On set with DJ Terry TheHippiie

I met DJ Terry years ago. How many you ask? No idea....but it was somewhere in DC. During the time that I’ve known her, she’s been an epitome of calm and class. She’s the kind of woman that I love to be around. One that is confident of who she is, knows who she is and is looking to break barriers and grow. Ever had a conversation woman to woman and realized that this is the kind of woman that I want around me? A visionary. An accomplished an educated person that wants to better themselves and Uplift others while doing so. The true definition of a revolutionary woman of our day and age, in her own unique and intriguing way.

We had a chance to sit down with her and share with you a snippet of our Wonder Woman. Enjoy!

You are known by DJ Terry the Hippie your stage name, but what’s your official government issued name? Or as we Africans put it, “what do your parents call you?”

Haha, my full names are Terry Eve Oyoo. I have gone by either Terry or Eve, depending on the phase in life that I was going through. LOL

Tell us a bit about your family, schooling and background growing up.

I'm the first born in a family of 6; I have 2 brothers and a sister. Born and raised in Nairobi contrary to what most people think once they meet me, haha! Most common question I get is "Are you Kenyan?" I did all my schooling in Kenya (Go 8-4-4!). I graduated with a dual degree in computer and electrical engineering and I work as an electrical engineer in the construction industry doing interior design (lighting, power and safety systems). 

When did you come to the US?

I moved here in 2001.

What’s the story behind your transition to become DJ Terry the Hippie and when did the journey begin?

When I was growing up I never thought or had a dream of becoming a DJ. I never thought anyone could make a living from DJing, let alone influence people musically through the art of DJing. My parents were big on throwing house parties and I was always that kid posted up changing records. One afternoon in my college days I was hanging in a basement with some friends and one of them was DJing using vinyl and I felt nostalgic.  Just like that my interest in Djing peaked. I went out, bought turntables, started collecting records, and began working on perfecting this craft. 

How do you juggle work and your personal life ? Do you have to sacrifices for one or the other ?

It's a continued struggle, but I am lucky to have a flexible job that allows me to tailor my 40hr work week to suit me. Between maintaining a career, a social life, and a DJ life, I'm always stretched thin. The most difficult thing is keeping up with music. I have very diverse music interests, so finding enough time to research and prepare for my Dj sets is hard.  I try to strike a balance to make it all work.

What hurdles have you faced as a woman and as an immigrant in this male dominated field?

The challenges are many, but nothing comes easy, right? One of the challenges is the constant lack of recognition, or even benefit of doubt when I arrive at a gig that I could be the DJ. I have to go through this verification process to prove that I am who I am, they only believe me once I'm on the decks.  Having a unisex name doesn't help.

I feel like there is still a gravitational shift to male djs as opposed to female djs. It's a struggle, but I'm happy to let my work speak for itself. As an immigrant it's simple, the older folk always have that look of; 'oh, you are a rebel, where did you go wrong?' Creative skills are not well received by older folks in the African community generally so you can imagine how we African female DJs are perceived.

Are there any advantages to being a female DJ?

This is a hard question. Personally, I would like to see a time where we can go away from "female" DJ vs "male" DJ. As a female DJ you may have an advantage of being a novelty, but you have to be careful in how you market yourself so that people actually see you as a DJ. Regardless of gender, your talent and brand are what will make you stand out.

From your experience is there a difference in the approach in performing on stage for a crowd in the Dj business from a female perspective than a male perspective?

I don't think there is any difference. I know that once people get beyond the fact that I am a female DJ they just feel the good vibes and have a good time. You have to create an identity and go with it. At the end of the day what matters is the music and how you get the crowd to react. Personally I am the type of DJ can't be put in a box. I love almost all genres of music and try to introduce new sounds to my audience.

What’s your biggest challenge so far?

My biggest challenge is deciding whether or not to pursue music full time. It's a risk that I am 90% committed to do right now, but I am assessing the huddles I that would be in my path.

What’s your biggest accomplishment so far?

Definitely my day party series, "Fête en Aprème." It started as a hang out for a few friends, and has grown to a monthly event in DC, with occasional events in different cities. Out last Fête in 2017 was in Nairobi, and our first in 2018 was in Las Vegas. We will be celebrating our 1 year anniversary on May 5th at Decades in Washington DC, and we're planning big things for 2018. I love the unique environment we're known for, and the fact that we fuse our music with instrumentalists. I am thankful for all the support from my wonderful, hardworking team who work tirelessly behind the scenes. Most of all to those I'm grateful to those who come out whenever I'm DJing, listen to my mixes, and show me love, I love you all!!

