd's favourites or even simply just starting the song from the top generates an uncontrollable euphoria in the crowd. These little gestures go a long way to hype up the crowd and get the party or event going.
GQ: What advice would you give to aspiring DJs in Ghana who look up to you?
My advice to aspiring DJs is to stay focused on your strengths and always work to better your weaknesses. Don’t compare yourself to anyone, copy or try to jack someone’s style. Identification is very important and be as accessible as possible in your early days. Build your audience and grow with them.
Written By Nana Kojo Mula
