Episode #20: In Conversation with Kizomba DJs Fofucho & Kindoki

TAKEAWAYS

• Fofucho and Kindoki both have deep roots in music from Angola.

• Kizomba music evolved from various influences, including Zouk and Afro-Latino rhythms.

• DJing often starts from family gatherings and personal passion for music.

• Transitioning to professional DJing occurs when one starts earning from their craft.

• Reading the crowd is essential for a DJ's success and can be challenging.

• Technology has made discovering new music easier but can also lead to laziness in DJing.

• Connection between the DJ and the audience is crucial for a successful night.

• Memorable nights often stem from unique events and strong crowd engagement.

• Both DJs emphasise the importance of supporting artists by purchasing music legally.

• Every DJ experiences tough nights, but they learn and grow from these experiences. All DJs have unique qualities that make them special.

• Collaboration among DJs enhances the overall experience.

• Building healthy relationships with event organisers is crucial.

• Mentorship plays a significant role in a DJ's development.

• Understanding the crowd is essential for a successful performance.

• Being a DJ requires serious investment in time and resources.

• The DJ lifestyle involves more than just playing music at events.

• Traveling as a DJ can be exhausting and impacts personal life.

• Newcomers should be prepared for the challenges of DJing.

• The evolution of music requires DJs to adapt and innovate. Take DJing seriously as a profession.

• Understand your passion for music before starting.

• Handling song requests can be challenging.

• Current music trends influence DJ sets.

• Collaboration between DJs enhances performances.

• Private parties offer a different vibe than clubs.

• Invest earnings wisely to build a future.

• DJs should know their audience's preferences.

• Music selection is an art that requires skill.

• Always keep the energy high during performances.

SOUND BITES

• "I live and breathe music."

• "It's a journey with music."

• "Music is life."

• "Every DJ has a tough night."

• "You have to chill."

• "We pay for it."

• "All guys are special."

• "We just connect."

• "Being a DJ is not a joke."

• "It's a progress, a beauty."

• "Take it more seriously."

• "It's been a delight."

• "Keep dancing!”

TRANSCRIPT

Speaker 2 (00:00)

Hello Kizomba friends and welcome back to another episode of Kizomba Conversations. As always, I'm your host Victor. Today we have two super guests. We have DJ Fofucho and DJ Kindoki joining us in the studio. So let's welcome them to the podcast. Hello gentlemen, how are we doing?

Speaker 3 (00:21)

Good? Yeah. Yes? For the invitation.

Speaker 2 (00:24)

Yeah, no, listen, thank you so much for being with us today. We don't just have one super DJ, we have two. So we're really excited about that. Learn about Kizomba from both of you because you guys, listen, I got to say you guys are both fire in your own ways. You guys are, you guys are amazing. So thanks for joining us on Kizomba Conversations. Yeah. All right, gents. So look, you know, we always start on our podcast with finding out a bit about who you are. All right. So just some brief history, you know, fam, well, anything you want to share with us. All right.

So I'm gonna start with you for the show. Talk to us about who you are.

Speaker 3 (00:58)

Wow. To start with, let's start with names, obviously. So for Fufucho, ⁓ known as René Santos, born and bred in Angola. Came to the UK in the mid nineties. So I was like a teenager. Yeah, I came from a family with music kind of background. My dad, my uncles, they...

Back in the days they had a of a band that they used to play in neighborhoods, kind of parties and festivals. So yeah, kind of got the DNA within that from a very early stage. Then from there, just history, came to London, continued with the love of music. I have a passion, I started collecting CDs back in the days. My dad used to collect vinyls, so...

Speaker 2 (01:55)

You

Speaker 3 (01:57)

Yeah, I think that the rest is just history. Here we are.

Speaker 2 (02:01)

So the band that they played in, were they quite big in...

Speaker 3 (02:06)

Local

local. Yeah back in those days DJing mainly say parties were not about having DJs were about having live bands, especially in Angola Yeah, so it was about that. So for example, one of my uncles will be in a guitar The other one will be like on the voice or on the drums They did have kind of things of like sound engineers Which will then become the DJs because they had the vinyls to entertain the crowds while the band is taking a break by

not something big. ⁓

Speaker 2 (02:37)

It's all good, it's all good as it starts. So music, definitely like you said, DNA is in the family, it's in the blood. Well, thank you, sir. Okay, over to Mr. Kindoki.

Speaker 3 (02:42)

Okay.

Speaker 1 (02:47)

Yes, well, I'm DJ Kindoki and known as Jose Paulo. Jose Paulo is my name, but Kindoki is like ⁓ a DJ name. But it's a family name as well. And I was born in Angola as well. I grew up in Angola as well. And I came to the UK around 2002. Yeah.

And well, yeah. The rest will come.

Speaker 2 (03:19)

Yeah. Yeah.

The rest will come. Okay. Yeah, no, absolutely. So thank you. Thank you to you both. All right. Thank you to you both. So, you know, it's great because both of you are Angolan. Well, born in Angola. Yeah. Right. So, I mean, I just want to find out in terms of Kizomba then, you know, I asked this to a lot of our guests, but was Kizomba always around for you when you when you were young?

Speaker 1 (03:45)

Yes, absolutely. I started listening to music basically when I was nine, ten years old. And then as well in Angola, we love music. And then my parents, they used to listen to music all the time at home, like parties and all that stuff. then we just started listening to music and then I passionate on it. And then since then, yeah.

Speaker 2 (04:12)

Yeah, just soaked in.

Speaker 1 (04:14)

Everything just flow with me.

Speaker 2 (04:18)

Can you slow push it?

Speaker 3 (04:19)

Yeah, I think in terms of the journey, like Kizomba, it came like on a later kind of stage. Because what a lot of people probably don't refer to is that Kizomba was like a modern style that was then founded, let's say, in the rhythms of Angola. My background will take me more towards the Semba.

Speaker 2 (04:44)

December.

Speaker 3 (04:45)

At that time we had a lot of connections with Afro-Latinos as well. So from the Cuban salsa, from the merengue. I think we drank a lot of that. Like I said, having a family with lot of musicians into the music. I think that the Kizomba came a bit later, more towards the 90s.

when we had great singers then transforming what we had and also we had the influence of Zouk as you might know it well. So then from Zouk we can then say that our generation then got into the rhythm of the Kizomba.

Speaker 2 (05:26)

Yeah, so it's definitely both in your blood and obviously something you grew up with so that's great. That's great. And then specifically then DJing. So like I said, you guys are both great in your own ways. So I want to find out what pulled you towards DJing. Yeah. Yeah. How did that come about? You know?

Speaker 1 (05:39)

Thank you.

Yeah, it's like, because we start listening to music ⁓ at a young age like me. And then it's like, as the time was going, I started just like listening to different music. As Fufucho was saying, like Zouk. Before, yeah, before we used to listen to lot of Zouk, Semba and Ghetto Zouk as well. Coladeria Coloderia as well. Those are the type of music our parents used to listen to.

Speaker 2 (06:13)

Yes, Pepe.

Speaker 1 (06:18)

And then we just started listening to it as well. And then since then, was like, kind of like listening to music, doing some collections, recording all those stuff. And then I just became a just come to DJ. Yeah, something like you like it, you love it. And then, yeah, I tried it the first time and then it just...

Speaker 2 (06:33)

Just happen.

Speaker 3 (06:34)

Right?

Speaker 2 (06:44)

So that first time train, where was that and how was that? The first time trying.

Speaker 1 (06:49)

The first time was like a party, like private parties, like people just like, we have like a birthday party at home and then like, yeah, we're gonna put the music, yeah, let me try it, cause they know like you love music, okay, let me try it. It like just a strength for music, people liking us so well, so I can be a DJ as well.

Speaker 2 (07:06)

You felt the vibe.

Speaker 1 (07:10)

From there, just started getting all the stuff, all the music. then, yeah. And then from there, I just started.

Speaker 2 (07:14)

that's...

Yeah, I know that! That's the best way to start! Yeah, okay! Is that a similar for yourself?

Speaker 3 (07:21)

Similar

situation, start of the party is obviously, especially family, family gatherings. think that becoming a DJ in that kind of environment, like he just comes with it. It comes within, you know? So you had like the elderly uncles, brothers or whatever, they had all the sets. They had all the music, do you what mean? Used to be like the youngest, like curious guy. There's always next to him. So I see, yeah, but how do I put it out? How do you know? mean, just kind of things.

