The role DJs play in the music ecosystem cannot be overstated and undervalued. In the grand scheme of things, DJs are the vessels that help connect artists to their audiences outside music streaming platforms.
As taste makers, they have been instrumental in dictating what listeners consume and the marketing of sounds at one point or the other. Following in the footsteps of the many DJs before him is Ghanaian DJ and creative curator Adom Samuel Opoku widely known as AD DJ. As someone who grew up around music, it was not surprising that he ended up becoming a DJ during his time in university.
With a career spanning a decade, AD DJ has risen through the ranks starting off as young a student DJ, winning the inaugural YFM campus DJ competition to being an integral part of Ghana’s biggest urban radio station YFM and currently a leading name in Ghana’s ever evolving night life space as resident DJ at Front/Back in Osu and a regular at other notable nightclubs in the country.
His attention to detail and understanding the craft of Djing has earned him several nominations, won him awards and seen him play on some of the biggest stages in and outside Ghana. With a decade under his belt, AD is widening his scope in the music ecosystem from just being a DJ to venturing into music and championing the amplification of African music and culture through his craft as a DJ and an event curator.
He talks about all this, his life, career and his journey as an event curator amplifying African music in a conversation with GQ.
For those who do not know AD DJ, who is AD DJ?
AD DJ is a professional DJ who has spent 10 years of his career championing night life in Accra, Ghana primarily, even though he started his professional journey on Radio. In recent years, AD DJ has taken on a new interest of seeing the world through his career, Djing while experiencing new cultures. AD DJ is an ambitious and talented individual who is constantly striving to break new boundaries and master his craft. AD DJ is someone who isn’t scared to take on new challenges each day of his life because of his unending desire for knowledge and growth.
GQ: Growing up in Ghana, it is complicated to be open about wanting to be in the creative space. How was your journey as a young adult getting into the space and how receptive was your family?
AD DJ: At the beginning of my career, I was in university, it was challenging combining it with school work but I was lucky enough to have had open minded people around me who constantly believed in my choice of career. As for my parents, they were happy with my decision as long as I put school and education first. They supported me especially as I navigated my way to being more financially independent.