Why Is Everyone DJing Now? From David Solomon to Shaquille O'Neal
For the longest time, DJs were the mysterious gatekeepers of nightlife, closely associated with underground hip hop/house music scenes and seemingly out-of-reach from the average person. Fast forward to now, and it seems like everyone is picking up the decks—from Wall Street titans like David Solomon to basketball legends like Shaquille O’Neal. So, what’s going on? Has DJing become the new golf? Is it just another mid-life crisis hobby or something deeper, a cultural shift that speaks to the very essence of how we connect, unwind, and to an extent, become a means of showing off?
From Boardrooms to Beat Drops: The DJ Evolution
Let’s start with David Solomon, CEO of Goldman Sachs by day, DJ D-Sol by night. You might expect the head of one of the world’s biggest financial firms to unwind with something a bit more… subdued, right? But no. DJing has somehow become the hobby of choice for high-powered execs, who are trading in their tailored suits for headphones and beat drops. Perhaps a bit too much, since just last year, DJ D-Sol announced his retreat from high profile DJ gigs as media attention has become too distracting from his day job.
Solomon isn’t alone. Shaquille O’Neal, aka DJ Diesel, is another high-profile name spinning his way into the nightlife scene. Sure, Shaq has already done everything—from dominating the NBA to dabbling in rap—but now he’s headlining festivals? It’s wild. But here’s the thing: DJing isn’t just about music. It’s about controlling the vibe, reading the room, and orchestrating an experience—a skill that transcends industries.
The Cultural Shift: Why Now?
So, why is everyone and their boss (literally) getting into DJing? Part of the answer lies in the accessibility of the craft. Once upon a time, becoming a DJ meant lugging around crates of vinyl and mastering complicated equipment. Now? A controller, a laptop, and some good music taste will do the trick. The barrier to entry is lower, which means more people can get involved, from young professionals looking for a creative outlet to seasoned veterans of other industries looking to reignite that thrill of performance.
There’s also the Instagram factor. DJing has a certain social cachet, especially when you can post photos of yourself in front of a crowd or behind a slick DJ setup. It’s the perfect blend of social flex and creative hobby, which is why it’s so attractive to high-profile names like Solomon and O’Neal. They’re not just showing up at events—they’re creating them, curating an experience for everyone in the room.
DJing as Therapy? The Power of Flow
For high-powered individuals like Solomon, DJing offers an escape from the intense pressures of work. Think about it: you’re in control of the music, the crowd’s energy is in your hands, and for those few hours, it’s all about the vibe you’re creating. It’s a form of therapy—a chance to lose yourself in the moment and experience the much-lauded state of "flow," where everything just clicks, and you're completely absorbed in the task at hand.
It’s not so different from performing on a basketball court or managing billion-dollar trades. In some ways, the high you get from DJing can be like the rush of closing a big deal or scoring the game-winning shot. DJing is a chance to perform in a different way, to channel those same competitive and creative energies into something that feels a little more freeing, a little more fun.
Conclusion: The Beat Goes On
So why is everyone DJing now? It’s not just a mid-life crisis or a passing trend—it’s a reflection of our culture's shift toward creativity, connection, and control. Whether you’re David Solomon commanding a boardroom or DJing at a nightclub, or Shaquille O’Neal dominating the court or a festival stage, DJing offers a chance to channel that drive into something tangible, something that brings people together.
In a world that’s increasingly chaotic and digitized, sometimes the best thing you can do is control the music and get everyone around to vibe with you. Perhaps, DJing is less about mixing specific kinds of music, but rather connection through our shared language of music. It’s a uniquely human behavior– the modern form man’s primal desire to bond through movement and rhythm.
