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Thoughts with Mild Sauce

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📲 Step Like This to be a Souljagirl.. | Dyasphonic is BACK!

Imagine.. it's 2007 and spiked belts from the beauty supply store are all the rave, you live and breathe DatPiff.com for the latest Lil Wayne and Gucci Mane releases, smartphones are becoming thee thing so you're begging your mom to get you a sidekick phone so you can finally trash your flimsy flip phone for good, then, the next year—right before Christmas at that—Souljaboy releases "Kiss Me Thru the Phone." These are some of my formative memories growing up in the early 2000s. Whenever...

Dyasphonic is finally back!! You all don’t know how badly I’ve been wanting to bring my first party series back! We had sooo much fun dancing to global bangers, edits, and new releases until the sun came up last year! If you're new here, ḍyasphonic.dance is a dance party that adds spice to your favorite unappreciated genres and blends global tunes that are birthed in Black communities across the globe. At ḍyasphonic, DJs spin the sounds of their heart. For me, that's everything from Afrohouse...

It's taken years for me to fully understand the challenges of being an open format DJ. When I first started spinning, I was excited to learn how to mix different genres—to understand them separately in order to understand how to merge them in a way audiences can understand. I still love that I'm so expansive that the music I play reflects that. I mean, as DJ Dyaspara (pronounced diaspora) how could you put me in a box? But over time I learned that some promoters understand their brands more...

We really did bring the heat to The Wild Hare! I'm still coming off of the high that is AMAPRESSURE and want to say thank you so much to everyone who came out, danced all night, and spread the word! As an open format DJ, it's so important to understand playing to crowds. Truthfully, since The Piano' Party (hosted by Dott Daley) ended, I've been longing to have a place to play true Amapiano; tunes right from South Africa—not edits, not remixes, and not mashups. To play recently released tracks...

Imagine! After weeks and weeks of back and forth weather we are finally seeing consistently warm days. Chicagoans are blasting Lil M.U. down Lake Shore Drive, Mario's Italian Lemonade is finally open for the summer and everyone is using the nice weather as an excuse to barbecue for no reason. Just three of a thousand reasons why I love Chicago! This Juneteenth I'll be joining some of the best DJs in the city at Let's Jam!, a community barbecue at the lake. I can't wait to have a Blackity...

dyaspara-amapiano-party

After much planning finally AMAPRESSURE is here. When the world✌🏽re-opened✌🏽 post-pandemic, Amapiano took the mainstream world by storm with its log drums, heavy basslines and high-energy dances. While we've seen a reduction of spaces that cultivate the sound the last few years, at least in Chicago, Amapiano is still alive and well. I'd argue it's sounding better than ever. I was re-inspired after going to AfroFuture Festival Detroit in August last year. After playing different Amapiano...

It's a Jersey Jam! Fun fact, my late uncle was a professional NBA player when I was young. I used to love when he'd visit us in Chicago from New York, bringing all types of gifts. My favorite outfit as a kid was a gift from him when he played in North Carolina: a baby blue Charlotte Hornets jersey dress. Now while I know I wouldn't fit it for Sunday, I do wish I still had that jersey dress for nostalgia's sake. Jersey dresses are honestly the only style from the 2000s that I agree with...

What a weekend! I'm still coming off of a birthday high—from welcoming Vigro Deep to Chicago with KAxG, to bringing the hot, expensive, AND liberated energy to the first ASHAWO—my heart is FULL! This rotation around the sun I am in gratitude for you all truly seeing me through the music. Last weekend I went to global dance party Everywhere Between in hopes of getting out of a muddy energy and met four different supporters who showed me so much love! Working in this here local music industry...

It was so hard keeping this hush! Next week I'll be opening up for amapiano innovator, producer, and DJ Vigro Deep! I've loved playing his ultra tech and unique tracks in my amapiano sets over the years so opening up for him is such a dream. Join me and JAMA! creators KAxG for a night to remember this Thursday—plus it'll be an early night for those of you that have work in the morning. Win-win! SUBSCRIBE Welcome to the Dyasphere I'm back with another vlog playing my first Moneygun set, seeing...

dyaspara ashawo chicago

It's Friday again and I'm in literal awe that we're already almost done with Q1. I typically mark the new year as my birthday and I'm hoping to have a way better year (and birthday) than I've had the past three. It's been rough for many of us and music has been the one thing to keep me going. On my birthday weekend this year, I'm ecstatic to be on the lineup for a new party series ASHAWO, a space to shake nyash to AltĂŠ, Afro-house, and Afrobeats with African and diasporic queer folks! Chicago...