The written word from a
San Diego DJ
Some songs are just meant to be sung with a group of friends. And when those songs come on, you sing them very loud. I loved creating this moment, espeically loved seeing the bride with her group of girlfriends singing with a smile.
Friends and family sing along to the Backstreet Boys, “I Want it That Way.”
Popping balloons, shooting glitter and a few light spanks. Jad and Andrea's San Diego wedding reception is captured perfectly in this slow motion video.
A slow motion video booth is a great way to remember the people that attended your event as well as all of the fun they had while they were there. For more information, submit your event details on the "request for quote" page. To see videos from other events, visit DJ Kanoya Productions on Vimeo.
Twenty-plus years later, N.W.A.'s “Straight Outta Compton” still remains as one of my favorite albums of all time.
The release of N.W.A.’s biopic “Straight Outta Compton” has been a much anticipated moment for me. I remember the first time I heard “gangsta rap.” I was in 7th grade. This might have been before that was even a genre. Back then, it was just “rap.”
The first moment I heard it was on the school bus. My friend brought his radio/tape player (yes it was a ghetto blaster) onto the bus. He popped in Eazy-E’s, “Eazy Duz It” album and played “Still Talkin’.” We wore that tape out, repeatedly listening to lyrics and beats that were so new to us.
And for some reason the bus driver didn’t mind us blasting these explicit lyrics.
I later was introduced to N.W.A.’s “Straight Outta Compton.” I don’t recall if I actually hid the fact I was listening to such raw lyrics from my parents. Then again, my parents have always been pretty open minded, and never really restricted what I listened to or watched. I’m certainly thankful for that.
But I was hooked. Let’s also not dismiss the fact I was an Asian American kid, growing up in the Midwest, surrounded by mostly white kids. Were were listening to music that was literally “straight off the streets of Compton.” We watched as Rodney King got beat up. We watched as riots spilled onto the streets of Los Angeles. We could only imagine what life in LA must be like, far from our rather calm Midwest surroundings.
N.W.A. may have been harshly criticized back then because of the words they used. Just the style of the music, rap, was already getting a bad rap -- pun intended -- because it was so different. For people that already subscribed to the idea that “rap is crap,” were certainly not going to be converted once they heard lyrics like “fuck tha police” and “taking a life or two, that’s what the hell I do, you don’t like how I’m livin’ … well fuck you.”
But as the members of N.W.A. have said all along, they were just talking about what they were seeing, what they were experiencing in their own neighborhood. They were bringing this to the surface, outside of LA, outside of Compton … they were shoving it in the collective faces of the rest of the country. And they were doing it though music, with clever lyrics and head bouncing beats.
It was brilliant. It was art.
The history of N.W.A. spans, off and on, between 1986-2002. During that time, they officially released two studio albums, “Straight Outta Compton” and “Niggaz4Life.” While I enjoyed the second album, it primarily was like many rap albums in the early 90s. Full of explict sexual content and diss tracks (they didn’t like the recently departed Ice Cube so much when this was recorded). Since it was sans Cube, who not only contributed vocally to “Straight,” but wrote many of the lyrics second album just was not the same.
To me, it was that first album that was a masterpiece. The one that balanced raw story telling with danceable beats. If I could only pick five songs to listen to right now, these would be the ones.
Straight Outta Compton: I want you to think about a different song for a moment. Conjure up in your head that beginning guitar riff from Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit”. That was the sound of a whole new genre of music being ushered in … grunge. Same goes for those 11 words that started track No. 1 on the album, “You are now about to witness the strength of street knowledge.” Gangta rap was born.
Compton’s in the House: This could have been the unofficial Compton, California anthem. A gangsta rap beat personified and MC Ren and Dre flowing like a perfect wine.
Something Like That: The song starts out by asking DJ Yella to “kick me one of them funky ass beats.” And if there wasn’t so much cursing this would be a great dance track to play, even in 2015.
Gangsta Gangsta: This is when we really got to know the members of N.W.A. and their distinct rapping styles. With a great hook and a hard hitting bass beat, it basically was THE song what tested out the bass kick of anyone rolling with a 15-inch sub in their car. Remember when car stereos were a thing?
Something 2 Dance 2: A clean song that you could actually play at a high school dance. It was a departure from raw gangsta rap and showed that N.W.A. could even bust out with a freestyle beat. The sound was very Planet Rock. At the two minute mark I basically lose it every time when Eazy says “let the bass kick.” The beat that follows will have you standing up wherever you are and bouncing your head. Guaranteed.
