By Chancy J. Gatlin-Anderson
At 15 years old, Mario Rodriguez found himself at a house party hosted by prolific American hip-hop and breaking group Rock Steady Crew. Local artist Hen-G was DJing the event.
Rodriguez was fascinated by DJ Hen-G, completely enamored by the emotion he evoked with his music and his elaborate electronic setup. Noticing Rodriguez’s interest, Hen-G encouraged him to try the turntables, leaving them overnight to use.
Rodriguez didn’t sleep that night and then spent all day DJing until Hen-G returned. It was at that moment in 1993 that Mario Rodriguez knew that honing his skills at the turntable was his life’s calling.
Since 1993, Rodriguez, now known as DJ Chonz, has worked to cultivate his passion for DJing.
At 17 years old, Rodriguez became well known within Denver’s hip-hop scene after winning a local radio DJ competition. He subsequently competed and won several regional and national competitions, paving the way for him to share the stage with mega stars like Dr. Dre, Eminem, The Roots and Snoop Dogg. He later hosted shows for KS107.5 (KQKS-FM), a popular Denver Top 40 radio station.
In 2018, along with DJ Staxx, DJ Chonz founded the Denver DJ School, an organization that empowers and teaches youth and adults the art of DJing. Since its inception, Denver DJ School has taught over 5,000 students interested in DJing and podcasting.
The school currently has eight instructors specializing in DJing, scratching, music production and podcasting. They teach 20 to 25 weekly classes at their North Denver location, with its teachers also providing lessons to more than 200 students at Lake Middle School during the school year.
“I always thought a DJ school was a great idea, especially for DJs like me who want to stay connected to the scene without constantly being in clubs,” DJ Chonz said. “As an instructor, sharing my passion for music with aspiring DJs is incredibly rewarding. It’s just as fulfilling as being in a nightclub.
“The Denver DJ School is an outlet for my students who do not have an outlet to express themselves,” DJ Chonz continued. “Additionally, I wanted to challenge myself and prove that I could build something after many setbacks.”
The school’s student population varies wildly, drawing in people from all backgrounds, ages and walks of life.
“Our students come from diverse age groups and backgrounds, ranging from 8 to 62 years old. They are doctors, lawyers, professional athletes, reality TV show stars and professional DJs, all who want to level up with our master classes,” explained DJ Chonz. “We are also fortunate to have programs like MySpark that allows DPS middle school students to experience DJing who do not have the funds to attend our school or buy equipment from us.”
Student Mia Reyes, a 16-year old sophomore who attends Denver North High School, has been taking classes since she was in sixth grade with both DJ Chonz and DJ Nes. Since a very young age, Reyes has been exposed to all types of music. Her father is a musician, inspiring Reyes with his musical talents. It was her father who encouraged her to take DJing classes.
“The Denver DJ School is special to me because it’s given me so many cool opportunities as a DJ to put myself out there in the world. It’s an incredible organization to be a part of,” Reyes said. “The best part of being a DJ is bringing people together with music. Seeing people’s faces light up when they hear a certain song motivates me to keep going.”
To both DJ Chonz and Reyes, the school is ultimately a place for bringing artists together and building a diverse and thriving community.
“We are building a sense of community through the art of music. Our school welcomes you regardless of your preferred genre – hip-hop, EDM, funk or soul,” DJ Chonz said. “Growing up, I spent time at a hip-hop shop called Casa Del Funk, where I absorbed music and culture. I want our students and customers to experience that same sense of belonging and inspiration when they come to the Denver DJ School.
“We are always here to support you, even after you complete the Denver DJ School program,” DJ Chonz added. “We often give our recent graduates DJing opportunities to get paid for what they learned, thus recouping their investment. We also book established DJs working in the industry with our clients, such as the Ameristar Casino, Thompson Denver Hotel, Elitch Gardens and more.”
Learn more about DJ Chonz and the Denver DJ School at djchonz.com and denverdjschool.com.
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