We had the pleasure of interviewing DJ Flex over Zoom video! Taking it straight to the dancefloor from Newark NJ by way of Ghana, 'Sexie' is a tribute to DJ Flex's influences, seamlessly combining the tough sweatbox bounce of Jersey Club with irresistibly tuneful Afropop. One of the hottest producer/artists on the scene today, DJ Flex has collaborated with such luminaries as Megan The Stallion, Shenseea, Mya, Nija and Nigerian superstar Minz. He has garnered huge editorial playlisting, performed a Boiler Room set and been featured on BBC Radio and OVO Sound Radio. Born in Newark to Ghanaian parents, with a past dappled by tragedy, DJ Flex's unique background has fostered a globe-trotting sound that incorporates elements of Afropop, Jersey Club and Baile Funk. Now signed to Virgin Music Distribution, 'Odo' is the first track off of an album project out 2024. Growing up in working class Newark, DJ Flex was introduced to dance music and club life by his father, who, in addition to working two jobs as a cab driver and Fedex employee, also made some extra cash as a videographer for big weekend gatherings among the Ghanaian diasporic community. As a small boy, the wide-eyed DJ Flex was able to experience the rhythm of these parties firsthand. Fascinated by the DJ's ability to take the crowd on a journey through the night, Flex started tinkering with rudimentary equipment on his own as a teenager, eventually getting paid gigs throughout the Northeast, and as far-flung as Atlanta and Germany, all the while going to college and working odd jobs to get by. Life became more difficult when his father succumbed to a stroke and DJ Flex had to stay home and care for him, all the while completing his degree and hustling to earn as much as could with his (now viral) productions and DJ gigs. After his father died in the Covid pandemic in 2020, DJ Flex decided to fully embrace music as his career and destiny, inspired by the struggles and sacrifices that his father made to raise little Felix into DJ Flex. We want to hear from you! Please email Hello@BringinitBackwards.com www.BringinitBackwards.com #podcast #interview #bringinbackpod #DJFlex #NewMusic #Zoom Listen & Subscribe to BiB https://www.bringinitbackwards.com/follow Follow our podcast on Instagram and Twitter! https://www.facebook.com/groups/bringinbackpod Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/

Ep611: Rajkumar Venkatesan | Professor, Darden School of Business, University of Virginia