EP. 17: HUGEL GETS 750K A SHOW?!

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Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:04

We're live? We are live and we're back. What's going on, guys? This is episode, you just told me, 17. What are we on right now? 17. Episode 17. Guys, once again, appreciate the love, the engagement, the support, the feedback. Um, we're having a great time, you know, having these conversations in and around the afterhouse scene and electronic music. So it's a pleasure. Manu, how are you feeling, my bro? Feeling good, man.

SPEAKER_00 0:31

Yeah, just want to remind the people that please leave a like, comment on if you're watching on YouTube, like the video, leave a comment so we can keep the conversation going. If you are listening, watching on Spotify, like, leave a comment, leave a rating, please. We are at 15 still. I want to get to about 20 and then 30, and then you know, up to 50 and into the hundred. So, yeah, help us with the engagement uh on the different different platforms. And yeah, episode 17. Thank you for tuning in, man. What are we talking about today?

SPEAKER_03 1:03

Man, lots, man, lots going on, bro. I mean, we're kicking off uh summer season. I heard I heard weather is nice in London, bro. So, you know, things are changing, bro. The mood is changing, energy is uplifting, bro. I'm feeling good. Okay, ready for summer, bro.

SPEAKER_00 1:21

Yeah, I mean, I just came back from from Lake Constance in in Germany. So it's an it's a beautiful part of Germany, right? And you get to this lake, and it's like an intersection between three countries. I think it's Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. Wow. Beautiful, beautiful part of the world. And yeah, I played with On Fire. Shout out to On Fire, the guys from Germany, this little town. And uh yeah, they they they've started their own label called Tutopassa. So I played for them. It's a nice 90-minute set. Great crowd. Yeah, Germans, Germans know how to party. I really like playing in Germany, it's always fun. It's always fun.

SPEAKER_03 2:04

So what so what kind of music could you play for them? Like, you know, what did you feel like resonated with with that kind of crowd? Like more commercial, or like how would you kind of if you could.

SPEAKER_00 2:13

I mean, although the guys, the on fire guys, they're younger than me by a good seven, eight years, but the crowd was considerably older, even than me. So Oh wow, yeah, yeah. It was like an after-work crowd, lots of I would say uh it was a business crowd. Um so yeah, I started playing what I would usually play in terms of like more on the commercial softer vibe, but when I started looking around and it started to really fill out, I was like, man, you know, I've gotta play something that is a bit more familiar. So I was playing some old school house, and from there it was just like everybody was going crazy, man. Everybody was going crazy. Even the on-fire guys were just like, bro, good time. They were just like, you're crazy, man. I was just like, bro, I'm just just warming up, man. Just warming up. That's sick, man.

SPEAKER_03 3:11

That's sick. No, like, yeah, shout out to the on-fire guys. I mean, for those that don't know at home, those guys have been pushing house music, um, especially through their TikTok and Instagram, had blown up, like, I don't know, two, three years ago. Um, so check out those guys if you haven't. Check out their label Tutopasa. And yeah, man.

SPEAKER_00 3:30

They're strong guys, they're pushing, they're really pushing. Content looks amazing, they are consistent. I think they're they're playing in in India this weekend, so very busy. Yeah, they're they're they're yeah, they're active. Those guys are active. And listen, they started with content, right? I started with content, Wesley. You started with content, the power of content. It's it's it feels cringy at the beginning when you start, but that's part of it. Like, you have to get over that cringiness and that weird emotion, and then once once it starts to work, you're never gonna stop. So, yeah, man. All starts with content, man. So, yeah, shout out to On Fire.

SPEAKER_03 4:14

Uh speaking of that, yeah, it's it's tough, man. And like, you know, going back to what you said about asking you know, you guys at home to leave a like, leave a comment, all that kind of stuff. You know, the digital economy these days is like not what it used to be. So when I started, you know, you'd get way more likes, way more engagement. I don't know if it's an algorithm thing, but I feel like maybe it's also human behavior because now we're so um, you know, social media focused is that you know, to leave a like and a comment is like not really a thing anymore. You scroll past, even if you like the video, you just easier to scroll past than leave a like or a comment, right?

SPEAKER_00 4:49

Oh, but it's important. I think at the beginning of every single podcast, we need to remind the people if you're watching on YouTube again, please leave a like if you can. It only takes half half a second. If you're listening on Spotify, you can you can like it, you can leave a a rating. And uh yeah, man, it just helps us continue to improve and also motivate us to to stay consistent, which at times isn't the easiest things. You know, we've got different things going on. Yeah, club record is huge, things on the side that are happening, traveling, summer is coming out, so it's it's gonna be a busy period. But if we start to get that feedback and that energy, positive energy back from people is gonna motivate motivate us to to keep going and have better conversations. Agreed, agreed.

SPEAKER_03 5:36

Yeah, guys, I mean, before we get into the meat of the podcast, also if you have any suggestions for my background, let me know. I need to work on that so it doesn't look like I'm taking a passport photo every time we do this. But um, yeah, man. Something let's get into the meat of it, man. We got a lot we want to get through today. Um, as we all know, it's a trying time in the world. There's a lot going on, conflicts here and that. But something I really want to highlight on today's podcast is uh Francis Mercier. I don't know if you saw that, but he raised some money for Lebanon um in this trying time. So I mean, shout out to him, bro.

