Pre-med. University of Houston. John Mayer. Atheist. Anesthesiology. These are all terms that aren't associated with hip-hop. Or could that change? Acres Homes' own Edwin Penn may change all that if he stays his course... or, should we say, passes his courses.
Eddie, known better to the streets as DJ Eddie Deville, DJs at more than 50 nightclubs throughout the United States and has given Houston some of the hottest mixtapes in the last decade. He's the president of the Texas Chapter of the Bum Squad DJz, a worldwide fraternity of DJs. He also embodies the five words at the beginning of this blog. OK, he doesn't embody John Mayer - he's not that pretty - but he is a pre-med student at U of H on a career path to becoming an anesthesiologist, who doesn't believe in common conceptions of God, though, he does indulge The Hot Seat's religious questions.
He also talks to us about the DJ equivalent to no-talent MySpace rappers, why you don't want to fuck with the Kansas City Police Department, mother-daughter combos at the club, why Coast is so special and why not everyone should be able to buy Serato.
Join us in talking to DJ Eddie Deville, the man who just might make college cool.
Rocks Off: We're Facebook friends. We've had a couple of people email or text us "I want your life" because of the cool shit we're involved in, from hip-hop to politics. We don't blame them. But, you're one of the only people we actually have felt that about. Every time we see your posts you're DJing in Phoenix, which has good strip clubs, or Laredo, which has really hot women, or Austin, which is a cool city, or Dallas, which... fuck the Cowboys. But perception and reality can be two different things. Is being a sought-after DJ all that it's cracked up to be?
DJ Eddie Deville: Being somewhat of a sought-after DJ is definitely not a bad thing, although it may have some downfalls. I am lucky that I've been in it long enough to come from an era where DJing and music was still pure and not what it is today. I believe that is what has helped me get to the level I am at now, because after all the bull shit is over people can really tell who knows what and who is really good at what they do - not just faking the funk.
So with that being said, yes, I'm glad I am still relevant enough to be sought after, and I'm thankful there are still people out there that look for quality DJs instead of the guy that will do it for $50 and a free drink. The main downfall I would say is the amount of people looking to take your spot even if they aren't qualified to do so.
RO: One of your Facebook posts said something about you going to the John Mayer concert and you were boastful about it, which surprised us. We have to admit, we really like John Mayer, but we thought we were supposed to keep it a secret since, you know, we're dudes. We thought only girls were supposed to like John Mayer, but now we feel OK in admitting we're fans, because DJ Eddie Deville has.
DED: Above all, I am a fan of good music and even if you don't like a certain type of music that doesn't mean its not quality. That's something I say to a lot of people because I run into a lot of folks that turn a cheek to good music because they feel it might make them less cool. Well, in my eyes, those people lack individuality and that makes them less cool. I'm a big fan of John Mayer. Actually, Coast and I went to the concert.
It may surprise you, but most of what I listen to and enjoy is music I would never play in the club. But, usually, whatever club I'm at I'll sneak in a song I want that may not fit the club format. At end of night, when the lights are on and everyone is headed out the door you might hear "In the Still of the Night" or Bobby Pulido's "Desvelado" or John Mayer's "Gravity."
