DJ SWIFF

Since 1993, Mr. Swiff has been expressing the art of DJing to open ears. Growing up in Long Beach, CA he was always a music lover, but it wasn’t until going to a middle school dance in the 7th grade that he knew he wanted to be a DJ. “I would listen to this guy who went by the name of DJ Jazzy Jeff Jr. (not Will Smith’s partner) play at my school’s dances, and I would think how dope it was that this guy controlled the whole party by what he played; and on top of that he was getting paid for it!”

Swiff then convinced his parents to buy him turntables for Christmas, and that’s when the real learning began. He spent his high school years practicing. “My afterschool routine was come home, eat, jump on the turntables and just try to learn how to beat-match.” He mixing style was very influenced by Power 106 Los Angeles DJ’s E-Man and Eric V. of the Baka Boyz. “To me, they were the best on the radio, next to DJ Melo-D. I used to listen to them mix religiously on the morning show, 5 o’clock traffic jam, and Friday Nite Flavas. Sometimes I would sneak my old school Walkman Radio/Cassette player into class in the morning just so I could listen to the ‘9:30 quick mix.”

So with the desire to DJ on the radio, Swiff went out to an in-store that the Baka Boyz were doing to promote their latest Mix-CD. He gave his demo mix to Nick V. of the Baka Boyz, and got a call back about an hour later. Nick asked Swiff if he wanted to DJ with him that night at a club, but unfortunately Swiff wasn’t old enough to drive. So with that missed opportunity, it was back to the lab (bedroom) to get the skills up. Graduating High School in 1997 and turning 18, Swiff started DJing at clubs in the Asian/Filipino scene in LA and Orange County, CA. It was by doing those clubs that he would establish important relationships with DJs that would help him further down the line.

In 1998, Swiff started working as a college intern for the Baka Boyz at Power 106, while at the same time getting his first “on-air” experience doing an underground Hip Hop college radio mixshow “The Usual Suspects” on the campus of UC Irvine. In 2000, Swiff went back into the Asian/Filipino Club Scene, DJing for a crew called “21XL/Events Co.” It was there that he became reacquainted with their MC, John Magic and their main DJ, Delvin. At that time John Magic was working as a weekend “on-air jock” at Power 106. That, along with DJ Delvin getting hired as a mixer at 99.1 KGGI in Riveside, CA. really inspired Swiff to finally get his foot in the door on commercial radio. He applied for the St. Team at Power 106 in the Summer of 2001 and was one of only 6 that were hired out of approximately 75 – 95 applicants. Right around the same time John Magic took a job as the Night Jock @ KKUU in Palm Springs, CA. He brought in Swiff and Delvin to mix on the “Saturday Night St. Jam” mixshow. From there Swiff started mixing on the 5pm mix, then weekends as an “On-Air Jock” and eventually ended up in the Night Jock/Mixshow Coordinator chair. Other stations began to take notice, expressing interest in bringing Swiff to Las Vegas and New Mexico. But Swiff would end up taking the Night Jock/Mixshow Coordinator chair at newly-formed “Wild 96” in Riverside in March 2004, where he would hold that position until December 2004.

After taking a break from radio for 5 months, Swiff got back on the airwaves in May 2005 at KBDS Bakersfield, CA and in June 2005 at XMOR “Blazin 98.9” in San Diego, CA. Then in July 2005, he got the call to come back to Riverside radio, this time to work along side DJ Delvin at the Heritage station in the market, 99.1 KGGI. And Swiff is still there 6 nights a week, doing the “8 o’clock Hot Mix” every weeknight, and the “Saturday Night Jumpoff Mix.” You can also catch him in the mix every Friday at 6pm on “U92.7” KKUU Palm Springs, CA and of course right here on JellyRadio.