DJ Serg: The Hardest Working Reggae DJ in the Bay

Interview and photo by Alyssa Tohfohrde www.photosbyalyssa.com

I was featured in the Reggae Gyals Calendar in the September 5 to September 19th edition.

HERE IS THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Serg Monleon, aka A DJ Serg, is an Oakland-grown mixtape maestro, with more reggae events per month than any other reggae DJ in the Bay Area. Reggae Gyal Alyssa Tomfohrde’s had a chance to interview him.

AT: Hey there rockstar. So, what kind of music do you spin?

DJ Serg: I am known for spinning dancehall, reggae, and soca but I am pretty versatile and always building sets of all kinds of different genres. I can spin

lots of Latin genres: reggaeton, salsa, bachata; and also hip hop, top 40, and old school R & B. I also love jazz and have a pretty big collection of old rare 70's jazz records.

AT: What inspired you to start DJing and what do you like about it now?

DJ Serg: This is a tough question. DJing always looked fun to me but it wasn't necessarily something I thought I would love so much until I started doing it. I had been a promoter for 10 years and DJ Ready was looking for someone to help promote his Monday nights with him. I came in as a promoter and pretty much learned to DJ there.

AT: Were there people who helped you along the way?

DJ Serg: Lots of people helped me along the way. I checked out Smoke-1 and Selecta Kurious a lot and learned from them. Also, Daddy Rolo has helped me out and has been really inspiring. Also got to shout out Spicey Promotions, they have really helped put me on the scene and get me out there.

AT: Tell us about your mixtapes and CDs, what you got, how people can get them, etc.

DJ Serg: Mixtapes are a lot of fun. I started them because I noticed that there isn’t a big mixtape scene out here, not like the east coast. Aside from Jah Warrior Shelter, there aren’t too many DJs putting out mixes on a regular basis. I figured this is why people don’t know new music, and why lots of times DJs get stuck having to play the same sets to get people dancing. My mixes started off as a set I would put together with all new music and give it to friends so that they could get familiar with the songs I was going to be playing that week. Now I have about 18 or 20, and counting. I've got a couple volumes of roots, a couple of lovers rock, dancehall, and 2 volumes of the best of the Marleys, which is a mix of Bob, Stephen, Damian, Ziggy, Kymani -- the whole Marley family. I'd have to say that has been, worldwide, the most popular and most downloaded series so far; but here in the Bay Area people really like the lovers rock and the dancehall ones.

AT: What was the best night you've ever had DJing and why? Have you got to meet any famous people that you admire?

DJ Serg: Best night DJing has been, most definitely, the first time I did Reggae Gold SF. That party is so much fun to spin at and has the best crowd that knows their music. It happens every 2^nd Saturday at The Endup and every 4^th Saturday at Club 6. It goes after hours too, so I get to play more then usual.
The most interesting story would probably be one of the first times I DJ’ed at Kitty’s; I was so nervous! I was listening to the song I had cued up in my headphones and I looked up at (the packed) dance floor and everyone was staring at me. It turns out the other song had finished and there was dead silence for awhile. I haven’t met too many famous people. Too $hort comes to lots of my gigs but I think it’s a coincidence.