Since opening its doors to the public for the first time in 2007, Woei has left its mark on the international sneaker and streetwear community with several collaborations including Asics, Patta, and Stüssy along the way.
But the interests and passions of the Woei crew reach far beyond just shoes and apparel; Besides providing the streets with the latest from Nike, Adidas, and Co., music has always been at the heart of the store. Considering the highly curated playlists and mixes that can be heard in the store and hosting some of Rotterdam's most notorious parties, the belief that music unites is deeply ingrained in the Woei DNA.
Based on this deep connection, we want to shine a spotlight on some of our favorite local musicians to talk about what sparked their passion for music and hear their take on common dilemmas in the music industry.
For WOEI FM episode #33, we met with Jewvy aka Djoevenile to talk about him and his family's bond to music, changes in routine, and his current pick of top DJs.
Can you please introduce yourself?
My name is Jewvy, better known as Djoevenile. I’m 39 years old and have a little son named Jordan. I’m a DJ and also work as a Proces Operator.
How did you come up with your DJ name?
My sister’s friends always used to call me Djoevenile, so Djoev became a nickname of mine. That was around the time when rapper Juvenile became a big thing, so the decision to use it as an artist's name felt pretty natural.
How long have you been spinning?
I started in 2009 on my 25th Birthday. I practiced at home and borrowed the decks from my cousin, who, at the time, performed together with my brother. I was a die-hard The Neptunes fan, so I remember burning a lot of their music on CDs. I was very excited to start and basically locked myself up to practice spinning.
What does a typical day in your life look like?
I always get up fairly early to bring my son to school. After that, I’ll usually get a coffee at Coffee Company or Nice. How I fill in the rest of the day really depends on what kind of shift I have at work. I’ll usually be checking out new music and start out the day relaxed.
We were at the Coffee Company here in the Hoogstraat, what does this spot mean to you?
A good friend of mine works here, so automatically you’ll visit more often. It feels relaxed, there’s a lot of space for people working and simply chatting, and it's a beautiful spot.
What does Rotterdam, as a city, mean to you?
I was born here but lived in Spijkenisse for a long time. Although I’ve spent a lot of time there, Rotterdam will always be my home base.
Do you have any favourite spots in Rotterdam?
-Little V.
-Deli Bird Thai Kitchen in Katendrecht.
-Nice.
-Pop-Podium Annabel.
"I was very excited to start and basically locked myself up to practice spinning."
When did you realise that music was going to have such a big impact on your life?
Growing up I have always been around music, my brother always put on Gabber music at home, and I was slowly getting into vinyl. I used to go along to record stores because I thought that the album covers always looked sick. I didn't immediately fall in love with vinyl, but rather slowly grew my appreciation for it over time.
With Indonesian roots, you’ll always get in touch with music one way or another.
What was your first performance, and how did it go?
It was on Christmas night in 2009/2010, in the old post office on the Coolsingel. I was asked to spin a closing set, but was told to stop after playing only one tune… I had arrived very early so I had a very sour feeling after that. If we're talking about more well-known clubs, then it would be Club Vie, which is now Club Munch. That was around the same time as my first-ever gig. I was spinning in the basement, I believe. Yeah, that night has opened some doors for me.
What do you spin exactly?
The foundation has been and will always be Hip-Hop and R&B. I have an appreciation for modern R&B as well. Aside from that it ranges from Dancehall to Disco to 80’s and 90’s music. I have a wide music taste, but you can’t just spin anything everywhere.
Vinyl or Digital?
I learned everything Digitally, but now I’d say it’s Vinyl.
Has there ever happened anything while you were playing, that made you go: WTF?!
One time the music suddenly turned off. The bass was so heavy, and the knob was extremely sensitive, so the deck just turned itself off. This was at La Razza in Paradiso. The sound engineer had confused channel 1 and channel 2, so we were all spinning on reversed channels the whole time, it was a bit of a mind-fuck.
Where do you find inspiration, music-wise?
Most of it I find from other DJs. Especially the older ones. Think of DJ Turne, and Skratch Bastid to name a few.
How do you select your music for upcoming gigs/mixes/events?
I still prepare beforehand. I like to have at least 5 tunes to start with and fill out the rest as I go. There was an instance where I’d prepared fifty tracks in one folder and only ended up playing one.
Nowadays I make individual folders for different parties and throw in all the tunes I’d want to play there.
Club nights or Festivals?
Club nights.
Is there a certain club/venue you’d still like to perform at?
Paralel in Amsterdam.
"I didn't immediately fall in love with vinyl, but rather grew my appreciation for it over time."
Are there any DJs you currently look up to?
-DJ Turne
-Skratch Bastid
-DJ Irwan
-SP
-Edson; SO to the Luffie Duffie mixtapes!
Shoutout to some DJs of my generation aswell ; Abstract, Rough & Maximoes, Darryl Antunes, Franky Sticks, Ray Escobar, and Slick!
Do you have a tune you’d like to share with the readers?
Top 3 parties of all time?
1. 2017 Soulection - ADE
2. 2012 Jazzy Jeff - Nieuwe Oogst
3. 2018 Laatste Scenario - Bird
Is there something on the agenda that you’re able to share with us?
Aftersix on October 27th!
What can we expect from your Operator set?
Good question… I think lots of samples, a mix of Alternative R&B and laid-back tunes. Good Vibes.
Any last words for the readers?
Do your best in school.
Shoutout to Woei, Doggy!
