On a Friday night, as the sun sets over the Shinnecock Canal, dj toy hitches a ride from the Bentley Hotel to go to work at the Capri. A city dweller, with a midtown career during the week, toy transitions to Hamptons-mode on the weekend. Tonight she is the only DJ on the roster at the Capri’s Bathing Club, which is anchored by Nobu’s outdoor bar. Here her audience consists of spry financiers, media moguls, locals, and A-Listers.
Last Saturday afternoon, spyehampton sat down with dj toy to learn how this lively young lady from San Fran wound up making waves at a bastion of Southampton nightlife.
[spyehampton] When and where did you first begin DJing?
[toy] I was 18 and attended the Scratch DJ Academy (NY, LA, Miami), they really give you all the tools to succeed and the rest is up to you. I still DJ open-mic nights with kids who were in my Scratch Academy classes. It’s like a little DJ collective. I also majored in Music Business at NYU.
[sh] Who are your greatest influences—musical, artistic, creative—and why?
[toy] I played piano from a young age; music is something I’ve grown up with. Piano is a melodic and rhythmic instrument, but most classical instruction focuses much more on tonality. I was first attracted to DJ'ing because of scratching and turntablism, which allowed me to explore my interests in rhythm.
DJ Q-Bert, one of the most famous turntablists, is a Filipino guy from San Fran and was a major influence on me—There are not a lot of Asian role models/celebrities. Being a dorky high school Asian kid, I wanted to do something kind of cool. I mean, I went to the same school as Steve Jobs’ kid; I’m a fucking nerd dude!
[sh] What do you bring to the Hamptons that is unique to the live DJ scene?
[toy] I play to the fact that everyone is chilling and on vacation. There’s a wide variety of people here, age groups, and origins, but to kick back and relax unifies them all. So it’s more about the vibe than the party rocking. I spin to get people to look at the drink in their hand and say, I’m having a great time, I want to stay and I want another one.
[sh] Where can you be found in the Hamptons and NYC?
[toy] Gerber bars. W – Hotels. Lex Bar, Whiskey Park, Stonerose, “crazy rooftop parties.” I DJ an East Village party, overlooking Tompkins Square Park. Last time I was there the bums in the park were like, I hear Michael Jackson and it’s coming from the sky?!
Also, Odyssea – Williamsburg. I’m moving to Williamsburg in a week.
[sh] What do you have to say to female DJs, pushing for success in a (traditionally) male-dominated industry?
[toy] When I was coming up with names when I first started DJ’ing, a friend suggested, “DJ Just one of the guys” because that’s the way my friends view me.
There’s a thing that’s both a problem and a good thing about being a female DJ: The image and the expectation; there’s so many big-tittie robot DJs with zero skill and that’s horrible because it makes people expect less of female DJs. ‘A-cup’ over here is not trying to do that! However, low expectations make it easier for a female that’s got the skill, smarts and ability to make a lasting impression. It all depends on how you play the game. I’m about the vibe and the music, the appearance and the persona are part of it, but are secondary to the music. Sometimes that means walking a funny line between wearing a sexy outfit, vs. looking like a tramp. Being a female DJ, you have to step more carefully.
[sh] What do you love about the Hamptons?
[toy] Being from California, it’s the laid back vibe. Working a 9-5 in midtown all fuckin’ week, living downtown, I can’t ask for more; talk about a paid vacation! Everyone is trying to kick back and get sun. I got the 5 days of work and the 2 days of chill.
[sh] What (or where) do you envision as being the pinnacle of your career?
[toy] Right now I get the feeling that I’m at the start of what I want to do. I’m a big picture thinker who is always looking for something bigger. I think that it's a disservice to yourself as a DJ to have such concrete benchmarks—I think so much of this business is chance, not necessarily luck—being in the right place at the right time. It’s not like a normal career where you can expect a raise at a certain point or you work a certain program. You never know who is listening. Any time you’re putting your name on anything, you gotta fucking bring it.
[sh] Disco changed lounge music forever. Is there a genre right now that will have a similar influence on lounge/house music?
[toy] I think every new genre of music had to come from somewhere. Techno and House came from looping Disco. Dubstep came from that electronic music that came from Electro. As far as genres go right now: One thing that’s really cool about being a DJ at this time is that there’s so much music out there—with things being digital, I can hear the latest from all around. I think the effect that that has had on genres is that the average listener is more accepting and receptive to things that don’t fit into a genre.
Right now what people consider “hip hop” I don’t like. There’s good shit going on with pop music. You’ll listen to a track that was produced by Timbaland, but it sounds like the beats were made by the grime rappers in the UK. There’s influence in the African rhythms. All that shit coming together in what is considered a mainstream genre of music is awesome.
The consumer is more intelligent, so the music is more intelligent, or maybe it’s the other way around.
[sh] When you’re spinning, what is the most satisfying moment in the night for you?
[toy] A lot of DJs like compliments, but I only take my compliments in the form of dancing. There’s really nothing like getting a crowd to just lose their shit. When they’re completely surrendered to the forces of what they’re listening to, everyone is in the moment having a good time, it’s just raw energy and spirit, being able to take people to a place like that—I don’t know, that’s kinda the point. If nightlife is about being social and meeting people, there’s nothing better than when people are still talking about the party they went to together weeks later.
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