And I think it started naturally by trying to help. And this is like trying to help like my uncles in a simple question of, I don't know if you guys are familiar, rewind in the tapes. So at that time, DJs obviously they didn't have much time. It was all about selection. It's nothing to do with the mixing, that. It just about selecting. And for you to select a certain cassette and put a certain song, sometimes the least of the music that you want to put is like... ⁓

Speaker 1 (08:04)

Yeah.

Speaker 3 (08:20)

on a certain side of the tape. So I started by just helping, rewinding the tape while one song is playing. like, oh, pass me the tape now. And then I would go and select another tape. So with that, it just came naturally.

Speaker 2 (08:33)

That's the start of your mixing, isn't it?

Speaker 3 (08:36)

So

yes, just know exactly the principles of it.

Speaker 2 (08:40)

Yeah, no, that's great because obviously, like you said, it's just from watching people there. So it's almost like inevitability. It's almost like that's what's going to happen in that area, right? And then just fall into it. that's not great. All right, cool. So then we talk about both of you. Like I mentioned before, you both great and you both different, okay? And distinct and not just in DJing, but what I notice is in personalities too. All right. So I want to find out a little bit about this because, know, for sure I know. Listen, man.

When you're on fire, when you're enjoying yourself, right? When I see you on the decks, you're like this. More of him. he's like... In there, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. We love the passion, right? But the same thing, Kindoki, similar, right? But you're a little bit more in there. You're like... So when I see your actions, I see you both doing it. I'm like, okay, these guys are really enjoying themselves.

Speaker 1 (09:29)

I have a feeling.

Speaker 2 (09:36)

So my question is, how would you describe your mixing? So Fofucho sure, let's start with you. How would you describe your mixing and your style in terms of your personality as a DJ?

Speaker 3 (09:45)

My personality as DJ is my exact personality as a person. I live and breathe music. Do you what mean? I wake up every single morning and the first thing that I do...

You know what mean? So when I'm on the decks, regardless of the crowds, regardless of anything, I'm actually living every single beat, every single melody, every single lyric of every song that I play. I see music as a journey. You know what mean? And it's like it hits your soul and it makes you basically travel within the...

Speaker 2 (10:16)

Can we believe that?

No, well, listen, I completely understand. You articulate that completely. Well, yeah, absolutely. So you don't have have my is though.

Speaker 3 (10:36)

Yeah.

Speaker 1 (10:37)

It's like almost the same as when I'm DJing or when I'm playing in clubs or parts or whatever. But there are some kind of music like we used to listen back in the days and it was like, gives you like that, feeling. And then it's like you try to show them like this is the real one. And then when I'm playing and when I'm DJing, like trying to show. People, feel it.

Speaker 2 (11:04)

I know you feel it, I see you feel it.

Speaker 1 (11:07)

Music

is what I always say, music is life. ⁓ When we listen to music, it's like we have to go for

It's like something we can just show people like, yeah, feel the same way as well. This is the music.

Speaker 2 (11:25)

It's beautiful, gentlemen, I just love the...

Speaker 1 (11:27)

Yes,

sometimes it's hard to explain it.

Speaker 2 (11:30)

Yeah, but I love the passion that you both have for it. This is why you're here. this is good. All right. So what I want to find out then also is because, know, if we read your bios, both of you, there'll be a line on there where you'll say that, you know, started being a professional DJ at this time, I think 2005 for you. When was that for you?

Speaker 1 (11:51)

Mine was 2005, 2006.

Speaker 2 (11:55)

So similar sort of thing. I just want to, the question I'm trying to find out here is, because we've talked about the fact that it was evolution and you guys both picked it up and you do it well, you got that feedback in the early days. when, when does it become professional? You know mean? At what point can you say now I'm a professional DJ? Does that make sense?

Speaker 3 (12:14)

Just like the word says, it's to do when you start earning for your doings. This is then, it stopped being a hobby because imagine for example, a hobby is going to the park, playing football, can be music as well. You love doing it without getting any kind of return for it. From the moment that you are called to do a service, whether it's for family, whether it's for friends,

regardless of the situation and then you are earning a value then it becomes a profession. This is the beginning of everything.

Speaker 2 (12:51)

Okay, super, yes. And that's where you start taking it super seriously, obviously, and then you're building your brand, all that kind of stuff as well. Yeah, that's what I'm trying to get at, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1 (12:59)

Because before it was like a hobby.

And then when people recognize what you do, your job, say, wow. So now this is the time that I need to start earning in something in what I do. And then from there, you see.

Speaker 2 (13:11)

Yeah,

yeah, absolutely. No, no, no. Great. And then linking on to that, obviously now you're professional. You've been doing it. Well, you guys been doing it for a long time. All right. Yeah. crowd reading. Yeah. You guys are in charge of the crowd most of the time. Responsible for people's mood. Right. So how do you manage that? And then is that challenging for you both? Is that challenging? Yeah. Talk to us then.

Speaker 3 (13:39)

⁓

I think that from time to time it's becoming easier because now you've got specific nights for specific music. So reading the crowd becomes a little bit... We're talking about styles and rhythms so if we're talking about Kizomba, it's easier to be on a night where the main focus is Kizomba.

And then you might include, and when we talk about Kizomba, we talk about in terms of including everything, the Zouks, let's just say in terms of Kizomba, as a dance. It's easier because you know that the dance and the crowd that is there, they came for that specific purpose. It becomes, what we need to focus is mainly, am I putting too much of a certain rhythm? Am I putting too much slow? Am I putting too much faster?

You know what mean? Am I starting too fast? How do I change enough when everybody's like on the high? How do I drop everything? Should I drop everything? Do you know what mean? So it becomes easier. Back in the days it was difficult because you need to think of, oh, I need a little bit of Afro house or I need a little bit of semba or I need a little bit. So knowing that you put one song and there's only one person singing and the other ones are looking at you, you're already thinking. Do you know what mean? With time, I think we get better.

Speaker 2 (15:00)

you

Speaker 3 (15:05)

Yeah, I think yeah. But now it's a bit easier than it was before. It was a lot challenges.

Speaker 2 (15:10)

Yeah, no, I can imagine. And is that similar? Yeah.

Speaker 1 (15:13)

Yeah,

it's easy now, but sometimes we find it also tricky. Because sometimes when we're playing it and then there are people that love Konpa, there are people that love Kizomba, Ghetto Zouk, Semba. And then it's like when you play Kizomba, there are people come, I want to use Konpa, come on, want Semba. And I say, come on, no, I'm not. But it's like you're there, I want to try to make you people happy, calm down.

Speaker 2 (15:17)

Yeah.

Speaker 1 (15:41)

It's easy now, but sometimes it's What we need to do when I'm playing is we have to just look at the people. Dance floor, see the vibe. I think this is the right time to put Kizomba. This is the right time to put Zouki. This is the right time to put Konpas. So we need to kind of manage with it.

Speaker 2 (15:43)

Yeah

So over time you've developed that. have there been any really like nights that stood out for you and you went home and you're like...

that wasn't great. Anything stick out?

Speaker 1 (16:22)

Yeah, it's not, sometimes, depending on the mood of the people as well. Yeah, yeah. Sometimes people, just go there just to listen to me. They don't want to just like dance. They want to just like kind of stress and then just go to listen to music and then drink some, get some drink and then go home. And then for you, as a DJ, it's like I'm there, I'm doing my work. I want to see people in the dance floor, dancing. Sometimes it doesn't happen like that. Yeah. But we do our best. then, but, yeah, as I say, as I always say, I always say.

We got different nights. Yeah. So today can be a good night, tomorrow won't be a day.

Speaker 2 (16:56)

Yeah,

it happens. Yeah, so it's alright. ⁓

Speaker 1 (16:59)

But

see what happens.

Speaker 3 (17:00)

I think with that it has a lot to do with what I normally say is not the soul ⁓ good night that every DJ is going to have a one point and when I say like for example when I identify not a very good night I look at myself straight away not the crowds whether the crowd like that not it's like what did I miss because the preparation was there ⁓

The reading was there, but it's like ⁓ most of the time it happens when the, what do call, the connection. This is very important. The connection between the event organizer and the DJ does not match both of them objectives. know what mean? Cause say for example, I'm a DJ that I know that everywhere I go, I try to feel the vibe. I try to bring a vibe.