Here's the audio for “Something 2 Dance 2.” For an instant party, go straight to the 2:00 mark.
Do you agree with my top 5?
Do yourself and favor and take a listen … maybe for the first time or the 100th. Just do it.
And yes, I listened to the entire album while I wrote this.
A perfect Southern California late afternoon for a perfect Coronado wedding, right on the beach.
Angela and Kris celebrated their wedding day at the always majestic Hotel Del Coronado in Coronado, California. They took full advantage of having a Southern California wedding with a ceremony right on the sands of Coronado Beach.
The evening continued with an oceanside cocktail hour and experience (literally … a dining room was created on the beach by event decorators Platinum Pro) and finally moving inside the hotel for a dance party to conclude the night.
Angela and Kris were great to work with. Congratulations!
The party got off to a fast start since each couple in their wedding party walked/danced out to their own song … the last of which was Montell Jordan’s “This Is How We Do It.” And really, if you cannot get hyped up to that, then you don’t really need to be near a dance floor.
I provided DJ service, dance floor lighting and the slow motion video booth. The dance party included two bars, drinks and candy, to keep the guests filled with spirits and sugar.
After spending a considerable amount of time on the beach, the dance party inside was just two hours long. So it was a lot of quick hits so I could get in as much as I could.
Here’s their setlist:
Montell Jordan - This Is How We Do It
Usher - Yeah (Wedding Crasherz Break)
House of Pain - Old School Jump Off
Britney Spears, Iggy Azalea - Pretty Girls (Select Mix Remix)
George Clinton - Atomic Dog (Hot Classics Remix)
Kool & the Gang - Celebration
KC & The Sunshine Band - Boogie Shoes (Hot Classics Remix)
Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch - Good Vibrations (Select Mix Remix)
Whitney Houston - How Will I Know (Select Mix Remix)
Mariah Carey - Emotions (Select Mix Remix)
Boyz II Men - Motownphilly
Bell Biv Devoe - Poison
Eazy-E - We Want Eazy
Notorious B.I.G. - Hypnotize
Skee-Lo - I Wish (Select Mix Remix)
Next - Too Close
Backstreet Boys - I Want it That Way
Marvin Gaye - Sexual Healing
Silento - Watch Me
Chromeo - Jealous (I Ain't With It)
Aerosmith - Walk This Way
AC/DC - You Shook Me All Night Long (Short Edit)
Journey - Don't Stop Believin (Intro Clean)
Major Lazer & DJ Snake f./MO - Lean On
The Weeknd - Can't Feel My Face (Select Mix Remix)
Marcia Griffiths - Electric Boogie
Al Green - Let's Stay Together
Flo Rida f./Sage The Gemini - GDFR (Goin' Down For Real) (Promo Only Clean Edit)
Bouquet/Garters Toss
Jagged Edge - Where The Party At
V.I.C. - Wobble
Last Dance
OMI & Felix Jahen - Cheerleader (DjGogos Remix) (Clean)
Vendor Team:
DJ: Justin Kanoya, DJ Kanoya Productions
Venue: Hotel Del Coronado
Florals & Design: Platinum Pro
Wedding Coordinator: Emily Smiley Fine Weddings & Soirees
Photographer: The Youngrens
Slow Motion Video Booth: DJ Kanoya Productions
Other events hosted by DJ Kanoya Productions at the Hotel del Coronado
This letter is to no one in particular at Lululemon. It could be a customer service manager, marketing director, executive Vice President or maybe even CEO Laurent Potdevin himself.
This letter is to anyone at Lululemon who would find it comforting to know you are doing it right. And I’m not just speaking about your product line, because yes that is all kinds of right, but I’m speaking about your corporate culture.
The values you instill in your employees and the way they carry those values through the customer experience, it’s all working.
Where is this coming from? Let’s take a step back to just over a year ago.
My wife and daughter enjoy frozen treats at the 2015 Seawheeze Half Marathon race expo.
Are you familiar with the movie “Sliding Doors”? The lead character, played by Gwenyth Paltrow, faces a crossroad at the beginning of her day as she descends upon a stairwell at a subway station. In one scenario, she snags her coat on a handrail causing her to miss her train by just seconds. In the other scenario, she does not miss the train. The movie goes on to explore how different her life plays out based on the outcome of those two scenarios.
