Today we’d like to introduce you to Jorge Ruiz
Hi Jorge, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
The year was 2017 and I had just wrapped up my freshman year at USF (University of San Francisco). In preparation for my sophomore year as a student-athlete, I had agreed to spend the summer playing in Bremerton,Washington. Before I took off to Washington, I was able to head back to my hometown of Mission Hills, CA, located in the Valley, for about a week or so. During this time, I was able to a pay a visit to a good friend of mine, who also happens to be my older brother’s best friend since the 6th grade. This friend of ours was THE GUY when it came to all music for me, and coincidentally we even share the same last name! From DJ’n our high school parties, to building his own studio in his backyard, I would get filled with excitement to go over his house to watch him DJ and produce. With every visit to his place, my curiosity steadily grew. In the earlier visits, I wasn’t even really tryna learn just yet but, I did want to try to understand what he was doing.
After a few years of these visits, this quick trip back home was the official start of it all. I paid a visit to my friend’s house and that was the day I just said, “F*ck it.” I told him that I was going to be gone for the summer but that I wanted to try to learn to DJ just for the f*ck of it. Who knows, maybe it’ll come in handy someday, right? Well, he was stoked to finally hear those words! Truth is, he would always ask me if I wanted to try practicing with him but I thought it would be more helpful to just watch and pick up on the things that he was doing. Once I understood enough, then maybe I’d give it. shot. Here and there I’d touch the decks a tiny bit but nothing more than that. So, at this time, an actual controller wasn’t really in my mind yet. It was really all about learning the fundamentals. Since I was going to be gone for the summer with a hefty amount of free time, he said to me that the number one thing I should try to learn first is the most important foundation of DJ’n – beat matching two songs. He then went onto my laptop and he installed this free DJ app that would turn out to be the kickstart and backbone of my learning for the next year.
I spent all summer long f*cking around with this app and would eventually take it back with me to SF where I would end up DJ’n quite a good amount of pregames, parties, and afters at my apartment off this one screen – it was f*cking tough! Thankfully, my friends and guests were usually a few deep and just enjoying tunes, not really noticing the pretty damn rough mixes haha. So for the next year, this was really how I practiced and in the summer of 2018 I decided that I was ready for my first controller. To give a bit of a backstory, I lived and pretty much managed the ‘Soccer House’ at my school which mostly always, was the hub for all the pregames and parties for my team and I. I constantly had people over my apartment and always wanted to provide them with safe but also memorable experience. I thought to myself, what could be more memorable than having a dope setup, with a live DJ, in the living room, of on SF apartment? Well it wasn’t very long after that I went and got myself a Pioneer SX3 and a light bar… that’s when shit got real.
I spent the next few years polishing my skills and just tryna learn to DJ any genre really but, for me, I always knew dance music was really where my heart was. A hip-hop kid at heart but a dance enthusiast behind those decks. The only thing I wish I would’ve done differently during my years at USF would’ve been to get out of my comfort zone and try to get some gigs at maybe a local bar or somewhere that I really could’ve tested my skills by playing for people I didn’t know. I firmly believe that would’ve really benefited me in the long run but, I think during that time, I just didn’t know if I was good enough for that yet. The one gig I did have was in the summer of 2019 for my buddy’s boat birthday party and that shit went the f*ck off! S/o to my guy for that because that day genuinely made me feel like I can f*ckin’ do this shit and people are enjoying it. Love you so much for that Rossonero bro! But from that point on, I just kept trying to practice whenever I could even if it was just by myself in my room.
This continued for the next few years while at the same time, my love for DJ’n house music IMMENSELY began to grow. I already f*cking loved house music but every time I began to DJ, I just started to gravitate towards the 120+ BPM’s. 2020 was really the next turning point for me. With all the free time the pandemic caused, it was just me and my SX3 versus the world! And to all of my neighbors during these years, I’m terribly sorry and thank y’all so much for bearing with me! This was when I really cracked down on tryna go for a certain “sound” or just focus one genre to master and the answer was always right in front of me. Yup, you guessed it – HOUSE MUSIC. That’s when I went all in on house music and to this day, I have never looked back.
Being all by myself in my SF apartment with not much to do allowed me to just mix for hours. This let me really begin to understand the arrangements of house music and really understand the anatomy of a house track. So, I continued to constantly practice until I moved back home to the valley in August of 2020. My lifelong dream was always to play soccer professionally. To this day, I believe I was put in this world to play soccer and after spending my whole life trying to achieve this goal, probably the hardest realization I’ve ever had to endure in my life was that my dream probably wasn’t going to happen. Nothing else in the world brought me the same happiness that soccer brought me. It did take me a long time to realize but the only thing that came close was that drop that made people go crazy or looking out on the dance floor and seeing everyone having a blast thanks to my music! In a few words, music really saved my life. I was lost for quite some time. I was going through tons of other real world shit from debt to heartbreak and I didn’t know where my life was headed. Music helped me feel like there is still a place for me in this world, and today, I am f*cking sure of it. But anyways, back to the journey.
When I got back to the valley, the pandemic still had us all f*cked up. I had one goal when I returned and I wasn’t gonna stop doing all I can until I made it happen. My first actual gig! So as before, I continued to practice and grow my skills DJ’n house music. I decided it was probably a good time to start to network a bit and find a way in ANYWHERE. So, I turned to Instagram to give me a helping hand. I started to look for event company’s, bars, clubs, friends, f*cking anything or anyone who would be willing to book me. It was around May 2021 when I was scrolling. through my feed and saw something that really caught my eye. We were finally being allowed to be outside again and I saw this label/team promoting a rave in the hills of Sylmar which, if you know the valley, is f*cking unheard of!
