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“I think I was at the point in my life where I kind of stopped wanting to be the fireman, the police man, the doctor; I kind of fell out of that. I started drifting from that and I started embracing and developing my love for music…”- DJ Teknology

DJ Teknology is an Atlanta born and bred DJ whose musical background runs deep. He attributes to his interest in music to his father, a radio DJ that inspired him into the position he harbors today. Currently the official DJ for Atlanta’s I DO Music network and for up and coming rapper Stanza, Teknology sat down with HipHopWired to tell us where you can find him next, how he got his start and how a pivotal college connection turned into a full time career.

Origin: Atlanta, GA

Current Location: Atlanta, GA

HipHopWired: Tell me how you got your start.

DJ Teknology: It’s actually an interesting story. One of my first experiences with music was when I was a baby. My father had a reggae show on the radio station WRFG 89.3 FM. Ironically I’m on that station. I really didn’t decide I wanted to become a DJ till I was about 14. My aunt bought me a DJ set for my birthday. Once I started playing around with it and go the hang of it I said, “Okay I can do this!” So that’s when I started doing it.

HipHopWired: Is DJing something you do full time? Or is this just your part time gig?

DJ Teknology: This is full time for me. The only other thing  do is production but it’s more of a hobby thing right now. I DJ and that’s what everyone knows me as.

HipHopWired: Tell me more about the radio show you’re doing with 89.3.

DJ Teknology: The radio show is actually called “The Show.” It’s with this lady named Miss Dea. She’s been on the radio here for years, she’s a staple here in Atlanta Hip-Hop. She does a lot of shows at Apache café. It’s actually her show and I do about an hour of mixing on there. The show airs from 3 to 6 a.m. early Wednesday morning. That’s the show that I’m involved in.

HipHopWired: Before you got into DJing, what were you looking to do then? Were you still trying to do music or were you in to something else?

DJ Teknology: I think I was at the point in my life where I kind of stopped wanting to be the fireman, the police man, the doctor; I kind of fell out of that. I started drifting from that and I started embracing and developing my love for music. I used to bug my dad to buy a keyboard and it tied into my production side later on. I knew I wanted to do something, maybe a keyboard player or a producer or a rapper. When she bought me the keyboard I feel like it was kind of like  a sign from god like, this is what you’re supposed to do. So I took it and the rest has been history.

HipHopWired: What’s going on with you and I DO Music? Do you work with them exclusively? Or are you just affiliated with them?

DJ Teknology: Yeah I’m a part of the movement, I’m the official “I DO Music” DJ. We actually do it once every month and there are actually other events that Patchwerk studios does as well. I DO Music is basically the biggest networking event in Atlanta. Each month there’s a different topic of focus. We have panelists, performances, spotlights where people introduce themselves.I got connected through an event I was doing. I started doing it in 2008 and they ride with me and I ride with them. I’m affiliated with the movement and I’m part of the movement.

HipHopWired: What’s up with you and Stanza? Are you his official DJ? Or are you two just working together?

DJ Teknology: I am his official DJ and official producer. Stanza and I have a relationship that go way back. It’s an interesting story. I started going to Clayton State University at a young age and he was part of these two organizations we used to have. I used to be real quiet and not say anything. Noone really knew what I did and then I started DJing at the school. Once Stanza found out he said, “Oh why didn’t you tell me?!” So long story short we put out an album called Name This Album. The whole time I was DJing at the school, I helped him put his show songs together . Then in ’05 and ’06, we started getting serious about it. So I agreed to be his DJ and help shape his sound. Once I started doing Two School Tuesdays at Apache Café , I told him to link up with Strong Arm management and they got together. So from then on we started making history. I did a track called “ATL” that he performed twice on 106 & Park last year. That was really the first single we had that got people to recognize him as an artist and me as a producer. That’s our relationship in a nutshell. I can tell you right now that that’s my brother.

HipHopWired: Switching gears back to you though, what’s the last mixtape you put out?

DJ Teknology: The last mixtape that I put out was for Dueces, called Fool’s Day. That came out on April Fool’s Day. I really just started mixtapes. My recognition as a DJ really comes from me being out and DJing places. I actually just decided to start a mixtape series this year. I have an artist named Regal, I have a crew that I work with called SMG; I work with them. I have an artist named Dizzy Wonda, he’s really nice, he writes and produces. Then there’s Stanza. So those are some of the artists that I’m working with. I have a mixtape with Stanza coming out and I did two mixtapes with Regal that are coming out next.

HipHopWired: What’s the next move for you? Are you looking to hit the road and be a tour DJ? Are you doing anything more with production?

DJ Teknology: The next move for me…is you hearing more Teknology production. You will either see me in a video or on the radio, something big is about to happen. You’ll hear more scratches in my beat so I can get my DJ Premier thing on. RIP Guru! I’m really open minded. One of the biggest things I see in my future this year is me being under a big radio station here. I’m actually in the process of negotiating that right now. I plan on being on tour and I’m hoping it’s Stanza. I’m open to going on the road. Definitley plan on going on the road, definitely plan on being on the radio, definitely plan on being on TV. I don’t know if that’s all happening this year but I have big dreams and I plan on following them.

HipHopWired: If someone was looking to contact you what would be the best way?

DJ Teknology: I have a Twitter, a Myspace and a Facebook. They’re all the same, if anyone’s looking for me, it’s /DJTeknology. Myspace.com/DJTeknology, Facebook.com/DJTeknology. You can Google me, I’m on a few sites. Shout out to my boy DJ Mars, he put me on a few sites. I’m on History of Mixtapes and I’m on That Crack.