Shammy Dee

This account exists to help you be a full time DJ. I’m a DJ for over 25 years and have been full time for more than half of that. I’ve spun for celebrities like Alicia Keys, 50 Cent, and the Kardashians; brands like Marriott, LVMH, and Adidas; and NYT best-sellers, Major League Athletes, and award-winning Actors. My experience as a DJ, actor, producer, musical director, and former adjunct lecturer at USC’s School of Dramatic Arts gives me a perspective 99.9% of DJs/producers don’t have. If you want to learn the secrets of monetizing your creative skills - follow this account! (PS - If you're a music artist, you will benefit from following too!)

Before N.W.A. took gangsta rap mainstream, JJ Fad’s “Supersonic” was generating serious revenue for Ruthless Records. According to JJ Fad, their success helped fund N.W.A.’s Straight Outta Compton. An unexpected connection in hip-hop history. #JJFad #NWA #HipHopHistory

Did you know Timbaland sampled Fela Kuti for a Missy Elliott record? Missy’s 2001 deep cut “Whatcha Gon’ Do” draws from Fela’s 1977 Afrobeat classic “Colonial Mentality.” Listen to the bass and drums. Recognize the groove? #FelaKuti #Timbaland #MissyElliott

Did Dawn Penn’s “No, No, No” come from gospel or blues? Penn says her famous refrain was inspired by a childhood church song. But the melody and lyrics trace back to Willie Cobbs in 1960 and Bo Diddley in 1955. One reggae classic, two fascinating histories. #DawnPenn #MusicHistory

One Jamaican riddim. Four unforgettable hooks. Skatta Burrell’s Coolie Dance gave us hits from Nina Sky, Pitbull, Kehlani, and Karol G. I think #4 is a serious contender. Who did it best? #CoolieDance #MusicHistory

Dawn Penn recorded “No, No, No” in 1967, but it took 27 years to become a worldwide hit. And here’s the crazy part: the vocal on the 1994 hit was her very first demo take. They tried recording it again, but couldn’t capture the same magic. Sometimes the first take is the best take. #DawnPenn #Reggae #MusicHistory

Dr. Dre and Bad Bunny sampled the same French-Armenian legend: Charles Aznavour. Dre sampled “Parce que tu crois” for “What’s the Difference” (1999). Bad Bunny sampled “Hier encore” for “MONACO” (2023). Two generations. One musical connection. #MusicHistory

Mariah Carey’s “Fantasy” has a surprising connection to Zapp. Chris Frantz revealed that Zapp’s “More Bounce to the Ounce” inspired Tom Tom Club’s “Genius of Love,” which Mariah sampled in 1995. From Roger Troutman to Mariah Carey. 15 years of musical influence. #MusicHistory

Real Mike Tyson fans remember this one. In 1995, 2Pac recorded “Ambitionz Az a Fighta” for Tyson’s walkout against Buster Mathis Jr. Tyson entered to Pac’s music and won by third-round knockout. Hip-hop and boxing history in one unforgettable moment. #2Pac #MikeTyson

Eazy-E wasn’t supposed to record “Boyz-n-the-Hood.” Ice Cube wrote it for a New York rap group called H.B.O., but they rejected it. Dr. Dre convinced Eazy to record it instead, coaching him line by line. That rejection helped launch a hip-hop legend. #EazyE #NWA #HipHopHistory

Do this if you’re struggling with raising your rates.

Rest In Power, Dolly. We will always love you. ❤️

Your pricing determines your positioning. This is a huge reason why you’re not make making the money you want to make.

As a DJ, I hate it when I have a packed dance floor and then people come to request a song because “no one is dancing”. Don’t lie to the person controlling the music. We’ll never play your song.

Ye is the greatest creative mind of this generation. Not just for his insane body of work (go ahead and fight me on that one). But for how his unrestrained confidence drove the work ethic to create said body of work. Yes, I understand there is more behind it, but still. You can’t argue with the musical results. (And I’m not speaking on his political views post-2018 or some of his more questionable songs. I know those exist.)

Action creates clarity. It’s amazing what comes to your mind once you start moving. It’s like the gods are waiting for your commitment before gifting you the brilliance. The only way to get it is to act.

I have a reel that crossed 270k views in 4 days. A friend called me about it and asked how I felt. I told him I wish I did this earlier. This is your sign to post and keep posting content. I firmly believe it can change your life. Especially as a DJ.

A DJ I coached paid a company $350/month to get him ranking on Google. 4 months. About $1,400. Phone never rang. Then their edits got his page banned. I asked if Google had ever brought him a single gig. It never had. Visibility doesn’t book gigs. Visibility to the right people does.

The homie with Sam, Dan Martell's creative director, shared how AI is changing brand building. His point: AI can fake anything now, so trust gets more expensive every month. The DJs people already know and believe will keep getting booked. Everybody else has to prove they're real first. Start posting.