Some have said I saved our High School Prom. How could a student do this? The year was 1994 and the school was Newcomb High School in Newcomb, NM. It was a very small High School/Junior High in a small township. Hip Hop on radio could only be heard in the big city. Country music ruled the airwaves on the Navajo Reservation. I would always keep my ear to BET and MTV to stay up with the sounds when possible.
Our school hired a music equipment store to do the most important job of the night. They offered mobile DJ service, but experience is what was missing. Sending a couple of cowboys to DJ our event was so not the business! After listening to music that would hype a Cowboy club, I started to feel a boiling pot in my chest. I finally stepped to these ‘8 seconds’ DJ duo and asked, “Where’s some Hip Hop and R&B?” Looking back stunned, one of the guys told me that they were not DJ’s at all. They were there to fill in for the real DJs that do this thing on the regular. Apparently those other guys took the night off.
As the dance floor remained empty and the sounds of “Hotel California” by the Eagles rang through their gear, I asked if I could bring some music? (I lived right across from the school). You should of seen the look of relief on their faces! Usually in the DJ business, if someone asks to bring music to a DJ, that could be taken as “fighting words”. But luckily, I did not have to deal with raging cowboys. Instead, Prom ended with smiles and fun times!
Here are some of the CD’s I brought that saved that epic night! Remember these albums?
All ended well with a great after party at mi casa while my mom was away. THE PARTY WAS STRAIGHT LIT!
Shout out to my date Marcella! (She was the one responsible for giving me the name “POETIK”)
