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In this edition of MY FIRST GIG, we feature the American DJ/producer Sista Stroke. She was thrown into the deep end on the very day she first touched turntables. “The first three mixes were absolutely terrible.”
“My first gig took place in 1994 at a crazy rock club called Rock Island, located in San Antonio, Texas. I was 22 years old at the time. The crowd was a mix of rockers, alternative music fans (what electronic music was called back then), a few punks, and ravers either recovering from the night before or still partying. Was I nervous? Absolutely. Extremely nervous.”
No Joke
“Did I meticulously prepare my set? No, I hadn’t prepared anything at all. In fact, to be honest, my first gig happened on the very same day I first touched turntables. No joke. I had asked a DJ friend, Zenhead aka Hollis Dwyer, if he could teach me how to make music. I wanted to produce the kind of music I was finding on vinyl in record shops at the time. I knew that if I wanted to fully understand our craft and style, I had to start at the beginning: with turntables. Plus, I was so fed up waiting for my friends to drop new mixes.” (laughs)
Dennis Rodman
“So Zenhead invited me one Sunday afternoon to Dennis Rodman’s blues club in San Antonio. Yes, that Dennis Rodman!” (laughs) “Over the next four hours, he showed me the ropes and taught me how to listen through headphones. He called me a natural and invited me to join him at his Sunday residency. When we got there, he informed me I’d be playing right away. I still remember his exact words: ‘If you want to do this DJ thing, then you better know how a dance floor moves from this side of things,’ and he pointed to the turntables and DJ booth. ‘You can mix; you’ve been doing it for an hour now. We just need to tweak your cueing before the tracks run out. Don’t worry, I’ll be here to help you.’ Those last words were the exact encouragement I needed. A few hours later, I was behind the decks. My first three mixes were a disaster, but then I got the hang of it.”
Regional Success
“My son and his father were there for my debut, along with a few friends. At the time, there weren’t many female DJs, and I didn’t get much support from the men who would later become my colleagues. After a year of playing in local clubs and bars, I was regularly performing across the entire region.”
Mentors
“Throughout the different stages of my growth as a DJ and producer, I’ve had several mentors. The first was Jesse Morales, a local gay DJ. He played at a club in San Antonio where I loved to hang out, Changez. Jesse introduced me to Nitzer Ebb, Coldcut, and Anne Clark, and familiarized me with early house. My second mentor was Leo Trujillo, the first house DJ I met. He worked at a record store and sold me my very first house record: St. Germain’s “What’s New“, released on F Communications. During Leo’s nights at the Cameo Club, also in San Antonio, I was exposed to new sounds, musicians, and, believe it or not, music I wasn’t ready to play myself yet.”
Heart in Hip-Hop
“It took a certain skill to convey the full emotion and feeling of house and tell a story without saying a word. As much as I loved dancing to house, I knew I wasn’t ready to spin it myself. Back then, my heart was more into hip-hop, breaks, and downtempo, and I stuck with that for another five years. My final mentors were Joe Belmarez and John Cruz from Rebel Crew in Houston, Texas. They took the time to show me what I was doing wrong on my drum machines and encouraged everything I did right. Thanks to them, I performed live PAs with decks and gear and honed my production skills to release my own music.”
Mom’s Influence
“Now that I think about it, it hurts that I haven’t mentioned any female mentors. So I’d like to add my mom to this list. Without even knowing it, she was one of my most important teachers. She always encouraged me, paid for all my music lessons, and introduced me to all kinds of music. After my dad passed away, she kept all his records for me. Listening to his music together while he underwent chemo remains one of my favorite memories. He would explain everything in detail and let me spend endless time exploring his albums and studying the artwork. Yup, it’s actually my mom’s ‘fault’ that I became obsessed with music, and my dad’s influence that I developed a love for vinyl.”
20,000 Ravers
“What I learned during that first gig was to focus on the rhythm and movement of the dance floor. How to ‘read’ a club or event from the very beginning. That skill still pays off today. Whether you’re playing in a club or on a massive field for 20,000 ravers, it’s not about you. It’s about all the people who came to dance, have a fantastic time, and forget about the everyday grind for a while. As a dancer, I already knew this, but I truly understood it as a DJ – that’s when it clicked.”
Run DMC and Wu-Tang Clan
“And now, 25 years later, I’m still as in love with DJing as I was back then. My life has taken me from Texas to Chicago, Los Angeles, and now London, where I live. This career has blessed me with countless opportunities to perform with incredible artists like Run DMC and Wu-Tang Clan. I’ve played in the best clubs and at the most amazing venues worldwide, though my favorite remains the Smartbar in Chicago.”
“I’ve also had the honor of sharing lineups with some of the most talented DJs in the dance industry. When I’m not working or spinning, I promote my brand FreakFreely, its radio show, and a roaming UK-European party called House AF. I could share so much more, but I’ll close with this: the experiences I’ve gained in this industry are immense. Even after two decades, I’m still learning every day and am just as hungry for the beats and dancing feet!”
This interview with Sista Stroke was originally published in August 2019 on This Is Our House.
Who is Sista Stroke?
Blessed with natural musical talent and the uncanny ability to nurture her gift through a relentless pursuit of inspiration, Sista Stroke is an emerging force in modern underground music. Her musical roots run deep and span the boundaries of genre and geography. Sista Stroke is a child of the b-boy generation whose journey through life has included living in Houston, San Antonio, Panama, Chicago, and Los Angeles; more recently establishing her home base in London, England. The rich cultural textures of these cities reverberate in her music.
Sista Stroke came up musically as a member of the legendary Rebel Crew, a musical family founded in Houston in the mid 80s by Joe B. and Rick Partida. As part of the Rebel Crew Sista Stroke played styles ranging from hiphop to dance hall, jungle to jazz, and breaks to house, always remaining anchored in soulful music. In virtually no time Sista Stroke developed a hardcore fan base in cities around the United States, England and Mexico. She is known for beatin it hard, yet strokin’ the soul with an incredibly moving blend of deep, funky, and spiritual house music.
As an accomplished drummer, pianist, and producer, Sista Stroke discovered her musical niche where she can truly explore the depths of her creativity and took her passion for soulful sound to the next level. Over the past years she has released original works and remixes ranging from House to hiphop to down-tempo on Mother Tongue, D’Lectable Records, Privat Box Music, Dusttrax, Hook-Up Tunes, Klassik Fiasco, House Sound of LA, and Revolutionary Music, along with some of the most sought after white labels in the industry. Through persistence in her original creations and remix work, Sista Stroke has made a name for herself in underground music.
Sista Stroke often appears alongside noteworthy acts ranging from house to hip-hop such as Afrika Bambaattaa, The Executioners, Tortured Soul, King Britt, Derrick Carter, Joey Beltram, Donald Glaude, DJ Dan, Method Man, Boo Williams, Mark Farina, Kaskade, Jason Hodges, and Super Jane (Lady D, Colette, Dayhota, and DJ Heather). Through development of her fanbase and a growing discography of successful production releases, Sista Stroke has established herself as a solid headlining act.
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