SPEAKER_00 6:13

Yeah, I mean he I think he raised about 20 grand. So it was a charity football match, and then they raised some money for Lebanon. But also a cool thing that he did, I think he made like I'm not sure if it was 10,000 or a thousand chains, like soleil chains, um and yeah, gifted those to to in Lebanon. But listen, he he's putting his money where where his mouth is. Of course, Lebanon has really contributed to his rise, and they've they've helped Francis get to the level that that he's at. And if if you know about Lebanon and the electronic music scene and how much they're into dance music, not just Afro House, just dance music as a whole. I mean, we got a a a booking inquiry for Lebanon today, right? It's just like Lebanon supports a lot of people, and listen, Francis, shout out to him for for supporting. And if you're listening and and you've got any ideas for us to to contribute and help out, please let us know. Uh, we're open to that. But uh, yeah, man. Shout out to Francis.

SPEAKER_03 7:24

Shout out to Francis. Yeah, I mean, listen, I mean, Lebanon is is always an interesting one for especially in the Afro House scene. I mean, a lot of DJs out there like say it's one of the best crowds in the world, probably Lebanon, Kenya. Oh, yeah. A few others.

SPEAKER_00 7:39

Uh Lebanon, Kenya. Oh man. Best crowds.

SPEAKER_03 7:44

That's a good question.

SPEAKER_00 7:45

Best crowds. Hmm. Best Afrohouse crowds. Best Afro house crowds, yeah. I mean, we we'd have to ask, like, we'd have to ask like a Shinza Rai, someone that's played everywhere at all levels. Yeah. But for me, if I were to guess, I mean, Kenya is up there for sure, Nairobi, I'm sure Beirut people would would mention that Morocco. I think Morocco, maybe Casablanca, or you know, they would get a good a shout-out, a mention for sure. France, I feel like when I when I see content and it's in France. It's always good, right? It's always good. People understand the vibe, they know the tracks, they're really into it. Yeah, like France, Belgium. There's a nice Afro-house energy there. Yeah. You know, there was a time where Mexico as well. Mexico as well, I would say.

SPEAKER_03 8:44

Mexico, yeah. There was a time when I was like receiving only content from France for the longest time because DJs would be there every weekend, and there's so many big venues and promoters out there really pushing. So have you ever played in France? No, right? Have I played in France?

SPEAKER_00 9:05

Paris, Lyon, Marseille. I'm thinking about the big cities. No, I haven't played haven't played in France. I don't know, mate. I feel like yes, but I'm I can't remember now. Damn.

unknown 9:23

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 9:25

France is a good one. But I mean, back back to kind of talking about you know what uh what Francis has done, you know, for Lebanon. It's great. I think as a whole, there's there's a great conversation to be had around community events outside of you know the music performance itself, right? So Francis has been doing his thing with with uh you know the football tournaments. I know he did one um just recently in Dubai, was it? Um and then he did one, he did one in Miami, Miami Music Week. That was that was really cool. I mean, to see like Moblack. Soleil Football Club. Man, it's pretty sick. I mean, I didn't know like Shimza, Shimza played, Moblack played. Shimza got injured, bro.

SPEAKER_00 10:06

Apparently, like he played like a couple of minutes and got yeah, he got injured. He's just like he was limping or something, man.

SPEAKER_03 10:13

Um listen, I get it. I get it. But you know, it it it happens all the time. I mean, talking of Shimza, he he was probably one of the first, I guess, in Afrohouse to be doing this. I mean, all of the kind of stuff that he did um in his hometown of Tembeza, the one man show raising funds for his community, you know, shoes and all that kind of thing. So, you know, it's great to see that it's not just all about the business and the fame and all that kind of stuff, right?

SPEAKER_00 10:43

It's good to create, you know, communities outside just music and yeah, build build that energy just outside the the dance floor in a more human way. I like what Francis is doing with with Soleil FC. Um obviously it just started as him wanting to play football and looking for a football game before he's set or when he's in different cities, and of course, as he's becoming a bigger artist, people respond to that and want to get involved. But yeah, now that he's got this Soleil project, label, event, etc. And now he's kind of supplanted that with with with Soleil FC, it's it's it's sick, man. It's sick, and also it kind of feeds this world of wellness, health and wellness, mental health. Um I would like to see someone do something with high rocks. You know, higher rox is now the biggest thing. Let's let's get a higher rox thing going.

SPEAKER_03 11:47

High rock stars. I'm not a I'm not a big supporter of the high rox movement, man. I'm gonna be honest. I don't know about you.

SPEAKER_00 11:57

I mean, I don't know. Are you not are you not a fan of just just the people that do higher rox?

SPEAKER_03 12:06

I think I'm I'm like, that's exactly my problem, is the people that do high rox is who I have a problem with, actually. Yeah. Because everyone I know who does it, right? I mean, it's that's what we talk about. Old friends, kind of stuff like that. Um and it's just people I never really you know fucked with for the most part, and they're now doing HIROXs, and I'm just like, get the fuck out of here, bro.

SPEAKER_00 12:29

Yeah, no, listen, I I understand it. It's it's it's same conversation as run clubs, right? Same conversation as as you know people that only are active to post it on Strava or Instagram, right? Exactly, yeah. It's it's it's in that conversation. But I mean I'm a I'm a gym goer, I go to the gym four or five times a week, and the way I train is running and weight lifting. So naturally I'm just like high rocks, I connect with it because I I just yeah, I mean look as as a fit as a fitness challenge, it's great.

SPEAKER_03 13:09

Don't get me wrong. I just have a problem with how it's presented. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_00 13:15

Should we do something at ADE, like uh 8 a.m. 5 5k jog? Club run. Club handshake, handshake, handshake, handshake.

SPEAKER_03 13:28

Gonna have to start training. I mean I'm a g I'm a gym goer too, I need to up the cardio, but you know, 5k, I can manage it. That's all good. Let's do it. Why not? Club run.

SPEAKER_00 13:37

We do club run.

