Today we’d like to introduce you to Tim Hampton better known as “DJ HAMX”.
Tim, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My DJ career began after a series of injuries from playing basketball in high school. Determined to fill this void, I touched my first set of turntables at a friend’s house, & was hooked practicing day and night. I was working part-time in retail to be able to purchase my first set of poor quality plastic turntables. I felt inadequate without the support of a mentor and wanted to quit. Instead, I continued to practice everywhere, every day for blocks of hours at a time because I was genuinely intrigued by the art of being able to elicit emotions from a crowd while elevating the vibe of the room at the same time. It felt incredible and I wanted more!
In college, I maintained my grades while DJing Greek social events, campus concerts and hosted my own college radio station. I hustled and sold my mixtapes which landed a job at the then famous LA radio station 100.3 The Beat. There, I was an on-air DJ, show engineer, and worked with street team and promotions. Things were moving quickly and I started playing nightclubs and hosting my popular monthly college night Rose Petals.
I graduated from Cal State with a degree in Business Administration, specializing in Marketing, and set out to create a career as a DJ. I began to curate a corporate clientele ranging from celebrity events and car companies to runway and fashion. I started to book weddings, corporate events and professional and collegiate sports.
It was at UCLA DJing multiple basketball seasons at Pauley Pavilion and football games at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, where I gained the attention of the major sports production companies in the world. In 2015, I was given the opportunity to be the Music Director and DJ for the Special Olympics in Los Angeles which then opened the doors for my talent to be noticed on the biggest world stage, the Olympics. In 2016 I traveled to the Olympic World Games in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. The opportunities kept coming, completing The Pan American World Games in Peru, the BNP Paribas Open (the largest combined ATP World Tour) and WTA Premier tennis tournament in the world, Tiger Woods’ Genesis Open and so many more. I am now onto my 3rd Olympics with my latest accomplishment capturing my role as Music Director & DJ for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing! I have played to music enthusiasts in small intimate settings to major stadiums around the world. I have met and become friends with so many amazing people from all different walks of life that are all connected and made possible through music and being true to yourself.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
There’s an old saying that goes “nothing worth having comes easy”. Everything that I value and cherish I’ve had to work hard to acquire and maintain. My first gig ever was for $60 and my DJ set was from 8 pm to 2 am and….I was ecstatic and so happy to be playing out live! I had only one crate of vinyl records that I owned at the time so I already knew what my set was going to be before I left my house and I had to repeat quite a few records but hey, that’s where creativity in blending records comes in. I had to pay my dues. I played plenty of free events where I was told “it’ll be a good look for you” and more importantly have had to learn the business side of being a musician. There were times where I’ve wanted to quit because of the challenges I faced with how to book consistently and so on. It’s safe to say that is no longer an issue!
I learned a lot of valuable lessons as a DJ & as a business owner. I made a lot of mistakes along the way but the light bulb finally went on when I asked myself a serious question. I asked, “the successful person that I aspire to be, what does that person’s life look like and am I doing the things that they would be doing….in every moment”. I then started to use that as a reference point in my decision making. I now wake up early, go to the gym then get started on my administrative responsibilities all before the sun rises. Not just in work but in every part of my life and it’s been a practice. The struggles were challenging but I don’t take back what I’ve learned from them and who they’ve carved me to be.
With everything in life, we have stages of changes and for me, I have evolved in my music, my business and who I am in this world. Working for myself for the past 20 years, I’ve learned that being true to who you really are and presenting yourself as authentically as possible is the key to success. Knowing the importance of music in my life and the transformation it’s had, I now mentor and teach the art of DJing, something I wish I had while growing up in music myself.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
My stage name, HAMX (pronounced Ham-ten, using the X as a Roman numeral) became official in 2020. Fully embracing who I am as being authentic is where the alias “HAMX” came from. It is a version of my last name! In the past, I was known as DJ Stylez and DaCapo, both names that served me well. To show more of my true self, I am putting the final touches on my first EP under HAMX! I am also 1/2 of the music production duo The Suicide Doors, who are currently releasing new music, remixing and performing live. We have performed at red carpet premieres, sold out iconic venues such as The House of Blues, and still enjoy playing private intimate events for our closest supporters.
I am a DJ and music producer. I play music to live events around the world and love dropping my original music in there as well! I produce original and remix musical compositions that are available on online streaming platforms and used for television and film. Aside from those endeavors, I spend time investing and building businesses I believe in.
What sets me apart from others is my extreme professionalism, attention to detail, and the ability to connect with people on a deeper level than most. I am most proud of my focus on always improving and striving to exceed expectations, including my own. I over-prepare, always show up early, put in the work and fully embrace who I am at every event, big or small.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I was a very shy (and still shy sometimes) individual. I did well in school and got along with my classmates. I played team sports, basketball and was involved in other extracurricular activities such as the Future Business Leaders Association (FBLA) and treasurer for multiple organizations. I enjoyed playing outside with my friends but I still loved to get competitive in video games. I loved taking long bike rides across local cities and exploring. I have always had an adventurous spirit and spending so much of my childhood outdoors encouraged that curiosity. After playing outside with my friends until it got dark, my mother would call me in for dinner. It was a tradition for us to share a meal and talk about how our days were and what we learned in school that day. Weekends were saved for club basketball and other fun SoCal activities. My family is from Jamaica so the beach was always a great spot for us. I had the most fun hanging out with my little sister and playing the big bro protector role.
My groups of friends were very diverse from backgrounds to interests. I hung out with the jocks and nerds and it felt cool because I identified with both social groups. Being all-inclusive is just the way I was raised and that’s no different today. I love all backgrounds and through that, I’ve learned that being open and accepting of every culture and their similarities along with their differences is a big advantage in understanding how the world really works. It is also reflective of what the world actually looks like, so I believe that this understanding of my upbringing is an asset. It was with music that I have always been able to fully be myself. Taking the sounds I love and transforming them in a whole new way excites me and I look forward to the rest of the journey!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.hamxofficial.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/hamxofficial
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/hamxofficial
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