Royals Queens Rising: Bonus! DJ RunDat’s Interview with Way Out Radio!

On DJ RunDat’s captivating interview with DJ Paula Frost, the two discuss everything from Michelle’s start in the music business to the challenges that female DJs often face. Music has always been a major part of Michelle’s life. She was exposed to the power of music as a young child and has been in love with music ever since. Michelle especially loves reggae music; one of her favorite events to be at is Reggae on the River. She appreciates reggae so much that her clothing line was actually deeply influenced by the genre. Her stage name, DJ RunDat, is also inspired by the reggae-heavy soundtrack from the 1999 film Third World Cop and the constant usage of the phrase “run dat” in 90’s music. 

Michelle’s idea of starting her own clothing line was her way of staying in the music business while being a mother. She screen printed all of the items she was selling and set up booths at many music festivals. The connections she made at these festivals greatly helped her after she decided to be a full-time DJ.

When she first started DJing, Michelle was playing events throughout her community. She worked a fundraiser for her daughter’s school and was able to book weddings, birthday parties, and other private events later on. Michelle also realized the need for kid-friendly dance parties. Her children always wanted to tag along to her gigs, but many of the events had age restrictions. Michelle began to host her own dance parties for kids because she strongly believes in the need to expose kids to music and dance at a young age. 

After years of being a successful DJ, Michelle decided to write and publish her own book. She worked with a business coach and created a digital course. The book combines information from her online class and her journey to motherhood and DJing. Michelle’s book describes her path to becoming a DJ and details the unique challenges that she faced as a woman. Because of the double standards many women face in the industry, Michelle loves helping other female DJs succeed and grow their businesses.