All-too-common statements that hold us back from achieving SUCCESS

Ra-Mu The DJ Strikes Again!

Ra-Mu (rhymes with Ragu or Shamu) The DJ is back at it again.

I recently was guilty of inadvertently starting a firestorm on a popular “chat” site for DJs after I posted some critical feedback for DJ Ra-Mu on his one of his YouTube videos. The reason why I felt compelled to give him a “critique” was because I had been hearing reports about him disrupting local DJ association meetings in his area by publicly challenging the local group’s president (who is serving as a volunteer), Luke Renchan, to a “spin-off” at an upcoming association meeting. Why? To determine who really is “the best DJ” in the Boston marketplace. I decided to show Ra-Mu that one’s MC skills carries more weight and value in today’s marketplace than mixing skills do and so I opted to post my thoughts on the caliber of his MC skills as presented in one of his many YouTube videos. Now…I should also point out…that I opted to post my thoughts there specifically because Ra-Mu would have complete control over the conversation. If he wanted to engage me, he could. If he wanted to delete my comments and block me from posting on his videos ever again…he could do that as well. The choice was entirely his.

Someone else picked up on our “conversation” and posted it on a popular “chat” site for DJs and soon the fire had been ignited. The funny part was seeing how many DJs thought I was wrong to post my comments on his video when they completely overlooked that he could have deleted my comments at any time. But clearly it became evident to all that Ra-Mu was enjoying the attention.

Ra-Mu soon challenged me to a “spin off” and an “MC off” (whatever that is?) on stage at the Mobile Beat Show in Las Vegas and he even posted “press releases” announcing his challenge, promising that he would only try to match my rates after he beat me in the challenge. I posted my own press release agreeing to his challenge and vowing to let him win as it would be clearly more entertaining to watch him try to book a wedding at 3-4 times his going rate than it would be to watch a fake competition in front of a fake crowd for a fake title.

What DJ Ra-Mu was failing to see was that he had already conceded that Luke was a better entertainer than he was…because he was pricing himself much cheaper than Luke and then he was throwing in lighting and LED video screens for free. We all know those things aren’t really free, right? Throwing them in just means that the DJ’s fee is actually much lower than the final “package” price.

I’m sure DJ Ra-Mu is a good DJ for his price range…but the fact that he obsesses over proving that he is “the best” by challenging Luke (or myself) clearly displays how badly he needs to prove it…to himself.

So imagine my surprise (or lack thereof) when I found this recently posted press release…

Rhode Island Wedding DJ Ra-Mu And The Crew Offers Luke Renchan Jr (Lukes DJ Service) DJ Lessons

Don’t be fooled…this is more than just an attempt to talk trash about a competitor…this is also an attempt on Ra-Mu’s part to attract any search engine traffic by bride’s who are trying to find Luke. Clearly…if DJ Ra-Mu were all that and a bag of chips…he’d have more new brides calling him than he can handle (which would also mean he could easily raise his rates to Luke’s level or even above Luke’s level) and he’d have no need to try and siphon off brides who are searching for Luke and not him. And yet…that is exactly what he is doing.

He even goes so far as to include a YouTube video link in the press release to demonstrate just how qualified he is to “teach” Luke. Here is the video in question…

He mixes from “Another One Bites The Dust” by Queen into “Good Times” by Chic pretty seamlessly…so he does have some mixing skills. At 2:20 he does a vocal promo for “some Madonna on the way” and then he begins his transition from “Good Times” into “That’s The Way (I Like It)” by KC & The Sunshine Band which can be heard starting at 2:27 and the two songs run together until about 2:40. They don’t play over each other very well and the mix sounds like it went on far too long. “Good Times” should have clearly been faded out much more quickly to give “That’s The Way (I Like It)” more presence. Now…his dance floor didn’t clear…nobody stopped dancing…so mission accomplished. But…I’d have to give DJ Ra-Mu a B+ grade at best on the mixes he was so proud of–that he featured them in his press release.

So what’s the lesson here?

For DJs…the lesson should be that when we focus on continuously improving our own skills…we won’t need to waste any time or energy on our competitors. A truly successful entertainer doesn’t need to shout about how great he or she is (or put their picture on the cover of Time magazine)…their clients will do more than enough shouting for them. And if the phone ain’t ringing on Monday morning…try examining what you need to do to fix it…instead of trying to horn in one someone else’s achievements with fake press releases designed to cherry pick brides who still have no idea who you are yet.

For Bride’s…the lesson should be fairly obvious. Look at who is making the challenges…and look at who is being challenged. 9 times out of 10…the one being challenged is already the better option…that’s why they are being challenged and that’s why their clients are being targeted by the challenger.

And finally…for DJ Ra-Mu…maybe it’s time to grow up and act like a real professional. Most of us got our success the old fashioned way…we earned it. Maybe you should give it a try.

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