Her real name is Kudirat Gbemisola Salami. But everyone calls her Deejay Kulet. She is right now one of the hottest female deejays in Lagos. When she took up deejaying 10 years ago, a lot of her friends made fun of her. They wondered why she would take up a career that was then seen as the exclusive preserve of men. This 26 year old started at a tender age of 16 and recently she was sighted at a classy birthday of Alhaja Olaide Dallas where she held everyone spell bound.
She is an Osun indigene and the second of 9 in her family. The Business Administration graduate gave details of how her love for music and mixing jockey made her a DJ. Having trained under the likes of DJ Humility, DJ Tee, DJ 50 and many others, one should expect nothing but excellence from this sexy babe.
All that is history as Kudi has made a great showing of her career as a deejay. She is good at what she does. And she is in hot demand for shows and to play at parties.
City People ran into her recently and she spoke about her love for music and how her parents initially didn’t like her decision to go into deejaying. Right now, her mum has softened up a bit. She is now in support of what she does but her dad would have her do something else. But Kudi is happy with what she does. She feels fulfilled and excited when she is on the wheels of steel entertaining people at parties. She spoke to City People Publisher, SEYE KEHINDE and then Society Reporter TITILOPE OGUNLEYE at various times. Below are excerpts of the 2 interviews.
How did Kudirat Gbemisola Salami end up being a deejay?
I started deejaying in 2008, January 12 at Baruwa, Ijesha, Surulere, Lagos. I started professionally in 2015. I was under Deejay Tee’s tutelage like they say, the road to success is very narrow, tedious and hectic. But I thank God for the journey so far. I wouldn’t say 10 years of being a female deejaying was a waste. No. It’s not. From it, I gathered a lot of experience. Some will say you have been deejaying since 2008 and we don’t know you? That is beside the point. It’s not about the fame. From that 10 years I learnt so much lessons. Then, I was in the world.
I didn’t know who God was. Of course, I was still wondering why I found myself doing deejay. I didn’t bargain for it. I didn’t even baggage for anything. But I just knew I was a deejay.
It was later when I got to know God that I knew he was the one calling me to be a deejay. That was when I knew him. You know like they will say, if you must sacrifice something, one thing must die, for something to come alive. So, I had to leave the world for God to come alive in me.
So, I started realising the purpose of me being a deejay. I never knew. I was just doing it for fun.
What inspired you to go into it?
I love music a lot, so I decided that I should go into DJ, whereby I can compile different songs and merging one song with another, so I choose DJ.
When did you start disk jockey?
I started in 2008 but took it professionally in 2014.
Did you go to any school related to jockey or any training of such?
Not really a school, but training in Baruwa. So many people trained me. I started with DJ 50 in Baruwa, and then I went to DJ Humility DJ Tee and so many other Dj’s.
Which institution did you graduate from?
I graduated from Grace Polytechnic, Omu Ijebu and I studied Business Administration.
Don’t you feel it is challenging being a female DJ since it is mostly dominated by your male counterpart?
It is very challenging, I must say and people discourage us a lot. They will tell you don’t do this and that, it is meant for the guys especially if you go for an even and you are mixing people will just look down you and give this look of what is she doing but 10 years down the line, God has been faithful.
Which state are you from?
I am from Osun State.
What is the acceptance out there and has people encouraged you in any way?
At first it was not easy, but it is way better than what it used to be.
Did your parents support you when you started?
No, only my mum did later, even up till now my dad is still not in support. If you are looking for my dad’s trouble just say you are asking of DJ Kulet, he will not probably respond or he would direct you to another house. He knows I am DJ Kulet but he doesn’t just like the idea.
So how have you managed your father not liking what you do?
I am still looking for all means to convince him but I know that it is only God that can touch his heart just as he touched my mum’s heart because she never liked it from start. I payed when I wanted to start DJ, nobody answered me, so I had to pay, even when I ask for food allowance anytime I am going to play jockey, they would not give me because they know what I want to use it for. My mum supported me a lot when I wanted to get the second equipment because I got the first one myself.
How did you source for funds for your equipment?
I got it from mixing jockey, but it took me a while because when I started, people did not believe in me. People don’t want to give me a trial, before they conclude that you can’t do it and that is really annoying but I pushed till people see in any and go other tell others and I started getting invites and that was how I was able to.
What has been the most challenging time in the industry?
The most challenging time for me has been when my colleague looked down on me especially the male. They will be telling me that I can’t make it in the industry and not even the junior colleagues but the senior and you will be scared that I might not really make it but I am not always listen to them and I am not moved by whatever they say, and I say God is in charge and he will see me through and that is what has been keeping me going.