SPEAKER_03 13:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:39

What time would it start though? Because ADE, man, people, people, yeah, people are struggling.

SPEAKER_03 13:46

We have to be like I think it would have to be early, bro. How early? Let's say like 8 a.m. You know, before have breakfast and then you know, mid-morning go into meetings and then rest of the day events and nightlife and stuff like that. But you'd have to do it earlier in the week than later, because you know, by by the by Saturday you're just cooked, man.

SPEAKER_00 14:05

Because you do a club run and then obviously you have to have a DJ set afterwards.

SPEAKER_02 14:10

Yeah. Or a DJ set during.

SPEAKER_00 14:15

Man, that's a lot of that's a lot of logistics there, boy. Hey man, if if you are an event event event organizer, if you've got any um any poor authority in Amsterdam, help us out. Help us out. This is a good idea.

SPEAKER_03 14:31

I actually have a perfect partner for this, but we can talk about it offline.

SPEAKER_00 14:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 14:36

We'll talk, we'll talk. We'll talk. We'll talk. But I mean, you know, back back to you know the football thing. I wanna you know, the whole like concept of like charity match is not like a new thing, right? I mean, charity matches have been going on for you know years and years now. Um it's a great initiative, it's on YouTube, it's you know, it's on it's at the pro level, it's everywhere, right? Do you think there will ever be a time where electronic music could have a like that level of of charity match? Like if you say like, you know, you had all the Afro House legends, and then you had like you know, some deep house guys, some techno guys, you know, like Anima playing striker, and we got like you know, Solomon in gold or something like that. Do you think it could happen?

SPEAKER_00 15:18

Bro, why not?

SPEAKER_03 15:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 15:21

This is a sick idea. Someone just has to do it, right? I mean, Francis is gonna do it with Soleil C. Like it, it's it's that's I mean, we're talking about it because of Francis, so it's for him to do. He's built the the platform and the the avenue. So it's gonna happen. I mean, he kind of did it at Miami Music Week. Yeah, you had Moblack there, you had Shimza there. As it gets bigger and bigger, and he starts to put more organization around it, it's gonna happen. It's just yeah, it's just someone has to do it first, and then people are gonna copy like anything else, and then before you know it, it's like there's there's different different uh events for it. But yeah, this is this is Francis' space, he's gonna do it, and yeah, hopefully I get an invite, man. I'd love I'd love to. I'll be a goalkeeper though. I'm I'm a goalkeeper because you know, with my my basketball experience, yeah, yeah. I'm I'm that's that's me.

SPEAKER_03 16:20

No, Francis hit hit us up, man. I'm a defender, so let us know if you need Carlos Puyol. That's it. I was yeah, I was I was actually a center back for most of my football career, I guess, when I was in school and stuff, but then yeah, who's your favorite center back of all time?

SPEAKER_00 16:40

Puyo, 100%. I said that. I said that already. Give me some.

SPEAKER_03 16:45

The thing is, it looks bad because you said it, but I like listen, I have to I have to think about that. I want to say John Terry as well, just because I'm a Chelsea fan. Legend. Okay. Um Vidditch as well. Vidditch was unbelievable, bro.

SPEAKER_00 17:03

Yeah. Viddish was tough. Okay, okay. Yeah, listen, already, man, we've got we've got a club record team growing a little bit. There we go. If it's a tournament, we have a team. We have a team. If it's a tournament, we have a team.

SPEAKER_03 17:18

What about label versus label? That would be mad. Like, like club versus you know, Moblack or something.

SPEAKER_00 17:24

I am I am not losing because you know, you know, you know, you know this this industry face to face, everyone's just so friendly and bro bro, this, bro bro that. But I promise you, in the background, people are scheming. So if we ever like it's a competition, sport competition, mate, someone's getting punched.

SPEAKER_03 17:45

Yeah, like then, you know, then the the real the real claim starts. Oh mate, yeah. Listen, bro, I mean uh we could talk football all for the whole hour here, but I think you know, just one kind of final thing, you know, on Francis before we move on to some other stuff is he's got his biggest show in Paris this weekend, right? So by the time we drop this on Tuesday, he would have played already, right?

SPEAKER_00 18:12

Yeah, so we're recording this on Saturday. It's four o'clock now. France is plus one, so five. I think it starts at nine, eight thirty. We just got Arwen on there, special guest, Wycliffe Jean, the legends. Wow, that's bro. Wycliffe. When he when he announced Wycliffe, I sent I sent Francis a message and I was like, bro, this is my childhood hero. He's like, Yeah, man. I was like, well done for that, man. Wycliffe, legend.

SPEAKER_03 18:42

Huge, man, huge legend, crazy. All right, good luck, good luck to Francis for this big show this weekend. I think something else in that's massive that's going on. I mean, we talk about start of the summer, you know, kicking off the season. We got IMS and Ibiza. Pretty cool, man. They've got a theme this year. What was what was it again? We were talking about this before.

SPEAKER_00 19:06

Just in a response to the the there's more kind of outside forces that are affecting electronic music. Of course, the there's a big huge rise in electronic music over the past few years, lots of investment, AI, changing consumer behavior. So yeah, it was just like, okay, let's reclaim the dance floor. Um that was uh the theme. Um hopefully next year we get to go. But I think it's I think it I think it was a it was the right theme for 2026. And yeah, I think it's it's it's quite a responsible conversation to have right now because there's so much going on. So many moving parts and different people. Again, investment is a huge one. AI, people make, you know, people using AI to make music. There's a lot in there. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 20:05

Yeah. I mean, yeah, listen, I mean I something I want to talk about about the Beatport Awards this year is, you know, last year we had like a I think a really Afrohouse-centric, you know, awards list. Huguel won move, Adamport won, Shamiso was nominated, you know, all these kinds of things, right? But I think this year, you know, we were talking about this on the last podcast or the one before that, about how things are kind of shifting. Yeah. Um, so I don't think listen, there really wasn't as much Afro House in the nominations and the winners this year at all. So I mean we can start off producer of the year. One name that was nominated was Lala Tuxin, nominated for producer of the year, which I think he deserves.

