Portland DJs keep the vibe going despite COVID blues

Despite the many challenges that have arisen since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, DJs from Free School in Port Antonio, Portland, believe that their love for music will never die.

Ralston 'DJ Rally' Hardy and his mentor, Dwight 'Cat' Hall, are known for their musical prowess and even though the ongoing pandemic has caused a lockdown of the entertainment sector, they are undaunted. Hardy said he was surrounded by music from an early age.

"Mi can remember days like mi father usually have a whole heap a record cause him did have one a dem juke box ting deh weh yuh punch in the sumn and di record come up. So him did have a whole heap a record and mi and mi brother usually have dem a sponge. So, basically when mi start grow up, mi start like dancing, singing and dem ting deh," he said. Hardy said the brother of a long-time friend was the one who introduced him to selecting.

"Him say like 'Try sumn nuh, try a scratch', cause dem time deh a record we use. So, me try a scratch and mi like it. So from desso me start put me interest nah the music," he said. The then budding DJ was later tutored by Hall.

"A me set di pace fi dem youth yah, a me groom dem youth yah inah music ting," said Hall. "Right now I am 56 and mi start this from a likkle juvenile and mi nuh let go the ball all now. And mi nuh plan fi let it go. You see me and music, a till death do us part. All when me stick a shake, my sound fi still a play." Hall said that unlike others, he does not play music just for the money.

"Das why me try fi get some youth gravitate to it and mi just build it and set di ting and di youth dem just continue. Mi feel proud a DJ Rally up to today because him nuh leggo di ball, him conitinue. Me love that because mi know a my pace dat still a continue."

Regardless of their devotion to the music, like many others, they are pursuing other means to keep afloat while the entertainment industry remains on lockdown.

"Mi is a fisherman otherwise from music. Do a likkle fishing. When me get a likkle construction work fi do same way pon di side, we do dat same way," said Hardy.

Hall said, "Mi fix washing machine, gas stove and fridge and mi raise mi animal dem. Mi sell goat and make up and buy equipment fi mi sound. Mi love dis ting wid a passion. Right now me have mi system puddung. A up there me deh a change out some thing pon it and a play it and a make sure seh me have it intact because I feel seh one a di time something ago gwaan. Mi feel like one a di time we ago can come back come play again and all dem ting deh and get di ting pon a different level."

Until that time, Hardy said he is holding his faith and holding onto his dreams.

"It kinda rough and stay a likkle way yah now but as time go by, mi have full interest in weh me a do because this is my duty, this is my trade, my job. So, me see myself going further. My biggest dream right now is fi carry my music to the highest level as a ghetto selector," he said.