So what is the acceptance out there?
It has been really great and everyone is trying to associate with the brand and I am really grateful about it.
Ten years in the industry, what has been your trying time? Time you just feel you should quit?
I could remember the day I was invited to a club and when I got and the MC introduced me as a guest DJ people did not clap or give any encouragement of any sort and they all sat down. I played and played, even trending and hit song but they didn’t dance.
I tried oldskool, new skool everything and they did not dance still. So I just got home and said I was not going to do DJ again but trust me I went to that same club again, they did not even introduce me and I started playing and everybody danced and danced and that was when I took the mic for the very first time and told them my name is DJ Kulet but they didn’t know because they have forgotten and reminded them I was the same DJ that came and they did not dance and now you people will dance so much that you will even forget your car and they were like is she really the one? And they started debating if it was me or not and since that day I told myself that I can do it and I will not mind what anyone is saying.
What is that thing that people don’t really know about you?
People don’t know I am a church girl and I am also an indoor person. If I am not doing the DJ thing, then I am at home. I am not a party person, I use to be when I was in the world but now Christ has taken over. I am not saying I am holy but when Christ takes over, there are some things that would definitely change about you. You have to leave some friends and so on. People would even ask, what is wrong with you lately, we don’t see you in our parties and so on.
From the name Kudirat, are you from a Muslim background?
Yes, my parents are Muslims but I am a Christian, I am suppose to change my name but I decided not to and my church are cool about it and that is one of the best decisions I have taken in my life.
How did it all start? What was the attraction?
It was just music. I am a music lover and I love to dance a lot, all parties, Saturdays and Sundays, whether I am invited or not I will go. I am there. I used to write songs for deejays then, when I didn’t even know I am going to be a deejay then.
They will quickly download the songs. They use to wonder how I get those songs. I knew songs then. Songs were not my problem.
People used to invite me to their parties because people know that Kudi knows songs. Kudi will make their party lively. Not even knowing I am going to end up being a deejay.
So what was the 1st step you took towards becoming a deejay?
I didn’t tell anyone at home because I knew they won’t allow me. I know my parents. So I just started it. When I told my mum then it was like a joke. She said all sorts of things, I didn’t even answer. The next day, I just went to meet my boss. At Baruwa, my mum was selling food then. So the deejay was just next to my mum’s shop. My mum hated this guy, not for anything ooo but because he is just a deejay. You can now imagine telling her I want to be a deejay. I just went to meet him as friends and I told him I want to be a deejay.
He told me though we are friends, I have to pay for it so that you will know the importance of what you are about to learn, which I did. Then, I paid N12,000 naira. That was 10 years ago. It was huge money then. So, I was paying little by little. When I have N3,000 I will pay when I have N5,000 I will pay. That was how he began to teach me with loads of slaps when I make mistakes He wanted me to realise what I was learning was serious work. He took me through a lot of trainings. I am a very good learner, so I learnt fast.
How did all your friends take the fact that you were going into deejaying?
They made fun of me. They laughed at me. Most of them said I was doing it because I was looking for men, that I wanted to do what a man is doing. They were all teasing me. Even my mum teased me. My dad even told me the same. I told them No. It was something I really like to do. It was later I realised that my daddy is a music lover. Haaa! People in my compound then used to tell me that when they have parties they use to call my daddy, I didn’t know. I didn’t quite realise it. Even then, on Sundays people used to come to our house to come and have meetings with my dad, over music. My dad used to have the records of Barrister, Evangelist Ebenezer Obey, and Sunny Ade.
So, I realised that it is already in the family then. But my dad didn’t take his extra mile. But I took mine, an extra mile by being a deejay.
At what point did you now star your own deejay?
I started my being a deejaying 4 years ago, by myself. It was very difficult. It was extremely difficult. Now, I was all alone by myself. But I thank God for the journey so far.
You have your own musical gadgets. How easy was it acquiring it?
It wasn’t easy at all. At first, people only knew me being a deejay but I couldn’t face the crowd but I had to learn to face the crowd. Initially, I was always afraid and shy of the crowd. It wasn’t that I can’t play but I used to be shy. As time went on I got over it. when people started seeing what i could do they started patronising me. As a young lady I stay alone. I sponsored myself. I did a lot for myself. I fend for myself. I pay my house rent myself. I paid my school fees myself. I didn’t get my gadgets on time. But I got it at Gods time, not at my own time. When I was looking at was not when the instrument came.
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