In life, we also have these scenarios. A missed train or bus; a missed green light; dorming on the fifth floor instead of the fourth floor freshman year in college. The outcomes of these varying experiences affect who we meet, who we become friends with and the direction are lives go.
At the age of 40, I have had many “sliding door” situations. I can pinpoint two that I would label as “life changing.”
The first was a phone call I made that ultimately led to an internship during college, which led to my first job out of college, which led to another job, which led to meeting my wife, which led to … well you get the idea.
The second of these moments was in February 2014 when I decided to attend a free run club meetup organized by the Lululemon store in La Jolla, California. The announcement, posted on Facebook, promised a healthy dose of hill work. This was something I needed because I was running the “hilly” La Jolla half marathon just a few weeks later. Had there been no mention of hills, I probably would not have attended. I didn’t really have any other incentive as I was already participating in another run group and I wasn’t necessarily looking to find another social group. I just wanted to learn a little hill running technique.
I showed up, met Lululemon run ambassador, Sheri Matthews, and had a great workout. The following week I returned and eventually became a regular attendee through the spring and summer.
During those months I met a lot of people and I got to know them as we shared running miles. I also learned of another free workout group, November Project, and started regularly attending those workouts in late August. At this point I was inadvertently expanding my social circle and getting into the best shape of my life.
Many of the people I was training with each week were employees from the various San Diego based Lululemon stores. I was also meeting other ambassadors such as Helen Cloots and newly crowned run ambassador and November Project San Diego co-leader, Lauren Padula.
Through my interactions with ambassadors (whether at a workout or a casual conversation) and the employees (whether at a workout or shopping) I was also learning more about Lululemon’s culture.
I saw how these people were setting goals and committing to them. I saw how nonsense of the past didn’t bother them and it was all about forward thinking. I realized that the life we create is just that … it is the life we create. It doesn’t need to be dictated by someone else. Only we have the power to write our own history and make the best of whatever “sliding door” we take.
I also watched as people around me were leaving their jobs and diving directly into a life that means something to them.
And so I did the same thing.
I delivered this message to my co-workers the day I announced I was leaving my "day job" after a 13-year career in public service.
After years of pondering and 13 years in the same government job, I walked away to build up a mobile DJ business that I have half-committed to for the past decade. The decision to do that was not an easy one. But I realize the trigger to make that decision all stems back to that one day I said “yes” to attending a hilly, Lululemon run club workout.
You’re doing it right Lululemon. The values you instill in your employees means they carefully choose who their local ambassadors are. It’s not just someone that looks good in your clothes, but someone that also breathes the same values you hold important.
These employees have also become my friends, both offline and online.
When is the last time you “Facebook friend requested” a retail sales clerk … probably never?
I’ve started to brand myself as both a fitness and yoga DJ, providing beats for Lululemon shoppers and one very special yoga event at Parq San Diego nightclub.
On occassion I have the privilege of DJing for Lululemon customers at Fashion Valley Mall and downtown La Jolla.
Lululemon run ambassadors, Pace Beavers and all around awesome ladies, Lauren Padula (left) and Sheri Matthews.
Running the 2015 Seawheeze Half Marathon
Now this journey has come full circle.
This past week I descended upon the homebase of Lululemon in Vancouver, B.C. to participate in the annual pilgrimage of runners and yogi’s at the Seawheeze Half Marathon. It served as the perfect bookend to this summer, which of course started in May when I quit my “day job.”
Here I was, in the beautiful city of Vancouver, with my strongest supporters, my wife and daughter who cheer me on in life and in running and I was set to run a race orchestrated by a company that has brought so many other supportive friends into my life.
Coincidentally, two of them -- the aforementioned, Lauren and Sheri (shown in the photo on the right) -- were official pacers, running about 20 minutes ahead of me. It was poetic that ultimately Lululemon was what led me to these ladies. They’ve helped me set and achieve personal goals by following in their virtual footsteps, setting the pace for the next chapter in my life. But on this day, I was literally following them, en route to a 1 hour and 57 minute finish time.
At the end of the race -- as they do everytime I am working out with them -- there they were, with a big hug and high five.
I suppose the only way to end this would be to say thank you. Keep treating your employees right and they will continue to treat your customers right. It’s amazing how that philosophy trickles down.
Thank you.
