Daily Inspiration: Meet Diego Rodriguez

Today we’d like to introduce you to Diego Rodriguez.

Hi Diego, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I started djing since I was 13 years old. I started doing house parties in high school, which got my name around, and started growing my name in the industry at only 17 years old; djed all over Los Angeles along with out-of-state gigs such as Las Vegas, Seattle, Arizona, Texas, and Pennsylvania. I have opened up for artists such as Justin Bieber, Ray Jay, Marcus Houston, Pitt Bull, e40, Hardwell, Too Short, Odesza, Chainsmokers, and Lil John just to name a few.

Now that I’m 34 years old, I have solidified my name and dj 250 days off the year. I’ll be releasing monthly mixes every month (which you can download through a link in my bio on Instagram @djblacksheep_). If you love music as much as I do, you will love this. It’s like a rollercoaster of emotions. As of now, my weekly residencies are Friday night at the lighthouse in Hermosa Beach – Saturday at American Junkie in Hermosa Beach, Sunday at 1212 in Santa Monica, along with La Boheme in West Hollywood. I also have pop-up gigs throughout the week, which I update every weekend on my Instagram.

This year, I plan of reaching new advances throughout the country

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road. Getting in the industry at 17 wasn’t easy, and I had to prove myself to the older Des that I belonged there and I had to open up for about two years just to prove that I wanted it and that I belonged there; most of the times I wasn’t even getting paid but all the hard work paid off.

Also missed a lot of time with my family and friends, such as birthdays and gatherings. But now, I limit myself to taking at least 3-4 days off to reconnect and enjoy my time with the people I love, which is important to me.

Also in this nightlife industry, you can easily get sucked into alcoholism easy, and for a time, I was getting in a hole and realized and started to take care of myself along with my mental health; I had friends dj gave up djing because it was just draining them mentally and physically and I’m just glad I found a balance.

Also, hearing “Can you play bunny!?!” is a struggle.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
So I’m a DJ, and I use various techniques, such as beatmatching and crossfading, doing live mash-ups, and scratching. To maintain a smooth flow and keep the energy of the audience alive, skill that combines musical knowledge, technical proficiency, and a keen understanding of crowd dynamics. I always go to a gig with a blank canvas; I don’t like to do a pre-set because I don’t know what kind of crowd I’m getting that night and also keeps me excited to find that groove to get everyone going.

I’m proud of being the 10x South Bay dj of the year. Solified my passion and dedication to this. Getting to meet and become friends with people I looked up to as a kid. Getting to DJ for the LA Galaxy.

What sets me apart from others is the ability to transfer my energy through music. My sets consist of multiple genres clashing together, bringing out all the emotions and also having a twist, which is why my DJ name is black sheep (I do my own thing and not follow the normal template). Also the ability to help other DJs to reach their goals. Growing up, trying to be a DJ wasn’t easy, and I didn’t get a lot of chances. Now that I have the ability to give people that, I enjoy seeing other DJs succeed.

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
Some of my favorite childhood memories is the block parties lol, I was born in Mexico City and since I can remember my family always had parties and just a bunch of joy which I know it basically grew up into it. My family always showed me how to be a good host along with honoring your name.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @djblacksheep_
• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/djblacksheep10/tracks

Image Credits
Patrick Holmes Bijan