35 Years of DJX: A Moment to Remember, A Legacy to Honor

By: Mike Garrett (2 DJs 1 Mic)

Just sitting here in reflection as DJX 2025 quickly approaches, August 11th through the 14th in Atlantic City, my mind can’t help but drift. This year marks the 35th anniversary of DJX, and I find myself asking: What does 35 years of doing something this powerful, this influential, really look like? That’s more than a milestone. That’s legacy. That’s consistency. That’s sacrifice. That’s love.

I’m 54 now. So when the first DJX happened in 1990, I was just 19. A young man with turntables in his soul, headphones on his ears, and dreams in his chest. Back then, life hit different. I wasn’t worried about building an empire, I just wanted to make people move. I wanted to control the vibe, to read the room like a book, and to turn any space into a celebration.

And the soundtrack of that year? Let me paint it for you.

🎶 BBD’s “Poison” was dominating dance floors.
🎶 Big Daddy Kane had us all vibing to “I Get The Job Done.”
🎶 Digital Underground’s “Humpty Dance” was more than a song, it was a whole mood.
🎶 Public Enemy warned us with “Welcome to the Terrordome.”
🎶 Snap! hit us with “The Power.”
🎶 Lisa Stansfield’s “All Around the World” made us feel seen.
🎶 “Vision of Love” introduced the world to Mariah Carey.
🎶 “Nothing Compares 2 U” by Sinéad O’Connor held us still.
🎶 And who could forget Hammer’s “U Can’t Touch This” or Vanilla Ice with “Ice Ice Baby”?

That was the world when DJX first said, let’s bring the DJ community together.

Now, fast forward. 35 years. Stop and let that hit you.

Thirty-five years of pushing the culture forward. Thirty-five years of seminars, workshops, panels, networking, and dancing until your knees beg you to sit down. Thirty-five years of watching technology change, music formats evolve, and the DJ booth transform from vinyl crates to digital controllers and back again. Thirty-five years of names you’ve heard and names you should have heard, all coming together under one roof with one mission: to elevate the craft and the culture.

My First DJX: A Late But Life-Changing Arrival

I’ll be real with you, it took me far too long to attend my first DJX. I went for the first time just last year, and I can’t lie, it changed everything for me. I walked in one way and came out a different kind of DJ. Not because I learned a new trick on the decks (though I picked up plenty of those), but because I finally got to see the bigger picture. The why. The who. The how far we’ve come.

I left wondering how I missed out on so many years of this energy. So many memories I’ll never get to experience. And what hit me hardest? My brother, my co-host, and my partner in all things music, Jeffery Powell, aka DJ Jay P, had already gone the year before me. And not just any year. He went during the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop.

When he came back and started telling me about it, his voice lit up with excitement, breaking it down moment by moment, I was proud of him but real talk, I felt a sting of regret. I had missed a celebration of something I’d given my whole life to. I had missed an opportunity to witness greatness firsthand.

So I made myself a promise right then: I will never miss this again.

DJX 2025: More Than Attendance—It’s Participation

Now, here we are again. DJX 2025. And this time, it’s the 35th anniversary. But I’m not just attending this time, I’m part of it. We’re coming in strong with 2 DJs 1 Mic, doing interviews, connecting with legends, newcomers, and everyone in between. We’re documenting history, live and in real-time.

We’ll be in the Showroom, witnessing that moment when DJs walk through those doors and their eyes widen at the gear, the tech, the possibilities. We'll be in the seminar rooms, hearing wisdom from those who’ve been in the trenches and those breaking new ground. We’ll be floating through hallways where new friendships are born, deals are made, and dreams are planted.

And we’ll be at the afterparties. Because we’re DJs, of course we will.

And I’m telling you now, I can’t wait. I’m nervous and excited all at once. There’s a buzz in my chest. This ain’t just another show. It’s the kind of event that affirms your identity. That reminds you why you started in the first place. It’s not just networking, it’s coming home.

Celebrating Each Other Loudly, Boldly, Publicly

We don’t do this enough. We don’t celebrate each other like we should.

Think about it: 35 years of serving the DJ community. That’s not a side hustle. That’s a mission. That’s infrastructure. DJX has been pouring into us for decades. Providing the space, the platform, and the resources for DJs to become more. To grow as individuals, artists, and business owners.

That deserves our recognition. That deserves our support.

And yet, how many DJs still don’t even know DJX exists? That’s the challenge right there. We’ve got enough DJs in this game to pack a stadium. But not enough of them know where the front door is.

And that’s where we come in.

We have to MC this message to the masses. Let your crew know. Tag your favorite DJs. Call your up-and-coming little cousin who just bought his first controller. Tell them this isn’t just a show, it’s the show. Tell them it’s not just about what you see, it’s about what you become after you leave.

Why DJX Matters to the Culture

Let me make this plain: DJX is where legacy meets the future.

It’s the only place I know where a bedroom DJ can shake hands with a Hall of Famer. Where wedding DJs, club DJs, radio DJs, and turntablists all share one roof, one floor, one mission. Where beginners ask questions without judgment, and legends give game with humility.

DJX is where you get reminded that you’re part of something way bigger than yourself.

It’s where you can explore the latest gear, learn to protect your business legally, understand branding, connect with software developers, and even book your next five gigs if you talk to the right person at the right time. It’s everything under one roof.

And the culture needs this. The game needs this. You need this.

Because we don’t rise by doing it alone. We rise by showing up, being seen, and investing in our own evolution.

The Next 35 Years Depend on What We Do Now

We owe it to ourselves, to the DJs coming up behind us, and to the pioneers who laid the foundation, to protect and uplift this movement. DJX isn’t just an event, it’s a torch. And it’s up to us to keep that fire burning for another 35 years.

So here’s the call to action:

• Show up. Even if it’s your first time, just like it was mine last year.

• Spread the word. Be the bridge for someone else.

• Share the story. Use your platform to show what DJX is doing.

• Invest in your growth. There’s nothing else like it.

DJX is proof that when we come together, we become unstoppable. That when we share knowledge, we multiply it. That when we respect the past and embrace the future, the culture thrives.

So as August 11th approaches, get your bags packed. Get your questions ready. Get your cards printed. And most of all, get your heart open. Because this isn’t just about who you’ll meet, it’s about who you’ll become.

Final Thoughts: The Power of Showing Up

It’s one thing to talk about growth. It’s another thing to walk into it.

Last year, I walked into DJX as a first-timer. This year, I walk in as a believer. As a documentarian. As a DJ who understands that this industry only gets stronger when we build together.

This August, history will be made again. From the moment that first keynote speaker steps up to the final beat drop at the closing party, we’ll be there, part of it, witnessing it, shaping it.

You can still get tickets. You can still be part of it. You can still choose to show up and say, I was there when it turned into something bigger.

Let’s change the narrative. Let’s celebrate each other boldly. Let’s keep this culture alive for the next generation.

We’re not just coming to Atlantic City.

We’re coming to make history.

Join us for DJX ‘25, with passes available here.