And the reason why I try to sing at all on the DJ booth is that so everybody can get the same energy. It's like DJs bringing the energy. So I want everybody to sing. But then if I have an event organizer, for example, I try to simply have enough for Fufucho there and then saying, you're a great DJ, but I want you to play this. And then five minutes after it comes, oh, can you please this? Because one of my guests wants this. And then it comes, oh.

I've got this teacher that came from France and they would love us like, you need to understand that the reason why I'm behind the decks, you know what I mean? So this is the night that then I think, you know, he's not going to hear. You know what mean? So yeah, I'll go home extremely stressed because I was not able, not in terms of reading the crowds, I was not able to provide the service that I wanted.

Speaker 2 (18:32)

ever.

So that preparation is a basic thing to you.

Speaker 1 (18:47)

Yeah, because sometimes the as for fishers some promoter sometimes is like this. I know that customer they just come, come ⁓ on. I was saying before, and then we as a DJ, we're doing our job. You are promoter, you do your thing, but and then we do our job. You can come and say, come on, other people playing. Don't worry. But let me do my thing. Yeah. But when you come to the, I just play now, not playing all this.

Speaker 3 (19:16)

It was disconnection with the DJ. Regardless of the best DJ in the world, you'll go. Because you'll interfere with the idea.

Speaker 1 (19:18)

Bless you.

Speaker 2 (19:25)

You know what, I want to be there one time when these people come to you you just say, just chill. Chill, I love it. You have to chill. ⁓

Speaker 1 (19:29)

You ⁓

Speaker 3 (19:33)

It's easy to say.

Speaker 1 (19:34)

He's

like

Come on, can you play? Come on, there are people there. you don't hear the Konpas today, you don't want next time you're gonna hear it.

Speaker 2 (19:47)

No,

absolutely, man. I don't know. Cool, cool. But you know what? I just want to say that we appreciate both of these two gentlemen in terms of what they do. like they both said, they come to make us happy. you know, I know we're talking about this now, but we know the intent is there. So we're always happy to have you. We're always happy to have you. OK. And then how obviously you got a stack of music going way back. You guys are masters of this. So how do you discover new music? You know, how does that happen?

Speaker 3 (20:17)

I think the new music discovered us.

Speaker 2 (20:21)

Yeah, because nowadays, yeah.

Speaker 1 (20:23)

It's much easier now. It's easier because we have lot of connections with the music, even with the singers as well. So we got some connections and sometimes they got new music and they come like, I try this? Promote this one. So and then we have links. we go there for push sometimes we need some sort of common for push. You have to know I have those ones. Yeah. OK. Then we have some sites as well where we do our downloads as well. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (20:44)

like

Yeah. So, artists sometimes. ⁓ I was listening. He's looking at you in the camera right now. Legal ones, you said.

Speaker 3 (20:53)

by the way. ⁓

Speaker 1 (20:54)

Yeah

No, pay.

Speaker 3 (21:03)

We pay for Anybody that needs advice, we'll advise to go to the legal side. Support the singers, the artists, please. Do not by any chance go to...

Speaker 1 (21:04)

Alright.

Speaker 2 (21:14)

Yeah,

absolutely. So artists come to you then and they say promote this. Is it new songs that they come with? Most times?

Speaker 1 (21:15)

We have lot of links here.

Speaker 3 (21:24)

Sometimes even promotions as well. get a lot of people before they even release like an EP, they'll try to promote. we, most of the times we access that, especially into the Kizomba world. Cause it's a very small kind of world. So it's quite easy. Sometimes even with producers and you know, and also with technology. It's like before it was much easier before you used to go like to the shop, for example, I used to go to Portugal a lot every two or three months.

come back with CDs because back in the times we didn't have CDs being sold here in the UK. So yeah, we used to do that. Then it became hard because now there's no physical CDs anymore. Then it went to digital and then the digital world was very, you know, expensive to start with. To buy music like on the platforms was very expensive. So yeah, it's much easier now. You've got streaming sites, which you don't even need to download or to keep everything on your database. You can just stream.

completely live basically. Absolutely into the platform. So yeah, it's a lot easier.

Speaker 2 (22:29)

So in terms of technology then, I was gonna ask you actually a bit later on, but now I'll ask you now. So has it made things easier or do you miss certain elements of other, I don't know, things that you did before? is the technology that you have now as DJs, is it just making things so much easier?

Speaker 1 (22:44)

course.

Speaker 3 (22:45)

It can be tricky. It can be tricky. It's a lot easier depending on how you use it. Because it's easier in terms of if I need to organize a playlist with the, if I get to an event within five minutes, I can organize a playlist. I can literally get to the event, the crowds, say other DJs are there. I can go and see what the other DJ already have on his list and I can quickly edit. So for that purpose, yes, it's easy in terms of stocking your music.

But then a lot of technology then can also work towards the negative by making sometimes us as DJs a bit lazy. Because we forget the basics and the principles, you know what mean? And then we get there, is whatever I put in my playlist regardless of the crowd that just play, whether they like it or not. Whether the DJ before me put it or not, this is what I prepared, so...

There is this pros and cons. yeah. The technology is great, but for other purposes, yeah. It can be quite, quite dangerous.

Speaker 2 (23:42)

take away from the soul of the night because you're not feeling.

Speaker 1 (23:48)

There's like, I go old systems at home and then a couple of weeks ago I was trying to just go back in here to see how things are. I trying so wow man. It'll be funny now. Today it's like, it's easy. It's like we lazy now. Yeah, got things just there, click sync, do this, this and then just play.

Speaker 2 (23:59)

Yeah.

You

just found it, just thought, please, look what happened every day, yeah?

Speaker 3 (24:15)

It is too low then then yeah

Speaker 1 (24:17)

was a lot of fix.

Speaker 2 (24:19)

It's like good and bad, it? Technology can be, I've got great, but then it's got the bad side as well. Okay. Can you gentlemen tell me about a night you'll never forget behind the decks? Anything that springs to mind? What I mean is it was a great night. You really good. That's what I mean.

Speaker 3 (24:38)

Yeah. It's hard to mention just one. Okay. Because I don't want to leave everyone. I've had like very great. ⁓ there's loads. Yeah. I mean, I can tell you one thing. For example, when I go to Chocolate with Kizomba, concept of what it is, being a Tuesday around London, it becomes something unique. Okay.

Speaker 2 (24:43)

Show show

Maybe recently then, I don't know.

Yo.

Speaker 3 (25:06)

I would like to say that maybe about two or three weeks ago, it was one of the greatest nights that we had. Cause it was closed for a period. When we returned, think it was celebrating 15 years. Before that, I can tell you that we had one of the greatest nights at Diverso Diverso Ressin, which was unique as well.

Speaker 2 (25:23)

Yes, yes. ⁓

Speaker 3 (25:31)

There was many parties around but that specific night, I think it was last month, was with me Miro as well, so it was amazing. then, yeah, we went to Portugal, it was like the best ever.

Speaker 2 (25:42)

Okay, so there's many, there's many. I'm happy there's many, that's the main thing. Shout out to Chocolate Kizomba and Diverso as well, you guys. 100%. Yeah, yeah. It's hard. And, and, Kindoki, anything come to mind?

Speaker 3 (26:00)

Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1 (26:01)

Nice night show, wow! Yeah, it was nice. Recently I played at the Drena. It was last week. Yeah, last week. That was my first time in Drena. And it was fantastic. Okay. Yeah, was, yeah, people really... Yeah, I enjoyed it and I liked the vibe. It was good. Yeah, was good. And then, yeah, so many, so many...

Speaker 2 (26:16)

Enjoy.

Yeah. Good. That's fine. Yeah. All right. Yeah. Right. There's a lot of DJs out there, right? Lots of talented DJs. There's so many, right? And know how Kizomba is just big now, right? So I want to find out what, how do you stay, what makes you different to other DJs essentially? I'm trying to find out. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (26:25)

It's too many years. It's too many years, it is, know.

Speaker 1 (26:31)

Have a great day.

Speaker 2 (26:52)

Yeah, bit of a tricky question. but what would you, you know, how do you stand apart for yourselves? ⁓ This question has got you stuck, okay?