SPEAKER_00 20:53

He's tough, he's tough, he's tough, he's crazy.

SPEAKER_03 20:55

Yeah, and the winner of that was Josh Baker, best live performer, no one from our scene there, but winner confidence man, ones to watch. I don't even know any of these names. Winner love foxy, best live streamer, Rossi, best album. Another got nominated for best album, though. So that's another got nominated. Yeah, in and around here. They didn't win. They didn't win, no. Somebody called Introspect moving the center one. Again, yo, I need to spend some time actually broadening my you and me. You and me both. Yeah, yeah. Hype label of the year. I think Indo Warehouse was a nomination. Shout out to those guys. That's pretty cool.

SPEAKER_00 21:39

Wesley, so so Wesley thinks that we could have won hype label of the year, guys. I mean, we I know we would have won. Absolutely. So explain, explain, explain what hype is to the listeners.

SPEAKER_03 21:50

Right. So hype is a relatively new chart that Bport had rolled out um a few years back. And the way that That works from the label side, you have to subscribe or agree with Beatport to be included in the hype label charts, right? So most labels are not there. Um, I think a lot of it is centered around new and upcoming lay um labels um to have you know that chance to be featured on the home page in a new chart. Um and it it exists under the you know the top 100, right? So if you're top 100 by genre and then you have top 100 by hype. Okay. So that's the way that it works. We as Club Record made a conscious decision not to continue with hype. Um so, but if we were on hype, I'm I guarantee we would have won that for sure.

SPEAKER_00 22:46

No doubt. I mean, we we were we won hype label of the month the month we didn't renew our subscription.

SPEAKER_03 22:59

Oh yeah, right.

SPEAKER_00 23:00

Remember? So we won we won hype label of the month, and then I was like hype, it's it's it's a visibility play for new labels. Yeah, if you want to get more exposure and that visibility on the home page, you get a hype chart. So we were like, okay, for the first year, that's gonna help us, so let's do it. And then as that year was coming to an end, I was like, okay, now it's time to play with the big boys. But I think they're very smart, right? They know that previous labels probably have done that before. As the year comes to an end, that's when you kind of start to reevaluate strategy. And then they were like, Oh, you're but you're a hype label of the month, are you sure? And we're like, no, it's okay. But no, but it's it's still very important, and I think I think every new label should do it. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_03 23:58

No, listen, I think it it is a great initiative, and it did give us a lot of traction in our first was it two years? I think then the third year we kind of decided we we weren't gonna renew it. I think it was one year, bro. See, so I mean that being said, no, no shade to any of the nominee the nominees or the winners of Hype Label of the Year, but you know, if you take like you wouldn't see like a defected or No, but let's do let's do these awards again.

SPEAKER_00 24:26

Okay. In a way that they apply to our scene, and then we can we can we can award. So you want to start from the top? Yeah, yeah. What's the first one? Producer of the year. Oh my god. Okay, producer of the year. First first name that comes to mind is Sam for me. Sam?

SPEAKER_03 24:45

That's a good one. I'm gonna say junior essay.

SPEAKER_00 24:49

Okay. Okay, what's the next one?

SPEAKER_03 24:54

Best life performer.

SPEAKER_00 24:57

Shimza. Shimza You go you go first next, because I feel like I'm gonna steal all the all the best names.

SPEAKER_03 25:03

Okay, so you say Shimza, best life performer. I'm gonna say Vigro Deep.

SPEAKER_00 25:13

Thanks for watching. Wesley is showing some taste now. Curation, okay. What else? What else? One to watch.

SPEAKER_03 25:21

One to watch. Juno. Juno, good one. That's a good one. One to watch. Yeah, just because he's been active recently, I was talking about him yesterday. I want to say Deco. Deco one to watch for me. Tough best live stream, that's a tough one. Best live stream? Let's do best YouTube. Let's do best YouTube set maybe for this one. Because I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 25:52

Who have you got? Oh mate. Um best YouTube set. Which ones have I watched recently, man?

SPEAKER_00 26:06

I've watched I watched Francis at Ushuaia. I mean, listen, guys, don't take this as my overall taste. I don't watch a lot of YouTube sets, but the one I watched from Francis at Ushuaia, I thought was crazy.

SPEAKER_03 26:20

I watched a Cairo one recently. Um I need to find out where it was. I mean, there were some good sets from Cunha as well. Cunha always obviously they show up, right? So who did I see play at Cunye? Johannesburg. Yeah, we're fumbling this section, man. Alright, next. Next, next. Best album.

SPEAKER_00 26:49

I'm gonna fumble this one too.

SPEAKER_03 26:51

Oh fucking hell, man. Come on. Um, best album, who drops albums? Nobody drops albums anymore. Like in 2025, who who dropped an album? I think Sun dropped an album, Dark dropped an album.

SPEAKER_00 27:07

It's tough, bro. Let's what's the next one? What's the next one?

SPEAKER_03 27:12

Hype label of the year.

SPEAKER_00 27:16

Hype label of the year. Let's give it to Ulu. Is Ulu a hype? Oh, good question. I'm opening up the hype charts right now. So we can I think Ulu's hype. Ulu's hype and House and Frame. I think they're hype. House and Frame is tough. Like they they they had a great year.

unknown 27:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:34

Like 2026, obviously, is it's only halfway done, but House and Frame, tough label.

