Houston DJ Gracie Chavez Photo: Courtesy Rukaz Kultura/Gracie Chavez Photo: Courtesy Rukaz Kultura/Gracie Chavez

Things have been tough all over for a lot of people during these COVID-19 times, including DJs. Just ask DJ Sun.

The veteran Houston spinner of everything from old-school hip-hop to rare funk and soul and deep house says his usual income streams have dried up since the coronavirus has made people stay inside. He had to postpone the release of his latest album, “Loveletter,” which was scheduled to drop last month. And he also shut down The Flat, the Montrose hangout that he owns and where he usually does sets.

But Sun has found a way to keep his DJ muscles sharp and entertain crowds at the same time: by doing live sets on his Instagram account.

Taking a cue from New York’s DJ D-Nice — who became an internet sensation when he took to the Instagram Live feature on Instagram Stories and began doing real-time, marathon sets that even got such A-listers as Oprah Winfrey, Rihanna and Michelle Obama joining the party — Sun has been doing daily sets at noon and 9 p.m for online audiences. (Other celebrity DJs, including The Roots drummer Questlove and hip-hop producer 9th Wonder, have been doing the same on their respective accounts.)

“This was my first stretch of DJ sets on IG Live, and I love doing it,” says Sun (real name: Andre Sam-Sin). “Without the sets, there wouldn’t be the community and connectedness that I experience. I’m hoping that it’s healing for the listeners and viewers, while it is definitely fulfilling for me.”

‘Liberating experience’

Sun is just one of several H-town DJs who have taken their turntables to social media. Def Jam Blaster does soul, hip-hop, funk and new wave two to three times a week, while GT Mayne, who previously did hip-hop/R&B/reggae/top-40 mixes on IG Live once a week, has now bumped it up to five days a week.

Gracie Chavez recently livestreamed a Selena tribute set on the 25th anniversary of her death. Flash Gordon Parks, The Waxaholics, DJ Aggravated, DJ Supastar, The Chopstars, Donnie Houston, DJ Shante, even country/disco spinner Dave “Disko Cowboy” Wrangler — they’ve all been out there, starting their own soirees on Instagram.

Most of the DJs said their social-media numbers have grown substantially since they began doing live sets online, often getting both national and international viewers. But since they’re playing to a faceless audience, it can be a more intimate, even liberating experience.

“I'm able to play things in a broadcast that might not work well in front of a dancing audience,” says Blaster (government name: William Ross), “so it’s a nice change of pace from my usual clubs and parties.”

Mayne, who has been DJing for over a quarter of a century, has found that spinning on Live keeps both him and older viewers aware of what’s “in” these days. “I’ve realized I haven’t really played too much current music since the whole self-quarantine,” says Mayne (aka Brett Raymond). “Also, a lot of the people tuning in don’t really go clubbing anymore, so I will continue some daily live sessions when things get back to normal.”

Getting paid

As far as still trying to get paid, several of them have been pinning their CashApp/Venmo/PayPal handles on the screen whenever they stream for tips. Other DJs are hustling in different ways. Sun is working on a Patreon page where he can drop extra content, while Blaster has actually been getting booked for events.

“I’ve done one Zoom party already with several more lined up,” says Blaster, “as well as some virtual proms in the works, and even a university event playing ‘The History of Hip-Hop.’”

DJs also have been helping each other out. Last Friday, a group of DJs took to Live as part of Takeout, a 14-hour, virtual music fest where spinners raised money either for themselves or others in need. Good Grief, Kay Illah, DJ Elevated and DJ Anarchy were some of those involved.

“It was meant to be a fundraiser thing,” says Imani Stevens — better known as DJ E$ (pronounced “E-money”) — who organized the event with DJ MLE. “But, at the same time, lots of DJs are out of work. So, we asked every DJ what they were raising for. And, so, all the tips went to that cause, for each DJ.”

Whether they’re doing it for likes or for tips, it appears Houston’s DJ community will continue to keep us all entertained, as we all wait and see when we can finally get back to going to the clubs and actually seeing these people perform live — and not on Live — again.

Craig Lindsey is a Houston-based writer.