Speaker 3 (27:09)

You see the standing out is normally like a term that I don't like to use because I don't think it's fair. Because in the environment that we are, think that just like you said, there's too many good DJs, not just in the Kizomba world but like in the Palop. But there very few nights on let's say events.

for the amount of DJs that we have. So the tricky part is, as every single DJ out there had the same chance that I had in order for me to maintain, you will be a bit of both, you know what mean? So yeah, to maintain all these years, think that the key point is to have a healthy relationship with those who are doing the parties.

Speaker 2 (28:01)

So the organizers, djs is as well.

Speaker 3 (28:04)

That's

the main, that's how you stay on top. Yeah. By, by having the project. And by, by doing like what the two of you actually set out to do. Cause it will be like a return. Cause if you do great in one night and you actually show that you've got the same mindset as they do, there will be a return that they will call it's not just because you have this name and I can pay you to do the job. No.

is about knowing that every time this guy comes, it's as if it was the first time that he's here, you know what mean? And that's how you do it.

Speaker 2 (28:39)

and you have that shared vision in terms of what you want for the event or the night. Yeah, absolutely. Okay. Is that?

Speaker 3 (28:42)

Yes.

Speaker 1 (28:46)

Yeah, it's almost the same actually. What we do is trying to...

be connected to them. be connected and then as like is fofucho sure. Well, you do the same thing. Yeah, because there are people that people they try to like say, I prefer it for sure. Oh, I prefer for sure. But we as we do.

Speaker 3 (29:12)

Yeah, we don't see it in the as either. We don't see it though.

Speaker 2 (29:15)

That's great. That's

great. That's really great. Because that leads on to my next question is how do you, so you two, let's say you're DJing together, ⁓ how do you collaborate? Is there a conversation beforehand? Okay, we're doing this night. How do you kind of work together as well?

Speaker 3 (29:33)

There's a bit of both. We can talk. For example, if I'm going to one of his events as a guest, of course we're going to talk just to know what's your crowd like, know what mean? During the event we will talk as well, what do you think? Because he is the one that knows and that's vice versa. If he comes to one of mine, he's exactly the same. But then the gem, they're like knowing each other and that's one thing that lot of DJs, they probably don't do is that they do not go out.

to kind of support the DJ so they do not know what the other DJs are offering. They just hear about it. Oh, Miro, when he does the kizomba, he does that. The festival's about, have you ever actually been there and seen Miro playing? Do you know what mean? And if Miro was to call you to play with him, how would you be able to act? Because it's not a competition. Because we know each other. I already know what kind of every single DJ kind of does on the nights.

I always try to complement, but it makes it a lot easier. It's still a competition because we are competing. It's a competition because it's like he puts one great song, like, ⁓ I'm going to come back a year if I even. Yeah, that kind of competition is like.

Speaker 2 (30:39)

You

competitive.

But you know what wins? The only thing that wins there is Kizomba and the night. So that helps.

Speaker 1 (30:58)

Yes, what we do, Me and myself, when we're playing for Fufucho Miro or whatever, other DJs as well, we say what we do, we don't have to compete here. What we need to do is to provide good energy to people. See? Yeah, end of the day, so we happy as well. So now, the attitude becomes just they're trying to compete. No, don't do this. Let's enjoy the night.

Speaker 2 (31:24)

100 %

Speaker 3 (31:27)

He's only a few hours, do know what I

Speaker 2 (31:33)

100%. I love the fact that you stick together and I love the fact that it's a respected collaboration.

Speaker 3 (31:38)

has to be that's the main focus I mean if you if you don't go out with the mindset that is going to be like a group thing you're going to have some hard nights German which is normal we all hate yeah but yeah just go with the right mindset let them shine as a yeah

Speaker 2 (31:55)

Yeah,

we all shine together. So then thinking about that then in terms of your both you practice, you've got to where you are now is really great DJs. know, have you what do you think about mentorship? Have you been mentored by any other people? Did you follow any other people? You know, I guess maybe what I'm asking is, know, who are some of the people that trained you or did you look up to or got advice from?

Speaker 3 (32:19)

You always do. Mentoring is something that comes along with it. example, I started very young, you know, becoming professional. It wasn't easy. There was other DJs, there was like really great nights in here, really good DJs. It's like, and at that time the circle was so tiny and closed, not everybody had the chance to step.

And it was the kind of thing that it wasn't easy for you to approach a DJ booth to just pick for you to get the opportunity. They had to be humble, you know? So, mainstream is in a sense of you as a young guy, you go to the night with the great DJs and that one chance of just saying hi, just like, listen, I'm also a DJ, you know? I see you like the way you do, you know what mean? How do you normally, how do you pick? And just pick and...

When they give you a chance for you to play, then instead of you trying to show what you've not experienced yet, ask for guidance. This time of the night, what should I play? Do you know what mean? Because all the guys, they all ask, like, would you feel more comfortable? Because if you feel more comfortable about a certain style of music, then I can tell you the best time for you to play that is probably at that stage. So you go with the mindset and think, okay, so let's...

Get myself prepared for that yeah.

Speaker 2 (33:45)

So they were welcoming, they were welcoming.

Speaker 3 (33:48)

Yeah, at one point, yeah. At the beginning it was really hard. But then after, once you get to know people, I was lucky enough to know a lot of very good DJs. I shared like the booth with them and yeah. I think that we got a bit of both, you know? Yeah. No, that's important. Because they also needed the inspiration from the youngest to maintain like the actual, like the new music. Yeah. Because nights, they will evolve, right?

It's like the 30s will become 40s, the 20s become 30s and so on and so on. So how do you attract then the newcomers, the 20s? know, you always need like a younger guy than this is what we're listening to now. This is what the people are vibing into. yeah.

Speaker 2 (34:35)

Yeah,

it's really, really interesting. interesting. Do you want to add anything to that?

Speaker 1 (34:39)

Yes,

as we said before, we started in the parties and then sometimes we had great DJs around and then it's like to be in the party playing and sometimes there's a great DJ in that party. say, who's that guy? I said, you're a DJ? Come on, I'll take you to my club, there for you to... Okay. And then from then, they bring us and say, okay, I saw you DJ on that party, I missed this and this and that, but I'm going to teach you.

Speaker 3 (35:08)

So we'll

Speaker 1 (35:09)

We have

a lot of great DJs which they were just our mentors. He guided us and then sort of... No, good. And sometimes the great DJs are a little bit comfortable as well. And then we want to get it so we just try to... Yeah, they feel it's a wow, this guy is cool, man. I'll push them.

Speaker 2 (35:20)

Yeah.

No, that's good. So obviously I'm sure you do, but you mentor other people as well, right? Now? Yeah.

Speaker 3 (35:37)

I try my best too. Yeah. ⁓

Speaker 1 (35:40)

A

lot of people follow me and then they ask for guidance, which we do sometimes. But they're really young people. Not just young, they're old people. They want to be the DJ as well. They saw man I like. Can you teach me what kind of things, what kind of set they need to buy? They say, okay, buy this, buy that. Get this one, get the laptop, get the music.

Speaker 2 (35:58)

do.

Is ⁓

Speaker 1 (36:09)

If there even ⁓

That's

why the one two as well DJs well is like this. I feel like the one

Speaker 2 (36:16)

Thank

We need more female DJs, buddy. We need more. Yeah. cool. No, no. That's good. OK.

Speaker 1 (36:23)

Cocoa.

Speaker 3 (36:25)

You know. Yeah, there's more.

Speaker 1 (36:30)

Music is life, so we need more...

Speaker 2 (36:32)

DJ

this thing, that's it. I have a question for you. Okay. Because we're talking about mentorship, right? So imagine, well, let's just take myself, right? I know if I was to get behind the decks, that's, it's foreign to me. I don't know what's going on, right? I just appreciate your music, right? But okay, so imagine I'm learning how to DJ, right? I haven't been doing it that long, right? But you know, you know I'm about, and then I asked a DJ at one night.

and you're there, yeah? And it's not going too good, right? I mean, it's not terrible, but it's not going great, right? So my question is, would you save me? In other words, would you come over and say, Victor, no, no, no, okay, at some point, yeah? Or would you say, no, I gotta leave him to figure it out himself? Because this is part of the training.

