dj.ang.g is more than just a party rocker. Ang is a social justice and event organizer, a coordinator, and a creator who is affiliated with Amigas Latinas, and has been involved with Blocks together, Venus Collective, Dyke March, and several other grassroots and not-for-profit organizations in Chicago. Did i mention that dj.ang.g is also a fellow co-founder of and co-conspirator in the People’s DJ Collective, and has held down DJ spots for Chances Dances? Yes, mixing social justice with being a socialite, dj.ang.g epitomizes the saying “struggle all day, dance all night.”
dj.ang.g’s musical repertoire includes an array of sounds. Any time she is providing the entertainment, you may hear a mix of Cumbia, Salsa, Bachata, Funk, Jazz, Hip Hop, House, and even Honky Tonk (i’ve seen and heard for myself!). But her appreciation for DJing began with disco and pop.
Born a DJ, her younger days in Corpus Christi, TX were filled with an appreciation for good music. dj.ang.g would often listen to the radio and think of ways to cue up songs. She also began imagining ways to refix her favorite disco songs as house tracks. From there she played CDs at friends’ parties where people complimented her for her song selection. After re-locating to Chicago, dj.ang.g bought a Berihnger BCD 3000 DJ controller, which she considers a “workhorse,” and shortly thereafter began rocking parties.
Ang is no stranger to Multi-Kulti, the Hideout, Logan Square Auditorium, Maria’s Packaged Goods and Community Bar, people’s backyards, their living rooms, and anywhere else folks gather to dance. She even played a few parties at the 2010 U.S. Social Forum in Detroit. Her favorite moments include those parties in which the audience was diverse in terms of age, race, ethnicity, and musical taste, but everyone would pack the dance floor in rhythmic solidarity. A night was even better when dj.ang.g would successfully execute unique mixes (for example, transitioning from Salsa to Bhangra) seamlessly. Also on many great nights, Ang reminisced, “we [we]re still playing music and people [we]re still dancing long after the party was supposed to end.” During such moments she lost track of time and “had way too much fun (or some might argue, just enough fun).”
Now dj.ang.g has relocated back to Corpus Christi where she is embracing new challenges as they come her way. Refixing disco tracks is still on her horizon, but her more immediate test will be finding ways to please Tejano audiences that may be resistant to the breadth of sound characteristic of dj.ang.g’s style.
You can reach dj.ang.g via her facebook page for booking, updates, gig info, and if you’re interested in possible collaboration.
– Brotha Onaci
Don’t forget to check out dj.ang.g’s latest mixes!
