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Thoughts with Mild Sauce

by DJ Diaspora

Subscribe to my newsletter for my musings on Black Diasporic linkages in sounds & cultures.

Featured Post

Celebrating 8️⃣ Years with Party Noire!

click to watch In 2018 I joined Party Noire, an events collective centering Black women, femmes, and queer folks in Chicago, after returning home from university. I'll sum up my college sob story by saying college was very lonely and boring for me. I was so excited to return to the city as an adult me; a me more confident and sure of myself than I was when I was growing up here. Since working with the collective, I've learned some important lessons, gained opportunities, and most importantly,...
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3 months agoΒ β€’Β 1 min read

πŸ€‘ To DJ for the Culture.. or for the Coin?

When I first began deejaying, I was far too concerned with securing gigs. Naturally, I wanted to finally start sharing the music I was mixing in my bedroom in public. Thanks to a collective I work with called Party Noire I as able to begin deejaying at events and quickly learned the importance of balancing the music that speaks to my soul with the music the masses want to hear. DJ Lesson #1: Read the crowd. There is no crowd when you're deejaying alone, and if you're mixing with a friend,...
3 months agoΒ β€’Β 4 min read
dj diaspora for passport vibes flyer

πŸ›© Get Your Passport Ready!

Find me πŸŽ› One of my favorite festivals in Chicago is BYCK! Passport Vibes: Afrobeat Street Festival is happening this Saturdayβ€”and it's FREE.99! I'm on at 3 pm at the indoor stage! Chill with me as you cool off from the Chicago heat, and stay for Major League DJz who are closing out the festival! ICYMI We had another ICONIC night on July 4 for Party Noire's Black Pride. Press play. I hope you enjoyed this newsletter. Was this sent to you by a friend? Make sure to subscribe and read past...
5 months agoΒ β€’Β 1 min read
dj diaspora on uncle waffles Chicago flyer

πŸ‘΄πŸ½πŸ§‡ Our Uncle Has Landed in Chicago!?

Find me πŸŽ› Calling all 'Piano People! It's a busy weekend for Chicago (Happy Juneteenth weekend!), but The Promontory is thee place to be tonight! Amongst all the happenings, our favorite uncle, Uncle Waffles, will be spinning and I'm very excited to be opening up for her. I'm on from 10 pm to 11:30 pm, then I'll be closing out the night at 2 am. Let's dance! ICYMI I have a backlog of sets for you all to listen to on Soundcloud. From Party Noire's Deep Rooted to Citrus FM. Press play. I hope...
6 months agoΒ β€’Β 1 min read

πŸ€” Issa Fantana Summer?

If you know me, you know reality TV is my bread and butter. Sure, sometimes it's a likkle fake. Yes, most times it's a bit overdramatic. But when life was at a standstill (*cough cough* COVID-19 pandemic), who had my back? Bravo, VH1, and WeTV. One of my favorite reality shows, Young, Famous, & African returned to Netflix last month, and while this season gravely disappointed me, one cast member's music has stolen my attention. Introducing herself as "... the biggest female dancehall musician...
6 months agoΒ β€’Β 2 min read

πŸƒ 4.20 Moves + More Amapiano! 🎹

My birthday is Friday (shoutout to the Tauruses out there!) and I just want to start this email saying thank you for your support! I plan on getting all sappy in next week's newsletter but your support in my deejaying career means the absolute world to me. Thank you. Thank you. THANK YOU! Find MeπŸŽ› Happy (almost) 420! I'll be starting the day for 420 Fest in Pilsen tomorrow until 12 pm. This donation-based event is a fundraiser for Illinois Cannabis Dispensary Applicants. Slide by if you...
8 months agoΒ β€’Β 1 min read

🎹 'Piano 'Piannnooooo!

Find me πŸŽ› What's up y'all? I hope Aries season (or maybe 2023 in general?) is not whopping y'alls asses like it's whooping mine. Please send some prayers for ya girl. Though amongst the BS, I am looking forward to deejaying The 'Piano Party this Saturday. I'm on at 11 pm. I hope you can come have a good time! ICYMI Check out the sounds from my set at GYRATE. Press play. I hope you enjoyed this newsletter. Was this sent to you by a friend? Make sure to subscribe and read past...
8 months agoΒ β€’Β 1 min read

🌍 Afrobeats To The World!

Find me πŸŽ› I'm very hype to join BLAQ PAGES at Afrobeats To The World this Saturday for their Chicago show! I'm on from 10 pm to 11 pm. See you there! ICYMI Check out the sounds from my set at GYRATE. Press play. I hope you enjoyed this newsletter. Was this sent to you by a friend? Make sure to subscribe and read past newsletters. SUBSCRIBE
8 months agoΒ β€’Β 1 min read

You Hate TikTok Because You Don't Understand It πŸ€·πŸ½β€β™€οΈ

Before I posted my first TikTok, I'd spent over a year scrolling. Because of how depressing 2020 was, I could no longer stand mindlessly scrolling Twitter in my free time. Anger and even more sadness was all I could find there. And I mean, there was no one to blame then (*cough cough Elon*). This was our isolating, COVID reality and naturally people used Twitter as a release. But all of the talk of TikTok, with its Don't Rush challenge and other quick trendy videos sparked my interest. Every...
8 months agoΒ β€’Β 5 min read

πŸ€” Where Do You ✌🏽Fit✌🏽 in Social Spaces?

I may be DJ Diaspora but when you see a Diaspora war, I'll be headed the opposite way. πŸƒπŸΎβ€β™€οΈ I've had conversations with peers and have seen many posts online about African-Americans' place or, for some, newfound enthusiasm for African music as Afrobeats has become more mainstream in the United States. I'd even had a conversation recently with a someone (who is Black) who expressed feeling as if they aren't "accepted" in parties frequented by Africans when they dance and are simply trying to...
9 months agoΒ β€’Β 4 min read
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