Yeah, so I want to get your thoughts on what you would do even if it was me or anybody else doing in that same situation Yeah

Speaker 1 (37:33)

I'll teach you, I'll guide you.

You're going on the wrong path, so I think you need to do this and that. But there people, they don't like it. They think, ah, come on, man. They think they're doing it for free. You are like the one who knows better. Come on. You think, well, you need to do this. Some, they like the advice, some they don't like that. But for me, in this situation,

Speaker 3 (37:43)

the

Speaker 2 (37:50)

the joke to say come on.

I don't know our biases.

where.

Speaker 1 (38:03)

All right.

Speaker 2 (38:03)

Yeah,

you come over. Thank you, bro.

Speaker 3 (38:13)

That's very hard to stage. I'll tell you why. I've been in situations, for example, that I was invited to an event as a guest and they would happen to have like a DJ playing that I happen to know as well. Normally you always go and say hi. I'm not the kind of person that will approach and say, if you need some support, I'm here. Come and say hi and I'll go.

Speaker 2 (38:15)

It's a hard question, isn't it? Yeah.

Speaker 3 (38:44)

And on that specific night, the DJ wasn't doing bad. He looked like very good DJ, but he wasn't just having a good night. Because he didn't know he was out of the life of a DJ for a while. He was in a new environment, in a new country. he wasn't getting it. It's like the crowd was not getting it.

And it's hard for me as a DJ, I'm there. And it's like, I cannot go and tell him like, cause he might feel like, ⁓ nervous. But on the other side, it's like, people coming to you, ⁓ come on man, can you go and take over? It's like, I can't take over. The same way there's a professional or professional, imagine I get, no, but just go there for a little bit, just to bring the crowd after. And it's like, no, but you don't understand, this is a very hard, you know, so it's a bit of both.

Speaker 1 (39:26)

Yeah.

Speaker 2 (39:37)

Yeah.

Speaker 3 (39:38)

And I decided at that point not to move from what I was. was like, let him, because if you go into a station that is already nervous, a DJ coming and taking over the situation, the crowd will then realize that there was a change. And that might then make the situation for the future even worse. Cause he will ⁓ kind of lose his credibility. You know, my advice is like, instead of me, was like, listen.

Take it easy. Don't worry. Take it back to the basics. Take it back to where you feel more comfortable. All by the crowd. Take it back. Go to your comfort zone. This crowd is not attract the other crowds. Once the other crowd comes, it's a done deal. And then from there, that's all he did. He changed one rhythm. He brought the younger crowd into the middle. And all of a sudden the older crowd joined. Everybody started dancing. It's like, you go, job done.

Speaker 2 (40:38)

Well, that's right there. So that's great.

Speaker 1 (40:44)

like the DJ is playing now sometimes they don't they don't help they're really like well it's that time like was missing but hey community is good yeah but other people come on there people like that it's like they're drinking yeah and then they just start feeling nervous as well

Speaker 2 (40:50)

undercrowded.

Speaker 3 (41:06)

Bye, Dad.

Speaker 2 (41:12)

Oh

man, like I was, yes y'all, don't worry. Yeah, yeah. It's hard, no, that's why, I mean, it's a hard question. I wanted to get your take on it. because I think it's two, isn't it? One, I would be like, oh, this is bad, but I come off that night and I think, okay, like you were saying before, what can I do to make that better? Because you got to have that self reflection, of course, and that's going to help. But some people, that will just be like, that will demotivate them. That is exactly the problem.

Speaker 1 (41:41)

You are good DJ, you will set.

But when you're learning, it helps with people when they learn. Or they've been a DJ and then they left for a while, then come back again. They feel like,

Speaker 2 (41:53)

you

⁓ Yeah. Okay. No. Great. Great. Great answers, gentlemen. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Okay. What is one thing then that you wish, you know, people that come to your, well, people that go out dancing and then organizers understood better about a DJ life? Maybe one or two things that you think. What do you think would, you know, they should know about you that we don't necessarily know?

Speaker 1 (42:23)

with the promoters.

Speaker 2 (42:24)

Promoters or people that come to the events that are

Speaker 3 (42:28)

I think of my number one thing that everyone needs to know about.

You know mean? Being a DJ is not a joke. That's the one thing. We take it really serious. And that goes for everyone. Even the ones that take it as a hobby. We take it really serious. The investment that we do in terms of... ...is out of this world. You know what mean?

Speaker 2 (42:41)

Explain more then about that.

doing what we

Speaker 3 (43:05)

technology and the music, the investment that we do in time. Because we only there for about two, three hours on a set. But we started our set in the morning when we wake up. Because I'm at home, I'm already listening, I'm getting myself into the vibe of the night. A lot of people dont understand that I'm saying that they think that being a DJ is just like opening my computer, I press play. No, it's a, yeah.

You know what I mean?

This is where we say, need to understand the difficulty of being a DJ. You know what mean? Because it's not just those two hours, everything is a lifestyle. And a lot of people don't see that. Yeah, yeah, no, exactly. That's why lot of people think that, I want to be a DJ, it's so cool. It's not because it's cool, Hard work. It's nice. ⁓ It's nice to be on the stage, everybody's vibe, and it's really nice, but the aftermath.

Speaker 2 (44:08)

Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, and

I think you've got to really love music as well before you because otherwise you do it just before you

Speaker 3 (44:31)

That's not.

I

think that they need to understand the really important.

Speaker 1 (44:40)

It's

fine as well, because you're home. We need to kind of organize our playlists. The music, try to do some like, all we trying to do is like having different... I played yesterday at Kizomersim also tomorrow on a panel. Different music, trying to do things different. And then it's tight. Like time, because you need to be a question, so...

Speaker 2 (44:47)

Yep.

for nights.

Yeah.

It's hard, really.

Speaker 1 (45:11)

Yeah, people, they think, ⁓ simple instead. It's laughing. No.

Speaker 2 (45:16)

You heard it here people, yeah, see that? You should look in the camera, that's what we said.

Speaker 3 (45:21)

It's not

easy.

Speaker 1 (45:22)

You go party

without DJ, it's like it's not... ⁓

Speaker 2 (45:25)

Yeah, yeah.

So when we when we see that Fufucho and Kindoki are playing, I don't know, this festival in two months time, and you book your ticket, you're like, okay, great. Yeah. Now you have to appreciate this work that goes to that. All right. It's not just there on set for those four hours, whatever. Work is starting.

Speaker 3 (45:47)

From the moment that we kind of do the verbal agreement, that's where it starts. Because it's a project. Being a DJ is a project. We do our action plan every single day. ⁓

Speaker 2 (46:02)

Yeah, no, this is great insights. This is what we want to hear. You see fofucho full live. Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1 (46:05)

I

do my videos at home, like mirror different DJs that do the same thing.

Speaker 2 (46:11)

being so

it's like yeah we're working yeah yeah that was that no no 100 %

Speaker 1 (46:16)

for us to get better everyday. You need to do that. If you don't do that...

Speaker 2 (46:20)

Yeah, no, this is is definitely the kind of insights we want to want to show the people. Absolutely. All right. So I don't know how much you gentlemen travel. know lots of DJs, some of them travel extensively. So I don't know how much you travel, obviously I do know that you travel. But how does that play a part? know, and is it it hard traveling and DJing some of the time?

Speaker 1 (46:44)

Actually when we travel here we do play outside as well, country.

Speaker 2 (46:49)

⁓

hot. I kind of hard.

Speaker 1 (46:53)

like we travel, we're try to find like new...

Speaker 2 (46:56)

peoples,

crowd, new information. So that's what.

Speaker 1 (46:59)

environment.

Speaker 2 (47:05)

Yeah, I'm out of time. No, but how much are you traveling? Exactly. ⁓ how much?

Speaker 1 (47:13)

⁓ Before I used to travel a lot but not now.

Speaker 2 (47:22)

Italy up of last month, now coming back again and two weeks.

Speaker 1 (47:27)

Yeah, and I'm gonna put you on the... But I would like it to...

Speaker 2 (47:29)

Yes, cause yeah.

You know what, even if you were traveling alone, you'd be like, yeah, it's cool. ⁓ I'm just going here. I'm going.

work at night.