So, this group had their event and for whatever reason I wasn’t able to attend but I saw all the posts about it and thought it was f*cking awesome. I knew I had to try to get in touch with whoever was in charge, so they’d consider me for the next one. I gave them a follow and sent them a DM saying how dope it looked and that i’d love to attend the next one. To my surprise, they followed me back and told me I should. From there, I always kept up with them and one day they posted that they were looking for DJs for their next event and I didn’t hesitate to respond. They asked me if I had ever sold tickets before and I hadn’t but, I knew if they just gave me one chance, my friends would show up for me and that’s exactly what happened. I had done it! October 2021, Catch One, hosted by Inertia Presents – my first club gig. I’ll never forget it! After years of busting my ass, I finally felt like I am finally getting my foot in the door. I want to give a HUGE s/o to Judson and the whole Inertia team man, that’s f*cking family right there! They gave me my first real chance ever and I will always be so grateful for that.
I like to think I got to where I’m at today by being present. Showing up and supporting the events I want to spin at. Talking to people and networking whenever I can. Giving them a follow on social media and interacting and being supportive even on there. Shit, sometimes even shooting my shot and just sending a DM on Instagram to a group/person has gotten me a response so f*ck it, I’ll keep shooting. These things have gotten me a good number of actual gigs, at actual clubs, with actual pay (sometimes!) but, I think there is one thing above all that is the most crucial and important. Through my 7 year journey so far, I’ve come to learn that nothing else will get you further in this industry than being a good human being. I genuinely believe that for me, this has helped me the most. It has introduced me to amazing friends and people in this industry that have allowed me to grow immensely as an artist. Have a good heart in all you do and give it your all no matter who is in front of you. I do this shit because I f*cking love it. And I will never stop loving it. It’s been almost 3 years now since that first gig and I am still busting my ass for more because I am nowhere f*cking near where I want to be yet! Dance music is here to stay.
Well, thank you so much for listening to my story up until now. The valley has so many talented people and I just hope we can continue to prove that to the world. A lot of greatness has come from here and will continue to. Wherever life may take me, the valley will always be with me. That will never f*cking change! So, if you haven’t been to a Juru show yet come on out and free yo’ mind on the dance floor because ~ all Jreamers are welcome ~ peace!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. There have been, and still are, plenty of struggles I’ve had to endure. I think some struggles that I’ve had are pretty typical for any upcoming DJ. DJ’n empty rooms, having to sell a certain amount of tickets, clearing out rooms, not getting paid, and of course, comparing yourself to others. Once you start to compare yourself to others and how they’re doing, you will go down this rabbit hole that’ll leave you and your self esteem in a bad place. For me personally, the biggest struggles I think I’ve had along the way are getting more gigs (especially weekly), not always having my friends there with me along the way, and reaching an audience of people that don’t know me personally but, want to come to a Juru show to hear Juru.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I think for me what I’m most proud of is what I achieved in my life doing what I believe I was put on this Earth to do. Soccer. I had such an amazing career with the best of times in my life and with some of the best of friends I’ve ever made. I’ll cherish it all forever but will also always miss it. I like to think that’s what led me to music and thanks to that I was able to start producing and putting all those emotions into original music that I hope to share with the world someday! As for work, I live the typical 9-5 just trying to stay afloat so that I can pursue my aspirations as an artist. I think what could set me apart from others, especially in some of the music I’m currently working on, is just telling my stories. Being able to put exactly how I’m feeling or once was feeling into a musical piece truly makes me feel the beauty of music. My biggest inspirations music wise are Eminem and The Killers. What sets these legends apart from others is that they always speak about what they know and what matters to them. They are so vulnerable and transparent with their music that so many people can relate, even if it’s just one line. I don’t know if I’ll ever be as anywhere near as brilliant as them but I sure as hell could always try!
What was your favorite childhood memory?
Wow, this a f*cking tough one! I have so many great memories I can think of but I guess if I had to choose one it would have be watching the 2002 World Cup final. I was 4 years old at the time and my love for soccer couldn’t even be measured. It was everything to me, even by then. I fell in love with Brazil and everything about them. I’d tell my parents how I’m going to play for them someday and would end up crying when they would tell me I wouldn’t be able to because I’m Salvadoran. They should’ve just f*cking lied to me but I respect the honesty haha! The WC that year was hosted by Korea/Japan and the final ended up being Brazil vs Germany – two powerhouses. But my favorite player was Ronaldo Fenomeno or R9. He was the best player in the f*cking world and on that day he sure as hell proved it. He scored both goals and Brazil won 2-0. Their record leading 5th World Cup win. The reason it’s my favorite memory though is because I vividly remember watching this game lying with my parents and just being the happiest kid on the planet. It was immediately after that game that I said to myself, “this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I’m going to be a pro and the best player in the world someday.” I told my dad I can’t wait any longer and I joined my first team very shortly after that. The rest is history
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @officialjuru
- Twitter: @juruoffical
- Soundcloud: https://www.soundcloud.com/officialjuru
- Other: TikTok – @officialjuru_
