Tell us a little bit of how you got started on being a producer + DJ.

I personally think everyone’s a DJ — for example, if you’re in the car playing music for friends or you naturally take control of the aux at a house party, it’s the same energy. I think I realized that I wanted to pursue music a more seriously was around high school. I grew up in the pre Spotify/streaming era so discovering music was a little bit more challenging and expensive. CD’s were $20/each and when it came to new albums, you literally had no idea what the record would sound like aside from what was on the radio.

I was really into the Internet early on (and low key a computer hacker but that’s another story, ha) and I used to spend *hella* time on blogs, researching, downloading stuff + participating in online music forums, trading music with people literally all over the world. Because of that, I always had lots of different styles of music and I also would have copies of major albums before they hit the shelves. The relationships I made online broadened my taste in music and helped me branch out to other genres, etc. Because of that, my mix CD’s that I would make for friends started to become really popular around school and the rest is history.

When you play shows do you usually pre-select the music you’re going to use or improvise?

100% improv. I walk in with a general idea of a vibe/energy that I want to communicate with the audience, but I’m selecting the music live on the spot, responding to the energy that’s given back to me.

Is there an artist or genre you first canceled then decided to give it another chance?

I think there’s only 2 types of music: good and bad.

How do you stay centered and hopeful during these times?

Cooking more, staying hydrated, spending quality time with friends/family, daily walks w/ my partner and our dog, and I’ve recently started to increase my relationship with meditation. This slow down has been so incredible for my mental health getting a chance to pause and reflect. I think it’s easy to get caught up moving so fast in the world that you can lose track of what’s important. Now that everything is on pause, it’s easy to see what matters most.

Your client list is pretty impressive working with clients from Disney to Tesla and Sephora. What advice can you give other men of color trying to make breaks in the industry and stay true to their vision?

Being original and trying your best to create from a place of authenticity. Right now Artist of Color’s voices are going to be so important as we re-build this world in a more equitable way for everyone at the table. Also, get comfortable and don’t shy away with the idea of being compensated for your energy/work, especially from large corporations. They *NEED* our ideas/magic

Give us the top ten songs that celebrate women and melanin:

Khruangin - Dearest Alfred
Sonia Ferguson - Easier To Love
Kindness ft. Kelela - With You
Teyana Taylor - Wake Up Love
Angine Stone - Everyday
Kingdom ft SZA - Down 4 Whatever
Larry June - Watering My Plants
Standing On The Corner - G-E-T-O-U-T!! The Ghetto Pt . 1
Channel Tres - Brilliant N*gga
Stevie Wonder - Summer Soft

If you’re loooking to vibe out to more of Eddie’s mixes check him out here.

EDDIE BERMUDA