Speaker 1 (47:45)

and

then it's like a kind of a responsibility. ⁓

Speaker 2 (47:48)

Yeah. But

it sounds like you've got a nice plan in terms of like you're not traveling lots and lots and lots. Yeah. Yeah. So, okay, then, Fufucho, do you travel like lots of, like, quite a

Speaker 3 (47:59)

Yeah, I think that I restricted myself into that world, it all depends on how you direct your DJ career. For example, if you are only living off being a DJ, you will have to have more gigs. Therefore...

In London or in the UK we don't have enough for you to be able to provide. That's all we know. So you knowing that the Kizomba world became like a global kind of ⁓ movement, it makes sense for you to be rich in those. If it was my case that I was living just on the DJing and I'm not saying just going to do sets.

talking about in terms of the whole music concept, private parties, weddings, everything else. Then I will just say, I don't travel a lot because of my kind of direction that I'd to take is, what's more the local here. Do from time to time I go away, but I want to focus more on the local view, on the celebrations here, on the private parties in here, away from the clubs, away from the weekly events.

but more to do with the community. Do you know what mean? Because if this is home, do know what I mean? I think that around the other communities, say for example in France, it's quite large. In Portugal, I think that there should be also DJs that should be focusing in that kind of community. To go there like summertime on holidays, do a festival from time to time, great. But I wouldn't be like focusing because it can be very hard. Do know what mean? You lose your social life.

with you all on the plane. It's great because you're going on holidays, yes, but there's no sleeping. The preparation is greater. know what mean? Losing a night, I can recall like when I used to be on club level, I used to play Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. By the time I arrive home on a Monday, I'm exhausted. You know what mean? So no social life, no the other, that's all you wanna do is sleep.

So imagine you're traveling like every week, you're traveling to a different destination ⁓ where you're hardly sleeping. You know? And yeah.

Speaker 2 (50:30)

Yeah, I think again, it's an insight for people to appreciate. Yeah, of course. You have hard work that you do behind the decks. It takes a lot of energy to do it as well. So, you we appreciate the sounds you've given us and everything. ⁓

Speaker 1 (50:42)

When

I went to Italy, I went on Friday, back on Sunday because I had two gigs here. So I came back in the morning because I didn't sleep in Italy. I just played, finished straight to the airport. Take the plane, get here. I went to a private party first, after that, then even I went to Lucy bar. That Sunday I was really bad. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (51:04)

So it depends. and left. On top of everything, yeah, that's the main focus. On top of everything, you need to have the normal life, you know? So... Yeah.

Speaker 2 (51:06)

Yeah, exactly.

I think this is a great question for obviously those people listening.

Speaker 1 (51:16)

So

if you live like just for DJ, we have different and sometimes.

Speaker 3 (51:24)

Of course. It's a progress. It's a progress because I think that every DJ, they need to go through this kind of stage. But when we reach a certain level, when we go through many years, then you start distancing yourself more into the night life and you become more private. My focus has been like for the past 10, 15 years now would have been in yes, making a living out of the music.

Speaker 2 (51:27)

Excuse me sir.

Speaker 3 (51:55)

but in the business side of it. So I invest in terms of event planner that you can collaborate with people that do weddings. know what mean? So you supply the song part of it. If you want to be the DJ as well, even better because that's an income, you know? Because I look more in terms of the business part of it rather than me just...

every single night going to play for someone else's type of event because that's, I think that that's more to the newcomers. You know, they need to experience the sleepless nights. Sometimes at two in the morning, the night is about to start and then think, I'm too old for this.

Speaker 2 (52:33)

Yeah.

You've been there.

It's about making, know, living as well may be more strategic.

Speaker 1 (52:48)

Thank you.

Speaker 3 (52:49)

⁓

Afternoon events. Yeah. That's what it Yeah. Afternoon events.

Speaker 2 (52:54)

Back there? No?

Speaker 1 (52:54)

Yeah,

it's like the private parties

Speaker 2 (52:57)

good over there.

FD passes.

Speaker 1 (53:04)

And I feel the world

coming with that. know. You feel there, you're there with people.

Speaker 3 (53:12)

and

Speaker 2 (53:14)

Flaps quality is a good one. Private for me is good. That's what you like. Well speaking of private, I'll just ask you this now, apart from Kizomba, what other musics do you like? Because obviously private bodies are different things. Any other? yeah? Yeah. Yeah. Be simple. There's only something I snag.

Speaker 3 (53:29)

everything.

Speaker 1 (53:30)

like I do playing case on case.

and then we play everything then.

Speaker 2 (53:37)

be zombas, emba. ⁓

Speaker 1 (53:39)

Semba,

Coladera, Funk, Afrobeat.

Speaker 3 (53:43)

It's like everything. We come from a background with diversity. We learned how to please every crowd. So we are like the school of jukeboxes.

Speaker 2 (53:45)

Yeah.

Speaker 3 (54:07)

Yeah, this is how you don't put the coin you just put the DJ ⁓

Speaker 2 (54:12)

Hahaha!

Speaker 1 (54:13)

And

then from that there was, you are golden but you play different crowd. We play like a wedding for like Nigeria, the golden, sometimes just English people. And then it's like, you oh, you're going to play that. Yeah, the music.

Speaker 2 (54:16)

Yeah.

Speaker 3 (54:27)

learning

Speaker 2 (54:28)

It can't be one dimension right? You gotta be yeah no no that's good gentlemen that's good okay okay all right so if both of you I mean could go back to your younger selves and give yourselves some advice when you were starting out DJing what would you say to yourselves?

Speaker 3 (54:47)

the younger ones.

Speaker 2 (54:49)

So you as a younger person, who could talk to you when you were younger, when you were starting out DJing, what now you've, know, you're a bit more established, what would you say to yourself?

Speaker 1 (54:58)

.

Speaker 2 (54:59)

You

Speaker 3 (55:00)

⁓ that's hard, yeah?

Speaker 2 (55:02)

Well, yeah, think you've given some of the advice already, but... Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 3 (55:06)

⁓ ooh, that's really hard. Because my younger version of this hit would be... Would it be... ⁓ Off the record? ⁓

Just take it more serious. You know, take it more serious. And probably I would say to have a... What do call this? A financial kind of knowledge when it comes to DJing. Because back then, and I think that lot of DJs, they still do now. Because they started as a hobby.

They didn't value themselves enough to be able to charge a reasonable price. ⁓ And everything that they were offered, they would accept. And every money that they then got, they didn't take that money into the right path of investing. actually saying like, ⁓ I invested what I do in music into something to buy a house and to buy a car. Because was like, you get paid on ⁓ a Saturday. The next day you're out with your mates and... ⁓

So I would say, take it more serious, look at this as second job. It took me a long time to actually start doing that.

Speaker 2 (56:27)

Yeah, that's actually a good... Hold on. me try, I wanna try it. Yeah, we are as we are stable now.

Speaker 1 (56:28)

basically when we started was like another one day I'm gonna

day.

Speaker 2 (56:40)

and then have to casually do as the zero-size business.

Speaker 1 (56:51)

And

the advice I give to those who are starting now, listen, that's fine by if you like you want to take like a professional, ASF, give yourself value, and deal with.

Speaker 2 (56:55)

It's for hobby.

Yeah, I'll see you

⁓ soon. Yeah, you heard it, there people that was wanting to get into it.

Speaker 1 (57:08)

Yeah.

Speaker 3 (57:10)

Definitely.

Speaker 2 (57:12)

And in terms of advice for upcoming, well, I guess you've just said it already in terms of for upcoming DJs, you know, so I come to you now and I say, hey, you know what, I want to do this. want to, you know, I've seen you both play. I see how you rock the crowd. You know, I want to, I want to feel that. Again, what advice would you give me or those people? What would you say?

Speaker 3 (57:36)

First question, why do you wanna do it? Number one question, why do you wanna do it? Because you wanna do it because you see that it makes me feel good. know what mean? Because I will ask you what makes you feel good? Because if you haven't started in the music, maybe music is not what makes you feel good. know what mean? We shouldn't try to get into something because others are successful in it. You need to have that in you. Do know what mean?

Speaker 2 (57:37)

page.

