He had his first club residency at the age of 19 and he hasn’t slowed down since. Homegrown in the Logan Square neighborhood, DJ Lego has taken his mixes to party hot spots like Paris and Ibiza, earning him a respected name in the Chicago music scene. His discography is no joke and growing while he continues to produce and spin full-time as a resident DJ at the Boom Boom Room and the Darkroom. Check out his official site and myspace for a full line up of upcoming shows.
Name: Rafael Rodriguez
Roots: Puerto Rican from Humboldt Park and Logan Square.
Where do you live now: North side of Chicago but I am a Sox Fan.
Where do you live now: North side of Chicago but I am a Sox Fan.
Day job: Studio junkie. Translation: Producer/Remixer.
Current obsessions/addictions: Obsessed and addicted with watching my son grow.
Last book you read: Bible. I try to get into the Word everyday.
When did you start doing DJ-ing Why? I started when I was 11. It looked like fun.
How do you define your sound? Latin, soulful with substance.
If you could work with any artist/DJ/producer in the world, who would you choose to collaborate with? Teena Marie.
Do you have a piece of equipment you can’t gig with out? Two. Pioneer CDJ 1000 and DJM 800.
Do you have a piece of equipment you can’t gig with out? Two. Pioneer CDJ 1000 and DJM 800.
Do you use a set list when you spin? No. I may have some tracks I want to play in my set but prefer to vibe with the crowd.
How did you end up with a residency in Paris? What was is like to spin there? It all started with the popularity of “El Ritmo De Verdad.” The record was huge there. When I released my mix compilation, “Sounds from the Boom Boom Room”, they contacted me. The experience to be there was amazing. The people. The culture. The art. I was very blessed.
How does it feel to have had so much success in Ibiza and abroad? No matter what type of art you do you are putting a part of yourself into it. Then to see people enjoy what you have created is indescribable.
What was your favorite/most memorable gig ever? Even after traveling around the world, my most memorable gig was right here in Chicago at the Summer Dance on Wednesday, June 29, 2005. Spinning in front of over 4,000+ fans with my son on my shoulders. It was priceless.
What was it like to be a Chicago resident DJ at such a young age? It was a life learning experience, I had an advantage being so young and ahead of the game. I was only 19.
Do you have a favorite DJ? Freddie Bain. He was one of the original DJs with me from Boom Boom Room. Great ear for music.
How do you feel you influence your genre? By being true and playing quality music. People respect that.
How did you come up with your DJ name? It was a nickname from college. I tore my anterior cruciate ligament and needed surgery. When I used to break (yes, I used to break dance) my knee would give out sometimes and then have to snap it back together.
Laptop djs vs. vinyl? It is all about good music. When someone hears a song they like they don’t care what format it is in.
Where do you buy your music (if you pay for it….)?I do get promos sent to me but I buy all my music. People need to quit being cheap and support. Not just by playing the music but paying for it. Traxsource is my primary source.
How do you discover new music? The computer is the death of organic music in many ways so I look and listen to a lot of tracks until something really moves me.
Current projects? Right now I am working on a remix and an original song for Hanna Hais. She is an amazing vocalist from Paris on the Atal Music label.
Plans for the future? Working on a couple of albums. One with Johnny Fiasco. Another by myself where I am going more towards a very eclectic sound.