10 Things - DJ Em-1

"10 Things" is your chance to get to know your featured Downe Girls firsthand. We ask each girl to share 10 random facts about themselves that people might not know about them.

DJ Em-1 is our special guest DJ at tomorrow's Tribute to Hip-Hop Party at Bar 35. For more information about the event, check out the listing here. She is going to rock the house!

Hailing from the Bay Area, DJ Em-1 has been living it up in Los Angeles since 2003. She's played at numerous clubs, local radio shows, and community events all over California. She was influenced by all kinds of music and it shows in the diversity of her sets. One thing her musical choices all have in common, though: they will all get your moving on the dancefloor!

Check out a few of DJ Em-1 mixes here!

WHERE DO YOU CALL HOME? – It's very true that home is where the heart is. I’ve been living in Los Angeles for the past 8 years or so, but the majority of my life was spent in the Bay Area where I was born and raised. “Love the Bay but
can’t knock LA.”

WHAT DO YOU DO? During the work week, I’m a project manager for an Internet company and currently applying to graduate school to obtain a masters degree in Business. If I’m not doing that, then I’m rockin spots
and/or chillin with loved ones… or
watching the Food Network.

BEATS… Love it. Life wouldn’t be complete without it. My life is a soundtrack, and it starts with John Coltrane and Duke Ellington’s “In a
Sentimental Mood”.

TRUE SEXY IS… Genuine kindness. Fierce activism. Self-reflection. Jazzy beats. …and FOOD!

MUSIC IS MY… escape and creative outlet.

SELF-KNOWLEDGE … is knowing your roots. You can’t know your history without knowing your roots!

WHO INSPIRES YOU?... so many different people. If I had to narrow it down, it’d be my partner, my family and friends.

RECOMMEND ANY NEW MUSIC? Yup! Rhythm Natives self-titled album out now. Be sure to check it out!

LOVES DJ’s… who still rock vinyl sets. It’s very disappointing seeing the influx of DJ’s who are just starting out and learning off of Serato. Especially when it comes to hip hop and the element of the DJ, there’s really just something about digging for vinyl and
getting your fingers dusty. It really preserves
the integrity of this art.

TO ME, HIP HOP IS… not about selling an image. It’s about promoting a culture that is driven by free expression.