Speaker 3 (58:04)

There's like great questions for example The one thing that you love doing that you will do it for free That is music. You know, mean because in my case I can say it's music I'll do music for free then yes start doing that and make money out of it but if he's just coming because yeah, I want to do music because I've got a new laptop and Then my dad gave me a tech. Maybe is your dad's passion is not yours

Speaker 2 (58:34)

Thank

Speaker 3 (58:34)

So

my first question would be like, what makes you want to be a DJ? If it's for the love of music, then fine. to start? Start by identifying what type of music makes you like, I'll just say goosebumps. Yes. What kind of music gives you goosebumps? Yes. When you find that the kind of music that you

Speaker 2 (58:37)

Yeah.

Speaker 3 (59:01)

You're to get ready for work you're listening to. You get in your car, you're listening to it. You know what mean? You're in the shower, you're singing it. Go from there. if you love that type of music, there's people out there that also like that type of music. So concentrate on that. You'll be successful for sure.

Speaker 2 (59:17)

Fantastic. Thank you, sir. Thank you. ⁓

Speaker 3 (59:21)

Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1 (59:23)

Pusha said he's

about that. then it was just like, there people that just say, okay, I want to be like...

Speaker 2 (59:29)

Yeah, DJ. ⁓

Speaker 1 (59:33)

that they see us playing and then say, man, it's nice man. Well, fine, okay, just do it. But if you want to take something serious, yeah, more focus on that. As for for sure, say, try to see what.

Speaker 2 (59:37)

This will

Yeah. Yeah.

or music.

Yeah. Yeah. No, good. Good. Good. Good. And this is just a random question, but I have to ask it because I'm curious, right? Very curious. So what do you both think about people asking you for requests when you're behind the deck and someone says, can you play this song for me, please? you know, yeah, I've got this person here. I really want to hear this. Could you play that?

Speaker 3 (1:00:18)

I do not want to say anything. I'll let him answer that question. Because I'm quite biased when it comes to that.

Speaker 1 (1:00:21)

think we should add something.

Speaker 2 (1:00:27)

Do I have to die?

Speaker 1 (1:00:31)

which had something like you if you're requesting you to pay for it

Speaker 3 (1:00:36)

We

had a nap before. find it hilarious to summarize it. I find it hilarious that someone has actually got the guts to get up from the table to walk across the whole dance floor to ask for one song because at that time you feel like you want to hear that. It's like...

Speaker 1 (1:01:02)

Why? ⁓

Speaker 2 (1:01:03)

You

Speaker 3 (1:01:07)

Did you come here because my view song request registration, I'll give you the number Yeah, if you're feeling the vibe yeah, you wanna hear that song wait because I promise you will come okay, that's yeah, I have nothing against I find this is from the Larry's it's like wow you are you're like You got got Guts you know means you got that's cuz we don't do that. Yeah

Speaker 2 (1:01:13)

Okay, okay.

Speaker 1 (1:01:14)

It's

Speaker 3 (1:01:35)

You know, we play about, you know what mean? Yeah, we play about like we joke amongst ourselves, you know what mean? ⁓ that one. yeah, that one and we. But to have the guts to go and ask, wanna hear this now. I'm sorry, not even the club owner, not even the club owner will come to me because yeah. ⁓

Speaker 1 (1:01:53)

You just come. Listen to that specific song, go home, go YouTube, play that one.

Speaker 3 (1:02:06)

Yeah, and then it becomes even funnier, like a very common situation, because then you also depend on the concept of the night. Because say for example, and this is like everywhere, this is global. We had a lot of nights where someone is like from another culture community, come and ask for example, I don't know, oh, can you play? Yeah, R &B.

The R &B is even cooler, but it's like, ⁓ listen, I'm from this country. Can you play like, you know where you are? yeah, but you know what mean? And coming to the kizomba world is like, hi, how are you doing? Yeah. We love using this term, but can you play some Konpa? Yes. No, it's like, listen, I appreciate you coming all the way from where you are.

Speaker 2 (1:02:46)

Yeah.

Speaker 3 (1:03:06)

But it's like, because in most of my, most of the places that I go, for example, when I go on Tuesdays, the name of the night is Chocolate Kizomba. I'm thinking, Chocolate Kizomba, and you're asking me to play like a completely different, not that I wouldn't do it, but from the moment you left your house, you should have thought that the DJ is going to be focusing on Kizomba. And great if the other DJs, want to do a mix up.

Amazing. That's like hardly for example, I love Brazilian music. You know what mean? Love it. I go to a lot of Brazilian kind of events Imagine a group of samba playing and I go there listen, if you guys are playing samba. Yeah, can you play some semba please? Yeah ⁓

Speaker 2 (1:03:57)

Yeah, does make...

Okay, I guess...

Speaker 1 (1:03:59)

It's like

Speaker 3 (1:04:00)

You know, you're a live band. Semba's are done with live bands as well. Semba Semba, you know, comes from it. No. Takes it out of concept straight away. Do know what mean? Yeah. So I support everyone else. And I love it. I love. You love. Whenever you guys see me, continue to come to me. I will always smile.

Speaker 2 (1:04:13)

to think about.

Speaker 1 (1:04:25)

West. ⁓

Speaker 2 (1:04:30)

It's a question that I just have to ask DJ, so.

Speaker 3 (1:04:34)

It's fine, some guitars are nice. Some of them are really nice.

Speaker 1 (1:04:36)

Yeah,

sometimes when it's like, you know that, okay, next.

Speaker 3 (1:04:40)

Yeah, it's my birthday. Can you please if it's a birthday, okay, gentlemen, okay. Yes

Private parties are better because it's like, I'd like to dedicate a song. Amazing. In that environment. On that environment is amazing. I'm a private party. know what mean? Say, for example, it's a wedding and one uncle comes. Listen, there was this music that reminds me of me and my wife. Can you play? I promise you I'll put the volume down. I'll get the microphone. Not only I'll play the song, I'll improvise.

Speaker 2 (1:04:55)

depends on the context.

Speaker 3 (1:05:17)

and make the whole scenario, do you what mean? Give and so that when people's like, wow, clapping. In that situation, amazing. in the situation of I'm playing and the reason why you're requesting is because you probably don't like the way I'm doing it. And I was like, come on. Unless you want to come and do it.

Speaker 2 (1:05:34)

different thing altogether. Yeah.

No, thank you, gentlemen. That's that. That's great. Okay. And then want to ask you what are some of the well, what's on your playlist? I mean, you don't have to give us all the songs, but any songs that are banging right now that you think? Just maybe one, two. Just maybe some people can research them. Yeah. Any songs that you really like it currently at the moment? ⁓ Kizomba was him.

Speaker 3 (1:06:01)

He's on both ends but yeah. Now he's leaving down.

Speaker 2 (1:06:03)

⁓ too many.

Speaker 1 (1:06:06)

Even like yesterday, release one.

Speaker 3 (1:06:13)

benga but if you respect this

Speaker 1 (1:06:16)

I think right now I prefer to see there is I think a lot I sell a lot but there is N gola Laieto, ⁓ Mona Ndengue and then there's a one from Bangao called Ingu.

Speaker 2 (1:06:36)

Okay, so we're gonna reference them, but I just wanted to get some songs that some people can listen to. Any for you?

Speaker 3 (1:06:43)

The Banger of the time is the one they mentioned. He's a Kanu Andre. And he's in Ngola Yetu Galilee too. Alright, we'll put that in the link. The lyrics, if you go into YouTube, obviously they will be translated because he sings in Kimbundu. Gimbo, yeah. But they have like the translation into Portuguese. You guys homework, learn how to speak Portuguese.

so that then he can learn how to speak in Kimbundu and the other because it's very important. Because if you love Semba and I know that's us DJs, we got the same problem. Some of us, do not speak our traditional languages, but we understand and we've got ways. So you guys have like two steps. First, learn how to speak Portuguese. That's for Victor as well.

Speaker 2 (1:07:37)

I'm

trying, trust me.

Speaker 3 (1:07:41)

So that we can then one day do the podcast in Portuguese. It's coming. No subtitles. There's a lot of things that I'd love to say like in Portuguese, but I'm joking. So yeah, but Ngola Yetu is a banger. But I'm not, I'm very biased because I'm not the kind of DJ that focus too much on the new trending songs. I wait. Yeah. I wait until...

