In our new series “Talk in the Park,” I talk to successful and impactful people around the Borderland. For this segment, I got a chance to meet radio personality DJ Johnny Kage.
El Paso Dj Johnny Kage with KTSM anchor Johnny Kage. (KTSM)
Q: What made you want to become a DJ?
Kage: Well, music’s always been in my family. My dad’s a very talented musician still to this day. I had an aunt that was in radio and music. She’s always been part of our family. So just a DJ. I saw a friend doing it in middle school, and just ever since I’ve been at it.
Q: What does it mean to you to know that you’ve become a staple in El Paso? How much work went into that?
Kage: You know what? It’s all for the love of music. It’s funny because they’re like, oh, do you play other people’s music? Yeah, but if it wasn’t for us, you wouldn’t hear that music from these artists. So that’s the thing. You know, getting to spread the music, educate open minds from different music genres. It means a lot, honestly, helping, you know, a lot of the musicians, especially here locally, pushing also local music and some of our mixes. It’s been it’s been amazing. But it definitely means a lot to, you know, have that and carry that. I didn’t think this journey would, you know, get to this. My passion turned into my hobby, which turned into my work.
Q: I know that it is a very competitive field. I feel like nowadays everyone’s a DJ, but it takes special talent to do what you do. Talk a little bit about that.
Kage: I always tell everyone, you know, when I did this, I didn’t even know you could get paid for it. Honestly, I was just like, I’m doing this for the fun. And that’s what kept me so relevant. I mean, I’ve been in this business for 30 years. It’s the passion of music. It’s really kept my drive going and my motivation going.
Q: When we’re talking about young children who are aspiring to be something in this world, and they say, I want to be a DJ. What is your advice to them?
Kage: First of all, I would say, go to school. No, on the real I always tell them: You know what? You got to make sure your heart’s in the right place in anything you do. Don’t do it for the money, you know, don’t do it for you know what they call Clout, or the fame. Because it’s going to be a lot of work, you know, trust me. People see me on my high, but they they didn’t see me at my lows. There was a point when I was like, is this going to work? How am I going to pay my bills? How’s this going to happen? And you know, God and everything got me through, that and my passion and my love for music.
Q: Some people say, well, I’m not rich. I don’t have the money. I can’t do this as a job. I need something that pays. What would you say to that?
Kage: I’m a Barrio boy. I grew up in the lower valley. I’m living proof that it can happen. You know, you just got to put your heart to it. Like I tell my my son, I tell all the young people that I talk to you when I go to schools and do these these, presentations. I tell them, you know what? You know, have a backup plan. Yes. But at the same time, your drive, your love and your motivation, and for me, my faith in God, got me through it all. You know, I come from nothing. I come from, you know, struggling household that it was everyone was working, you know, and it was just like I got to see, you know, we ate tortillas and frijoles and whatever there was to eat. And, you know, I like it when the odds are stacked against you because it motivates you more. Like I always tell everyone you have to, you have to taste and know what the bottom feels like when you go to the before you go to the top.
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