Life & Work with Austin Tiv of Sacramento

Today we’d like to introduce you to Austin Tiv.

Hi Austin, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I started out with dancing when I was young. I grew up in Modesto in a part of town that was very easy to get in trouble, so dance was my escape. I did a lot of breakdancing and crazy stunts. After that, I started rapping with my friends for fun, where i further worked on my musicality. I picked up the guitar, drums, piano, and ukulele. My whole childhood revolved around music, but my parents are traditional and did not support any of my passions. I joined the military right out of high school and lost touch with the musical practices, but when I finished my service, I moved to Sacramento and went to my first rave. EDM changed my life in many ways. It made me realize that I was missing out on so much more in life. It snapped me out of this depressive, going with the flow type of mindset I had. In 2024, I went to a show called ISOKNOCK bay area, where this completely changed my perspective on EDM music and music in general. Their energy as performers completely changed how I saw DJs. At this show, I learned that music can be way more than what I thought it was. The music I fell so deeply in love with at this show had no words, yet I felt like I related to it heavily. It made me move in a way that expressed my frustration and release. The music with hardly any words spoke to me deeper than any song I have sang along to. This event greatly inspired me to get back into music and I bought an FLX-4 to learn how to DJ. I had always been on stage and learning anything with music always came natural, so I picked it up and over time evolved into “Prolifik” Prolifik is based off the word prolific which means an abundance. To me that means the word is based in community, an abundance of support and love. Community is the most important thing to me in this scene.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Definitely not a smooth road. I faced anxiety, criticism, and there are many challenges to wanting to throw community events as a dj. Such as pop ups getting shut down, locations, equipment, etc. I also always say that if you wanna know who your real friends are, just become a DJ. As a DJ you really see who shows up for you. People say they support you, but they wont listen to your mixes, they wont show to your shows, they wont spread the word about you, or they just straight up no show. I learned to really treasure any bit of support I receive, whether that’s from friends, family, or people that straight up just like what I put out.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a EDM DJ who specializes in Trap and bass. My brand is mostly known for promoting a space where people can freely rage but be safe and friendly. Its a fun environment i like to set up where you can go crazy but also make a bunch of friends. I am most proud of the community i have built and the thing that sets me apart from others is how interactive I am with my crowds.

What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The most important lesson I have learned along the way is to stop doubting myself. A lot of the things I accomplished as a DJ have been due to leaps of faith. And that truly does go for anything else in life.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prolifikdj/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Prolifikspins
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/prolifikwitak