Speaker 2 (1:07:44)

You

Speaker 3 (1:08:09)

that song is into everyone's playlist and lips until I put it. Okay, that's interesting. Anybody that will see, I'm not the kind of person that's song is being released this week and you're gonna see me play in the club. Okay. I don't think it's fair. Okay. I don't agree. Yeah. was so.

Speaker 2 (1:08:18)

you're learning to.

Speaker 1 (1:08:30)

And then people was like.

Speaker 2 (1:08:32)

song as well.

Speaker 1 (1:08:33)

And then people, they were just, come on, get us a new song Soapy, I didn't know that. And then you see the crowd.

Speaker 2 (1:08:36)

Yeah, for the ass. This one also.

sh**y. Yeah, Absolutely. just so people are clear, because you both mentioned it, so if you just say the name slowly and the name of the song, just say it so people can hear it.

Speaker 1 (1:08:52)

for Semba is Ngola Yetu is the title of the song and the name of the singer is Kanu Andre.

Speaker 2 (1:09:01)

Perfect. Yeah, yeah. Just so people can check it out. So two top DJs recommending that song right now. So you have to, have to go and check it out. ⁓

Speaker 1 (1:09:11)

There's another one as well, Tampa from

Speaker 3 (1:09:14)

Yeah.

Speaker 2 (1:09:15)

He's a great, great, great artist. So, Fofucho sure, I want to ask you, what is one thing you like about Mr. Kin doki?

Speaker 3 (1:09:22)

What?

Ooh, I'll be biased to say the way he plays because... I think that the reason I think that we get along so well is how humble he is. That's number one. You know? Because his personality will then make the way he plays ⁓ easy to...

Speaker 2 (1:09:36)

I mean, music-wise, but yeah, nah.

Speaker 3 (1:09:58)

to deal with, it's just how humble he is. He may be playing with someone that is giving him like the hardest time ever, but he will continue to be humble, give them the space. The guy may be doing like a mistake, and it's like, so how am I doing, are you doing well? So I think the way he expresses like, yeah, it's how humble he is.

Speaker 2 (1:10:15)

You

Speaker 1 (1:10:16)

I'm

Speaker 2 (1:10:22)

Yeah, no, beautiful. Yeah, 100%. Hey, Kentucky, what would you say about the show? ⁓

Speaker 3 (1:10:29)

So this

Speaker 2 (1:10:32)

to you. ⁓

Speaker 1 (1:10:34)

He's always happy and he's humble as well. someone who's like, you won't see Fofucho like sad or whatever. He's always okay, cool. He's always ready to do things, you know what mean? And then he's a good, how do I have to say, when we DJ. Yeah, we collaborate very well. And then people sometimes, they say, come on, you and Fofucho.

Speaker 2 (1:10:59)

Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1 (1:11:00)

I think we play the same vibe as well. Yeah, and the Fofucho is more high sometimes. But he's a good guy. He's good guy. is no why we always together.

Speaker 2 (1:11:02)

Yeah.

Well, the thing is you both...

Yeah, that's why you both here together. I know. You're both different in your own ways. But the main thing is you both bring the fire when you're behind the decks. That's guaranteed. Yeah, that's 100%. So I want to say thank you to you both, gentlemen. It's been a delight. We're not just done. right. But I'm just saying. it's a delight. And, you know, obviously we're going to want to see you still DJing.

Speaker 1 (1:11:18)

Thank you.

Speaker 2 (1:11:36)

more and more more and more. But just before we go, we always like to wrap up the podcast with a quick question, very, very quick question, right? So I've got two cards here.

I'm gonna start with, I'm gonna just say, Kindoki, which one of these just points to one would you like? All right, so question is, okay. Okay, right, so you know sometimes when you're at a club and you're playing, right? And people go home, right? But the lights are on. So now you're wrapping up, right?

sometimes, especially you for Fofu cho, because I know you go over sometimes in your sets. People should be in their beds, right? So what is, when that's happening, what is the just one more song? So what I mean by that, the song that always works, yeah? So even if the lights are out, so people want to go home, but you've got another one there that's going to keep them there. What song is that? Well, what is one of those songs?

Speaker 3 (1:12:22)

Bye.

Speaker 1 (1:12:40)

Wow, it really depends. So let's say the music is playing and then people are dancing and the light is on. I don't know. Wow.

Speaker 2 (1:12:47)

Just one song just name one song if you can. One that keeps them there.

We'll come back to you. can think. Okay, Fofucho, your question is, what is your guilty pleasure, right? A song that would shock people that they don't know that you would like. A song that people wouldn't necessarily assume that you would like. Is there a song that... It doesn't even have to be Kizomba.

Speaker 3 (1:13:18)

that people probably think that he doesn't like.

Speaker 2 (1:13:21)

Yeah, we wouldn't know that you actually like this song.

Speaker 3 (1:13:26)

One song that people like if I put it like do you really like this song well then associate with that song

Does it need to be a style of song or a song itself? One song that's a... Probably, my God, let me see one song that I play that I actually like but people don't associate because I hardly play.

That's hard, isn't it?

Speaker 2 (1:13:57)

I've got you both on our questions. All right, no way.

Speaker 3 (1:14:01)

There is, I can picture because there are songs that I do like. I listen to at home, for example, but I hardly play. ⁓ okay, I can say one easy. For example, Yuri Da Cunha and Paulo Flores. I like them both individually. I've got one song that is my favorite song with the two of them together.

which is the old one. Now the latest songs that everybody's always playing, Colónom de Música. Yeah. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (1:14:42)

Okay? Just say that. Just say the name. Say the name.

Speaker 1 (1:14:48)

is called a Jill NJILA IA DIKANGA DIKANGA

Speaker 3 (1:14:53)

Everybody plays, every other song.

I never played the song. That's the song. I've never played the song. And it's a song that everyone plays. I really like it. I listen at home. Because the duet is just like amazing. But I never played it. And hardly enough, it's not even on my playlist of my Sembas. ⁓ It's on my computer. But I forget to play. And then when the player is like, you know what? I really like the song. And I don't dance to it. That's the worst. ⁓

Speaker 2 (1:15:02)

but you never play the song.

Yeah.

Okay.

Speaker 3 (1:15:28)

So that's why people will think I kind of sing because I can't sing that song particularly but I sing it like to myself. I'm enjoying it. But if you ask me, people say if you see me playing, they know that you like this song.

Speaker 2 (1:15:42)

So that'll be a bit of a, all right, cool. Yeah. Cool. Thank you.

Speaker 1 (1:15:47)

Back again to my question. I think if I'm playing, let's say Ghetto Zouk, I would play Babete. It's a banger from Landrick. Yeah, Babete, people won't

Speaker 2 (1:16:01)

That's That's all he's here. No questions? No, no, no, no, no, that's it. That's it. That's it. So we've got to wrap up now, gentlemen. But listen, it's been a blast. It's been really insightful. And we are very happy that we had not just one, but both of you here today to join us on Kizomba Conversations. And we hope to have you back in the future sometime, gentlemen. So thank you so much.

Speaker 3 (1:16:02)

Cool, that's cool.

Come on. ⁓ Thank you.

Speaker 2 (1:16:24)

And like I always say everyone, well, before I do that, I just need to ask you gentlemen, your socials, where can people find you?

Speaker 3 (1:16:32)

Everywhere. ⁓ Main ones, ⁓ Instagram as always, DJ Fofucho, so at DJ Fofucho. Fofucho with a C-H-O, not X, please. You can find me on Facebook, not much of ⁓ like ⁓ in to it now, was before but not anymore. Got my channel on YouTube, it's going well.

I normally put all my mixes and sets in there. So if you're home, if you're in a bar, you just want to listen to great Kizomba, Go they've got lots of sets in there. 1000 subscribers, thank God. So put your likes, put your followers. Yeah. Fantastic. That's the main ones.

Speaker 1 (1:17:20)

everywhere I'm on TikTok DJ Kindoki, Instagram DJ Kindoki as well, Facebook is kind of DJ Kindoki or Jose Paulo kind of or Kindoki Paulo and where else Soundcloud DJ Kindoki YouTube DJ Kindoki

Speaker 2 (1:17:38)

You heard it here people. Make sure you check them out on there and check out their works. Fantastic. So like I always say, thank you very much for joining us on this episode. Like I always say, keep dancing. Let us know what you think about the episode and we'll see you on another episode coming soon. Take care. Peace.