We had the good fortune of connecting with Jason Cho and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jason Cho, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
Being a DJ isn’t always glamorous. There’s a responsibility to the people enjoying the music but also to the music itself. You really have to love music and the craft of blending songs together. You can’t be shy and you have to be able to moderate the flow & energy of an event through your voice as well. The nature of this industry moves quick and is a constant hustle. You are always in a state of improvement & self-elevation which makes this job interesting but tough at the same time. The highs are high but the lows are low.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Along with smell, music is one of the most powerful sensory experiences. I am aiming to invoke something in people. Every time I go and perform a set, I am looking to activate something in the brain of the listener. Maybe it’s a song you haven’t heard in a really long time. Maybe it’s the blend of two songs that wouldn’t necessarily “belong” together but somehow works. It’s about giving people references they can resonate with & combining it with vibes that are unknown to them.

Like a conductor, it’s really about guiding the orchestra & audience in a well-crafted, thoughtful way that makes them feel something.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If all of these events happened to fall on the same week, I would take them there.

Soul Source LA – one of the best parties for House Music & dancers, it has a special place in my heart & I would even consider it as a dance church. Happens on a Sunday every month or so.

Boombox LA – if you’re a true hip hop head, this is the place to be. DJs cutting it up, usually has a good lineup, legendary DJs have performed here.

The Warmup LA – this is a party that some DJ friends & I collaborate on, we play a lot of different genres like funk, hip hop, R&B, house, etc.

There’s too much good food out there but Tacos Los Cholos comes to mind.

I’d probably take them to a flea market or thrift store as well as some record stores. There’s a lot of dope places around LA/OC/IE. Amoeba is the go-to but there’s other gems out there!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I am indebted to the people that have enriched my music journey. I had some key people in my life who supported me & believed in me. I would like to shout out Movement Lifestyle for providing me an opportunity to express myself as a DJ when I was coming up. Major shoutout to Jordan Ward for having me be a part of his journey as well. He came into my life at a major turning point with my DJ career and I’m grateful for him. I also would like to recognize Stephen “tWitch” Boss for investing in me when I was at a low point. I wouldn’t have been able to continue my journey without people like him supporting me. I also would like to shout out Beat Junkies for opening my mind to continue learning and developing in my craft.

Instagram: https://instagram.com/koreanabduljabbar

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/koreanabduljabbar

Image Credits
Mikey Cruzada

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