SPEAKER_03 27:41

There's a few, there's a few from our scene. Uh Villahanger, they've been pushing for a while now. Uncommon as well, hype label.

SPEAKER_00 27:52

Aphrodite mild as well.

SPEAKER_03 27:58

They have two actually, 10 and 11 right now. Uh track called Tonight by Jaguar Jaguar. And then another one called Don't Need by Nasso and Mez. Oh, that's a tough one. Yeah, yeah. It's a nice one. Yeah. So I listen, I actually I'm scrolling through the the top 100 on hype. I don't know a lot of these other labels, to be honest. It's like new new players in the game. And I mean that's the point of the hype. The hype chart is to give a chance to these smaller and upcoming labels, especially when you're just starting. I mean, Uncommon is not a small brand by any means, but um they're on there. I mean, yeah, Ulu is there, Siamese twin, Robin M. They're charting right now, which is great to see.

SPEAKER_00 28:42

What what other label what other awards can we label of the year? Okay. We can't say club record. Label of the year. VOD.

SPEAKER_03 28:59

VOD final on demand. That's a good one. I wanna give it to what what label do I really like consistently always? It's a tough one, man. It's a tough one. I think I'd probably give it to I'd probably give it to maybe Dawn Patrol. Shout out Dawn Patrol.

SPEAKER_00 29:34

Yeah, I mean VOD marketing, simplicity, just just and they don't make sound is different, diverse, every week is just new, unpredictable. Listen, from a from a top best-selling perspective, probably Magnifique or or or I mean make the girls dance, right? Yeah. For 100%.

SPEAKER_03 30:04

I mean, make if you if you if you scroll through right now the top 100 Afrohouse, the amount of both Magnifique and Make the Girls Dance tracks is actually a bit overwhelming.

SPEAKER_00 30:14

It's like crazy. It's not, it's not, it's not. And yeah, I think I think to be considered a top five label, you've got to have four to six, you know, four plus tracks on the top one hundred genre chart. At all times. If you've yeah, at all times. If you've got one or two in the top 100 overall, life is good. Yeah. Agreed with that. This was nice, man. This was a nice, nice little segment. It was cool. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 30:50

You wanna you wanna run through the last few? There's social impact award. I don't know about that one. Curation Francis. Curation award.

SPEAKER_00 31:05

Curation award, bro. That's a good question, right? Okay, I can't give it to myself. Um curation award.

SPEAKER_03 31:15

Damn. What does it mean? Wait, wait, wait. What does it actually mean, like curation award from your from your perspective?

SPEAKER_00 31:23

Well, I just think that to curate means to be particular, but also to put your own interests, personal feelings aside, and you're doing something for the for the better good of the genre or that you're serving. For me, that's our securation. It's just like a self selfless act. So when I look at our scene, who is a selector? Who is someone that is, I mean, yeah. I can't because I'm gonna say myself. Who do you who do you think?

SPEAKER_03 32:04

I give it to you, man. It's cool. Let's give it to Manu. Guys at home, let us know if you agree with that. I'm down for that. Okay, last one, last one. This is a good one. I like this a lot. Culture Shaper Award.

SPEAKER_00 32:19

Culture Shaper Award.

SPEAKER_02 32:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 32:23

Okay, let me turn the question to you now. What's your definition of a culture shaper?

SPEAKER_03 32:32

I think somebody who is influential in kind of deciding the interpretation globally of what something is at the at any given moment, right? So in Afro House as a whole, I think a culture shaper for this year specifically, you know, not my favorite answer, but logically you could say like a Huguen again, right? Culture shaping kind of an a new understanding of what Afro House is or consumed as and you know how it's meant to be, right? Do I agree with his interpretation and you know culture of the genre? Not really, but that's a good example. But let me let me think about who I would actually give it to you. Do you have any do you have any names that come to you right now? Culture Shaper.

SPEAKER_00 33:26

I think the thing shaper I would also add to your definition by saying artists that are adding to the sound by by providing originality and something fresh. And we we've talked about these artists before, you know, the likes of A Drums, the likes of Ban Sharpa, the likes of Lala, yeah, Sam. Like the I feel like there's four sound directions here, Juno, that artists are inspired by and they follow. I mean, on the weekend when I was talking with On Fire, I was asking them, oh, so who do you like at the moment? Everyone's saying Magnifique, everyone's saying ache drums, you know, yeah, because because they have their own style.

unknown 34:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 34:32

That's important.

SPEAKER_03 34:34

No, I agree, man. Listen, if if I was gonna give the same names, I mean, we kind of you know, rinse and repeat those those top influential guys, and it's all again what you said, it's they're doing something new and it's fresh, and it's creating a new pathway of I want to say followers or copycats behind them because that's just the way you know the industry works for the most part, right? That's how it goes. That's how it goes. But getting getting back, I mean that was sick, but getting back to the the theme overall, right? IMS has a theme. Right. Which is great. What future themes do you think IMS could adopt?

SPEAKER_00 35:17

I think again, they they they really got it right this year with the theme, reclaiming the dance flow. But within that conversation, I think there is a DJ experience, DJ set journey conversation about reinforcing the art of DJing. I think that is that is a good topic. Uh and within that, there is a there is a subtopic of the big fees will come when you provide that experience as a DJ. Um, I think now when you start, you see interviews like like Ho Gail that you know he he gave a few days ago and and it blew up on Instagram and and went viral talking about how much he charges up to 750k. And it's good to know like how the market is shaped and what people are getting at the highest level, but also it kind of skews the the intention of the up-and-coming artists and and that absolutely, you know, just the the passion, right? Because it's like the art form, you know, I get it though, I get it. Like you wanna get to that level, and one gig can change your life, but at the same time, that doesn't happen overnight. Like Girl's been doing it for years, yeah. So I think I think, yeah, DJ experience before the fees, I think that is that is a good topic.

