One of Nigeria’s top-notch Disc Jockeys, Aletor Obehi, known in the music industry as DJ Venum, has lamented the shoddy treatment meted out to some of his colleagues and the disparity in fees.

Speaking, the Edo State-born entertainer said skill sets and personal branding dramatically affect how a DJ is perceived.

He said: “The pay disparity is neither false nor true; it depends on how you package yourself to people. I have seen DJs earn N10m a session and others earn N100,000. It is a function of whether you are a corporate DJ or a random DJ.”

Trade secrets

DJ Venum, who also doubles as a sound engineer and a resident DJ at Bogobori and Roma Lagos, said budding DJs must master their craft to up their game.

“As a DJ, if you can’t package yourself, you will find it hard to convince your clients about your fees. Some DJs are poorly paid because they have lousy or no management to persuade their clients that they are the hottest in the game.

“When you bill some clients, the next thing they would want to do is run a background to see if you are worth it. To improve your brand perception, try to repost snippets of your live shows or content on social media. Try and be creative and abreast of trends.

“Furthermore, having a strong and reliable brand is one of the keys, but if you are up, it would be hard to charge higher fees. First, you need to let people know you as a DJ by running free shows/events. Get a team that will be ruining your socials, finances and marketing,” he explains.

Career switch

Interestingly, DJ Venum was not a DJ some years back. According to him, his journey in the entertainment space began as a rap artist before fate took him behind the wheel to find a calling that must have been hiding in his DNA.

Explaining why he dumped rapping for Disc Jockeying, he says, “The most exciting part of being a DJ, not just in Nigeria, but in the entire world is, it gives you more time to prepare for other jobs. The only people that are allowed to mix business with pleasure are DJs. As a DJ, you can have a residency in 5 different clubs, which makes it more fun,” he said.

“Furthermore, Disc jockeying is easy to catch up with, even if you have zero knowledge about music. I also love the fact that it is flexible; it allows you to do other side hustles. I was once a rapper, and I did a couple of songs before switching lanes. And trust me, whenever the inspiration comes, I will hit the studio for recordings,” he added.

DJ Venum’s career took flight through Mainland Block Party By Alhaji Popping & Bizzle.

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He has played at several concerts and festivals. He regularly plays at Mainland Block Party, Nigeria’s biggest youth event. He also has a residency at the famous Bogobiri House and Roma Lagos.

The Disc Jockey was born in Eti-Osa, Lagos but originally from Esan, Edo State. He attended Ireti Grammar School, Ikoyi, Lagos, before proceeding to the Yaba College of Technology.