The Raab Writing Fellows Journal

Understanding Why We Spin is an ethnographic exploration of the art of disc jockeying, the many types of DJs, and the historical and technological changes to the art form. The art of music curation and demonstration has taken many forms over the past decades from being a strictly radio hobby, to “scratching,” to now being a day-to-night job for any age and gender. In my project, I will be interviewing the Santa Barbara DJing scene to understand the DJs’ inspirations, experiences, and most importantly, their desire to choose a passion that can come with immense pressure and vulnerability because when curating music, a DJ is displaying the way their brain hears and values music on a silver platter for everyone to enjoy. While understanding the art of being a DJ, I will also highlight the marginalized groups who lead the way for acceptance in the music sphere and allow the art of music curation to be an accepting space, and what that means for us music lovers.