SPEAKER_03 37:01

I agree, man. You know, it's it's difficult. I was talking to somebody about this recently, where it's like, you know, he's he's a Toronto DJ. Um he's done all right for himself, he plays a few local gigs, but his whole thing was like it's all about the marketing now and like getting you know bums in seats and that kind of thing. And he's like he spends more time doing TikTok content and you know that kind of thing, where you know, in reality, he should be focusing on improving himself as a DJ, right? Not just from a curation perspective perspective, but also the technical. Because if you think about DJ equipment like a V10, right? Like the amount of things that that mixer can do is unbelievable. Not just like knobs and effects and everything like that. There's somebody was showing me where you can send one of your tracks or the master to a different channel, and then you can do your do things like that way. It's just it's just nuts, man. I mean, I don't really understand it because I'm not at that level yet, but I'm blown away. So there's a there's a whole generation of DJs that are really missing the technical appreciation, and I think also this competition thing, right? DJing used to be competitive where you know I'll run circles around that DJ because I've got better tracks and I've got better, you know, skills and I can do all these tricks and you know all this cool stuff, but that I don't think that really happens as much as it used to, you know.

SPEAKER_00 38:36

I mean, yeah, now it's all about how much are you getting? How can I negotiate a higher fee? Yeah. Again, to bring bring up on fire and and my conversation with them. They also were telling me they really struggle to find time to to go through their USB and and really curate these days because it's so busy, you're really focused on marketing, you're focused on that that image and creating creating that that sellable brand. That again, it doesn't hinder what you provide on the dance floor, but if you don't have that much time to really give it and invest it and and find new tracks every day or every week, because when I started DJing, bro, I was always on track, source on B port, looking for music, just always digging, spend so much money on there. I mean, now if I if I don't get sent tracks, usually they play the same stuff. Uh maybe once a month, I'll have a look, but even then it's not that that much time that I spend digging. So it's it's it's I think it's it's not just me, right?

SPEAKER_03 39:52

But you spend like, you know, in theory, not even in theory, I think factually, you spend more time preparing and learning and searching than you do actually playing, you know, for the audience, right? That's just how it works, right? And I think I wonder if a lot of people see it in a way like, oh, there's so much time and investment spent in the preparation and the understanding and the searching, and you know, okay, well, I may as well get compensated for that, and that's why maybe they're also asking for a higher fee.

SPEAKER_00 40:25

You can't though. I mean, I I can say this confident confidently, right? Most DJs play the same tracks. Yeah. For the DJ set, right? You'll have you'll have probably a span of a month where you play the same set or somewhat the same set. And obviously that changes over time slightly, you know, by a couple tracks every month, and then obviously it changes again. But I'll yeah, myself, I probably play the same tracks, some of the same tracks when I'm when I'm DJing. But you know you know that it works.

SPEAKER_03 41:01

I mean, from from not just you know, starting with you yourself as a DJ. You love that, you love that track. It's it's reflective of who you are as an artist DJ. Um, you know the audience loves it, it works, crowd pleasing. So there's two boxes ticked. And then I think as well, I mean, something that I tell people as well, like, oh, when they're starting to learn how to DJ is know your music, right? So if you know the song, it becomes more fluid to practice the technical aspects of actually mixing and you know doing all that thing.

SPEAKER_00 41:33

Yeah. Yeah, people don't have time these days, bro. Yeah, they haven't got time to work on that skill, they haven't got time to to really curate as much as as as they want. Not they should, as much as they want. Um, because I think the the the want is there. But it's also just just the crowd, you know, the crowd isn't that crowd that wants to shazam. The crowd just wants to party, the crowd just wants that moment, they want to know the songs that you're playing. So it's it's also not just on the DJs, also on the crowd, the venue, the expectation from the booker, the owner of the club. Like it's it's it's a couple things in there that I think uh impact the the final outcome on the dance floor and and behind the decks. Yeah. It's just the market, and and again, goes back to this wider theme at IMS of of reclaim the dance floor. There's so many subtopics and and conversations within it that it's it's a completely different industry than than it was only a couple of years ago.

SPEAKER_03 42:43

Yeah. No, absolutely, absolutely. I mean, yeah, as you said, it's like we could talk about things forever and ever. I mean, it's the digital the digital age, social media, phones, then you got you bring AI into it, and then you know, we we could be here for the next three hours, right?

SPEAKER_00 43:00

What did you think of the of Hougeel's clip? I didn't see the interview, but yeah, the I saw the clip, I didn't watch the whole interview either. But I didn't watch the interview. What do you think about it?

SPEAKER_03 43:13

Listen, man. Listen, listen, listen. I don't I don't think it's justified, right? Um look, we are we are not that shy about putting, you know, saying this out loud. I'm not the biggest Huguenot fan. Um, not because he's not talented or you know, his it's just his brand and his music don't resonate with me as a consumer, right? It's just not my thing. So maybe, you know, that's maybe a bit biased in this, but you know, we're comparing his feed to like, you know, let's let's take like a black coffee, the the highest paid and a Shimza, two highest paid DJs in the Afrohouse scene. Um, coffee, I've heard, is between 100k to 250k, depending on the engagement. Shimza. Are probably not too far behind that by now. Um so if we're talking about 750,000 for a gig for Hugh Gell, I just think that is ridiculously overpriced, personally. I mean up to up to so what yeah, but that's that's a big range, man. That's like six six figures at a minimum, right?

