S2 E27 | DJ Qeys Beyond the Beat: A Conversation with Tampa’s Luxury DJ
From turntables at age four to festival stages across the country, DJ Keys brings us behind the curtain of his remarkable journey in music. Growing up as the son of DJ Smooth (who learned from Curtis Blow’s DJ), Keys was destined for a life in sound—but it was his own unique path that transformed him from a curious kid to one of Tampa’s most respected turntablists.
The documentary “Scratch” changed everything for Keys, shifting his focus from party rocking to the technical artistry of turntablism. He takes us through his evolution—from DMC battles against DJ Slurp to forming the band Samurai Shotgun and touring globally with alternative hip-hop sounds. His memories of Old Dirty Sundays at Crowbar capture a golden era in Tampa’s music scene, where true DJ skills were not just appreciated but celebrated.