           Fête en Aprème event 2017 in  DC

​What is your vision for you as a brand five to ten years from now and what is the vision/goal for your events?

My vision is simple. I want to keep blessing people with good music any chance I get. I would love to do a major international tour with the day party theme featuring some of my idols and some very talented DJs in the industry, as well as well renowned instrumentalists (Read Wyclef Jean). I'm thinking about going into production. One of my good friends told me that I have a weird ear for music that worked, and to imagine what I would do with those ideas producing, so why not give it a shot.

I also have merchandise for my brand, currently t-shirts, hoodies, and buttons/badges available on my website, www.hippiiemusiq.com. I wouldn't call it a clothing line, we're not there yet LOL, but with this I would love to get involved in charities in Kenya. This is the best way for me to give back.

Who is your role model or someone you look up to?

I have many role models, but I'll narrow it down to three. First is DJ Jazzy Jeff. It's no secret to anyone that knows me or follows me on social media that I am obsessed with him. He has a musical sense like I have never heard before. I don't think any generation after this will ever see someone like him. He has a very simple intricate manner in how he delivers his music, it's a beautiful sound to listen to when he performs. I could go on and on about him.

Secondly, Diplo. The story of how he came up in the industry is inspiring, and I love how he bridges gaps with his music choices. I kind of mirror some of the visions I have for myself in him. His hustle to make it in the industry keeps me going everyday and provides the much needed motivation in what I am trying to achieve. His story proves that you have to keep working hard and believing, and when your time comes everything will work out. Lastly. Black Coffee, representing mama Africa!! Another great story. He simply believed in his music stuck with it and now he is headlining shows in Las Vegas, Ibiza. He just performed at Coachella, how awesome is that? I love that he still represents the Afrohouse sound through all the different cultures he performs at.

​       Fête en Aprème event 2017 in  DC

As someone of African descent, what would be the single most important piece of advice for someone who’s still trying to find their footing in the entertainment space, specifically in the DJ space?

Simple. Know what you want and why are you getting into this industry. Get a good  mentor, someone you look up to who can guide you in the right direction. This industry is cut-throat and without some guidance you may end up giving up on your dream just because things don't fall into place as quickly as you wish.

This is a question that will probably get you in trouble but we would love to know, who’s your favorite Dj?

That's an easy question for me. DJ Jazzy Jeff. Unless you meant favorite Kenyan DJ (LOL) then that's me...I am joking. My fav African/Kenyan DJ is DJ Dyme.....Its always Dymetime!!

    Dj Dyme @ Fête en Aprème event 2017 in  DC

We are coming up on the "Fête en Aprème. 1 year anniversary on May 5th at Decades in Washington DC. We know its going to be fire, but please give us some details on what to expect come May 5th and where can we get the tickets?

I'm a big fan of day parties. I love catching up with friends and making new ones in a relaxed positive environment, with music setting a lively background while not being too loud as to prevent conversations. In 2017 I decided to host my own vision of a day party. One that would attract a diverse audience, expose them to different genres of music, and have an interactive experience to promote conversation and people getting to know one another. Fête en Aprème, which means day party in french, is just that.

I work with a core team of DJs, DJayP, DJ Dyme, & Djs Presto and Blaq of TopBrass entertainment, as well as a wide variety of guest DJs.who will be in attendance o May 5th.  We will also have live instrumentalists playing along with the DJs and interacting with the crowd. We have so many new ideas for 2018, and I look foward to seeing everyone at Decades in DC on May 5th for our 2018 kickoff and 1 year annivesary Fête en Aprème!-- Grab your advance tickets here before they sell out

Purchase Fete en Apreme Advance Tickets 

Give us your parting shot or mantra.

Radiate positive vibes. Don't change so people will like you, be yourself and the right people will love you.

I’ve been to one of her Fête en Aprème parties and to tell you that I had the time of my life is an understatement! She’s hosting the next one in two weeks on May 5th (hallo Cinco de Mayo!) in DC. Tickets are being sold exclusively on our site, iDiasporan. You can purchase them here. I look forward to meeting all you beautiful people as we sip, dance, network and show off our dance moves to DJ Terry’s beats. You can listen to her mixes on her page on iDiasporan here. Why you ask? Because we all need a little bit of the DJ Terry spice anytime, anywhere and everywhere!

               Fête en Aprème event 2017 

You can listen to her mixes  on her page on idiasporan https://idiasporan.com/afro-dj-promoter-artist-profile/hippiie-musiq

You can also follow her on social media 

https://www.facebook.com/terry.thehippiie

http://www.HippiieMusiq.com/