SPEAKER_00 44:23

The thing is it's also you know, these deal arrangements and how they they've they've they've laid their laid out, sometimes it's there's different negotiations and different um what's the word implications, right? So for example, if if he sells this much, if the club makes this much, then he's he's also gaining, right? So there's also there's also maybe could could be that that type of deal that he's talking about. It might not just just be uh a straight here's something fifty grand. He might also have some some ownership and some equity in some of those events.

SPEAKER_03 45:08

I wonder if it's I wonder if it's also like you know, like take the high Ibiza residency as kind of that reference point, right? So his the aggregated fee across his residency in Ibiza, I wonder if it is the 750k figure that he was talking about. No chance, no chance.

SPEAKER_00 45:27

You don't think it would be less, right?

SPEAKER_03 45:29

No.

SPEAKER_00 45:31

No. So he's what's he doing? Is he doing every Friday? I don't know which day it is, but yeah, every week. So Francis is doing Monday. I think he's doing Friday. Okay. His coffee's doing Saturday. So Friday night at high big night. How many how many weeks is is he there? 20 weeks, 16 16 weeks? Yeah, something like that, right? 750 is too low, mate. He's making like too low.

SPEAKER_03 46:03

Okay, I'm a sending.

SPEAKER_00 46:05

As a as a as a no way, bro. Come on, man. 750, one summer, no. No, per show, per show. Oh, oh, per show. I see what you mean. If you yeah, if you summer. Yeah. Um potentially. But even then, no, because black coffee, I don't think black coffee making 750 on a Saturday night. Yeah. Um probably closer to 100K every every every Friday if he's there on a Friday. I think he's I think he's on Friday.

SPEAKER_03 46:37

Six figures. I would say six figures, low low six figures as well. That's what I would estimate. But you know what? It reminds me, I was having uh when I first met Francis long time ago, um, we were having dinner with these promoters in Toronto, and him, you know, he was that was just when Premier Gal was like what year was this? I think this was like 2000. I want to say 19, you know. Oh yeah, pre-COVID.

SPEAKER_00 47:07

Um guys, guys, we were there, we were there before Afro House blew up after COVID. Don't don't forget, like 2019. My guy was having dinner with Francis. What are you talking about? Put some respect on Wesley's name. Come on, man.

SPEAKER_03 47:19

Dude, I had two I had 2,000 followers when I met Francis the first time. That's it. That's all I had. Started from the bottom now, yeah. Yeah. Um so anyway, I remember him saying, like, okay, his like his dream, his dream was like, he just wants to be able to earn like 20k a show. That was like his ultimate goal. 20k per show. Um, and then he feels like he's up there, he made it. And I mean, look at him now, bro.

SPEAKER_00 47:49

It's crazy, right? No expectation. That's that's always the best. It's just like not even when you sell yourself short, but when when you kind of have a goal in mind that you feel like it's attainable, and if you get more, then you're just that's just a plus. You know, you're still happy, there's gratitude there. But I always tell people, man, Francis is a good person. He he's looked after me, he's looked after you, he's look looks after a lot of people, he's made a lot of careers, he's put a lot of people on, he's created a lot of moments and and really has a like a big piece of the pie or in Afro House and and the scene. The guy's worked, man. Like I know, I know there's been shows when he first started, empty rooms, and you have to go through that, man. Empty rooms. And and I mean, I've played in so many empty rooms, even now. You know, when you when you're traveling and there's no one there, you're just like, man, what am I doing? But it's part of it, man. It's part of it.

SPEAKER_03 48:53

I mean, I think I think it still happens even at like guys who have been on the road for years and years. Like sometimes, sometimes it's a promoter's fault. It's not necessarily like, oh, you and this, it's just bad organization, bad planning, lack of marketing, obviously. And then no one shows up. It's on a Thursday night.

SPEAKER_00 49:11

I mean, a month ago, a big artist in Afro House was was in town in London, and he was oh, come through. So went in there, no one, bro. There was no one, and he's playing, and but you can tell he's just like fuck, you know, a bit embarrassed, and then the show ends, and he's like, that was humbling, that was very humbling because he's played in huge shows, like he's done huge shows, sells out, he's so he's sold out before in London, he's done really well here, all over the world, and yeah, nights, nights like that still happened to to a lot of artists, but yeah, it's it's it's yeah, it's part of it, I think.

SPEAKER_03 49:52

It happens all the time. Yeah, I mean I won't I won't name names, but I've been to a few, and there was this one that I'll never forget. It was like it's a huge club. It's known as the Super Club in Toronto, right? Like it's massive. And how many people? I'd like say like 5,000. But they have the ability where like the way that they've structured it is they can they can extend the dance floor depending on how big the night is, right? So they had like they have like they do like afterlife events there and stuff like that. So then there's like you know, 10,000 people or more. Um so it's a bit it's a big, big space. Um and yeah, it was just completely completely empty. Maybe like 50 people there, you know.

SPEAKER_00 50:43

Yeah, then that is that is when you're not posting anything the next day on Instagram.

SPEAKER_03 50:47

You just like you, you just but you can also tell it's like when people are posting stories, it's always like from the front, you know, like never from the back. That's when you kind of know, like, oh yeah, I was probably dead, you know.

SPEAKER_00 50:59

I mean, you know this, you're like a fucking content expert and investigator, like you just know all the details, you know what to look for with with what you do with Afrohouse Feed.

SPEAKER_03 51:10

But exactly, man.

SPEAKER_00 51:12

Yeah, as a DJ, when when the crowd is is empty and there's no one there and and the energy isn't there, you have to be creative, especially when you need content and you're you're kind of starting out and you want to be active on social media. Yeah, yeah, man. You you've gotta. I mean, I think now with AI, bro, a lot of people are gonna fake it, man. They're gonna fake that shit. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. I can see that happening for sure, bro. Bro, people have done worse things in this industry. They're gonna fake that now. Yeah, yeah, for sure. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_03 51:44

I didn't actually think about that, you know. But that look, it's a great, it's not necessarily a good thing, but it's a good use of AI for sure, because you know, if you're you're investing all that time and effort and you know, you you're flying out for the show. Fake until you make it.

SPEAKER_00 51:59

Fake it till you make it. Listen, if you're gonna do it, just don't inflate your numbers when you're selling your services. That's the only thing I would say. Like on videos, fine, and I mean I guess it's not fine, but whatever. But you know, when it comes to negotiations and and actual communication via email, text, whatever, yeah, just don't inflate numbers and say you've done this, you've done that, and you know, reference that video to make your story sound more believable. Just don't do that. Like I'm I'm fine with fake crowds using AI, but just don't lie in terms of like telling people that you've you've sold that many tickets and you've sold out a show.

SPEAKER_03 52:43

No, I totally agree with that, man. But look, speaking of the AI and the content thing, like my whole Instagram, different topics, it's all just AI generated stuff now. Like just random shit. I don't know, like these skits or like even like you see, like we were talking about this the other day. It was you see these posts from like you know, a big a big page, uh DJ page or whatever, and like it it's a sick post, but I know it's been generated with Claude automation and all that kind of stuff, and I'm watching it and I'm like, holy shit, it's actually working, you know, because I'm like, this is a great post. This is a great post, but I've just spent you know a minute watching something that AI made, you know.

SPEAKER_00 53:22

It works, and then we're only at the at the beginning of it. I saw Claude just launched design, Claude Design.

SPEAKER_03 53:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 53:30

I mean, we're only at the beginning of it. Um but going back to Huguel, so you wouldn't pay 750k for him.

unknown 53:38

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 53:39

I mean, if you were if you were making money back, you're you're doing that though.

SPEAKER_03 53:42

Okay, so let me I'm gonna turn the question back to you. I I'm gonna give you 750k, who are you gonna go and book? What are you gonna do with 750k?

SPEAKER_00 53:52

I'm booking kind of music.

SPEAKER_03 53:53

Yeah, well, okay.

SPEAKER_00 53:58

Yeah, I'm booking kind of music. For me, you know, if I'm a business owner and I'm just thinking I want to make money today, how can I make the most money out of my event? Obviously, the experience counts for a lot, but I'm just thinking, like, just based on historical events and and and where we are now in the industry, who can bring in the most money in one day at an event that has to be kind of music, right?

SPEAKER_03 54:33

Yeah, you know, they just announced in Toronto, and me and Adam Point are coming to Toronto in July, and they're where they're doing the show is like a huge park, right? So it's gonna be like massive, massive, massive. And I tickets go on sale on Monday, I guarantee you that's selling out for sure. And bro, it's like maybe up to 30,000 people, you know.

SPEAKER_00 55:00

Yeah, man. I think I don't think anyone can compete. Black Coffee, sure. But no, I don't think so. People just go crazy, bro. People just go crazy for kinda and they're still and they still do yeah. Let's let's check actually. Be the one came out yesterday. How many streams is it on? And we go on Spotify.

SPEAKER_03 55:20

I mean, while you're looking at that, right? So I'm I I always wonder, like, okay, so I this is our world Afro House and you know, Afro House extension, whatever, right? But I wonder how much like a John Summer charges, or you know, what's the comparison here?

SPEAKER_00 55:37

Yeah, I mean he's up there too, right? He's up there, yeah. I mean, I saw I saw a clip, did you see him in South Africa just playing in front of some some some sort of like a small crowd? Oh, really? And it was just like, yeah, yeah, he's he's got energy, bro. That that guy is just like by the way, be the one 300k in one day. Oh, yeah. Yeah by by 24 hours, so it's probably on 700k live as as we're speaking. Oh my god. No, no one's doing it like kinda, bro. Um, but yeah, I mean, if I were to rank, I would say kind of first. If I were what just wanted to make the most money in one day. Oof, maybe Mal P second. Mal P would be a good one. Yeah, maybe Mal P second. Man, I just don't know. Black Coffee Hoo Girl, who would you go for?

SPEAKER_03 56:38

Who is I mean, okay. You're you're you're talking about it from a business perspective.

SPEAKER_00 56:42

Business, bro, business, business. Let's make cash today.

SPEAKER_03 56:46

Okay. I'm gonna throw in a few more names there. Maybe like uh Peggy Goo. Ooh. Yeah, she's a ticket seller, 100%. Peggy Goo Mochak. Who else? Who else? Oh, Fisher. Fisher. That's a great one. Yeah, well done.

SPEAKER_00 57:08

Yeah, I think, I think, I think, yeah. I'm throwing a party tomorrow. Someone's giving me one million today. Yeah. Those are the names. Fisher, Peggy Goo, Kanye Music, Mal P John Summit. Guys, let us know in the comments. Let us know in the comments. Who else, who else is um would you would you book? Yeah, who else would you book? Who else would you book? Okay, man. I think uh episode 17 wrapping up. Again, I'm gonna remind you leave a like if you're watching on YouTube, comment, subscribe to Club Records. You know, we're not only posting podcasts, we have all of our releases on the channel, guest mixes, SoundCloud. There's a new guest mix with our gentle dust, Afro House Legends. Shout out to him. Stream his track Bad Boy with Udora out now, and uh yeah, hope you enjoyed it. Anything else?

SPEAKER_03 58:16

Nah, hit that like, subscribe, and we'll see you next week, guys. Peace.