"I'm living my dream, I don't plan on stopping for anybody, or anyone"-DJ SPYNFO
SPYNFO: My name is Michael Eagon, I'm 26 and I'm from the Bronx.
CH: Where'd the name Spynfo come from?
SPYNFO: Spynfo came from St. John's in Montgoris. I was trying to develop a name that had to do with spinning records. A lot of DJ's don't have names that have to do with their craft. "Oochie wally" by Nas was a hot track at the time. There's a line in the song that goes, "holler out the window, it's the project nympho," and we just added Spynfo to it. It was a name that described who I was, a person addicted to DJ'ing.
CH: Since St. John's what have you been up to?
SPYNFO: I graduated in 06' I've been hosting concerts, various venues with artists like: Keyshia Cole, Luda, Nas, and Lupe. I've been to Canada, Tokyo, and I just got back from Brazil. I've been DJ'ing corporate functions for organizations like the National Black Accountants, and the American Cancer Society. I've been trying to expand and be everywhere at once. I did rap-city and I do various private events like weddings and proms. I also have various mixtapes for download at djspynfo.net. I have a syndicated college radio show, it's the first black & latino owned syndicated college radio show, called "Live From da Yard", I co-host and DJ. It's heard from NY to Minnesota, we have about a million listeners. I also co-founded the Y.E.S. group (Young Entrepreneurs Speak) it's a community based organization about uplifting young entrepreneurial minds, giving them incite about being self driven.
CH: I heard your a big dog pitbull on Hot 97 now, how'd that come about?
SPYNFO: I'm not on Hot 97 yet, but I'm affiliated with a team that runs Hot 97. Bobby Trends and Mr. Cee had been keeping their eye on me the last 2-3 years. They saw how I dominated the college crowds, saw how I progressed and the way I marketed myself got their attention. They wanted to create the next generation of Pitbulls: people that are on the scene, cater to all, great DJ, and that's where I came in. Mr. Cee was speaking to me for quite some time and he hit me up told me to come to Hot 97 . All the Pitbulls were there, they inaugurated us. They gave us the option to make our decision there or go home and think it over but we all made our decision there. It was kind of like getting your PHD for a DJ, it's all about using it now. This was a good moment in my life.
CH: How'd you get started DJ'ing?
SPYNFO: Back at St. John's in 2000, my freshman year. I moved into Hollis with what little equipment I had. I had bought turntables before I came to school. An Alpha heard me playing and told me to DJ a Haraya event, it was a day mixer. I did a great job, and word got out I DJ'ed and I was good and other orgs. started to eventually utilize me. My first party was at a club/bar called Georgetown's on Hillside. I had that locked in for 2 years, Thurs. and Fridays. That's how I started to get my name out there, I was packing out parties , 3-400 people every week.
CH: When'd you realize you might actually make it as a DJ?
SPYNFO: I did a show in Maryland with Suede and I utilized the mic. Thats when I actually became "Spynfo" getting the crowd involved. Asian parents, black kids, me by myself made the show move in 2004.
CH: What was the best party you've DJ'ed?
SPYNFO: A party in Japan by far. It was 07' the fact was I wasn't expecting these asians to know so much hip-hop, reggae, and soca. I kept them moving all night, security had to push the crowd out. They wanted one more song. Now my poster is up next to 50 cent and Kanye at this club called Vueonos.
CH: What DJ's do you look up to?
SPYNFO: Mr. Cee, for the way he controls the crowd. Cypha sounds, because he cracks jokes and turns it into a comedy show. DJ Camillo, for his style he keeps the crowd moving and doesn't stop, and he is very diverse. Funk Flex, because he is the godfather of Pitbulls and he took DJ'ing and made himself a millioniare getting involved in a lot of endeavors.
CH: Do you have any other jobs?
SPYNFO: This is my 9-5, my main thing. This and investing in stock. My goal is to start my own business. My goal is to land a spot on Hot 97, the sky is the limit after that, I'll be in my own Spynfo-world.
CH: What do you think about College Love Ent?
SPYNFO: It's headed in the right direction, it's real vivd and seems user friendly. It has a large array of events and is tryung to bring the love back to the college campus. There are a lot of good features.
CH: What was the best St. John's party you've DJ'ed?
SPYNFO: An outdoor summer luau that turned into madness. It was hot there was water fights and everything. Parties in the U.C. and Montgoris were all great parties but they didn't stand out like this party in the res. village.
CH: I've heard you shout out your nicknames, what are all of them?
SPYNFO: The College Club King, Spynfo the Nympho, Big Dog Pitbull, St. Johns' finest and your girlfriend's favorite DJ. Spynfo just rhymes with nympho and it makes people understand what Spynfo means. I do like ladies but I'm not going crazy about it.
CH: How much do you make on average from DJ'ing?
SPYNFO: When I was St. Johns' finest $3-500 a gig now that I stepped it up checks can range anywhere from $500-2,500.
CH: What shows do you have coming up?
SPYNFO: STJ Spring concert, Stoney Brook, Fordham, Columbia and Pace's senior formals. In 2 months I'm headed to Hiroshima & Tokyo, Japan. Aand I have various: celeb. birthdays and I'm working with Swizz Beats, J. Holliday, Serani etc.
CH: Are you able to spin for a wide variety of races?
SPYNFO: I spin for all sorts of crowds depending on where I'm at. Haraya is the main org. that booked me. When I was in Brazil I played for everyone.
CH: Define success
SPYNFO: Success is when your'e comfortable with who you are, what you're doing and you're bank account. Those three things come together, that's success for me. I'm becoming successful I have a lot more control over my life and the direction I'm taking it.
CH: What advice would you give an upcoming DJ?
SPYNFO: When you start off it isn't good to run with too many DJ's, competing with other DJ's isn't the best way to get noticed. Practice makes perfect. Perfect your craft, know your music and know your audience. Prepare yourself for any given situation, learn pop, techno, house and latin.
CH: What's your relationship with DJ Zeke? Was there ever any problems between you two seeing that you were St. John's favorite DJ before him?
SPYNFO: There is a time and place for everything. I was basically doing what he's doing now. He's taking it to another level, I did less orgs. he's dealing with a lot more. I don't really want to be St. John's DJ for the next 20 years. Zeke will find himself doing bigger and larger events. I've been there done that. I'll always have love for STJ. I look at Zeke as a younger version of me, I told Zeke it's how you sell yourself, you've got to get people to like you first. Zeke is good with first and lasting impressions, he's wholesome.
CH: Are you still St. John's favorite DJ?
SPYNFO: I doubt it. I'm not there enough. But if I was I would be lol. Right now I'm doing a lot of schools like Yale, Buffalo, Albany.
CH: So you still DJ at schools. What schools do you DJ at?
SPYNFO: Albany, Hofstra, Stony Brook, Fordham, Suny New Paltz, Fairfield, Suny Purchase. Every school in the tri state area has welcomed me. I made the move from being "St. John's finest to all schools welcoming me on campus as " King"
CH: What would it take for you to DJ at St. John's again?
SPYNFO: A phone call.
CH: What was it like when you were on campus as a student?
SPYNFO: Everyday all day there was a party in the dorms and in the lounges, open mic. sessions in Hollis and Century hall and I would DJ. STJ was a little less stringent with the rules, you could get away with more. I made it a party school, I was the DJ they had easy access to, getting the event on campus hype!
CH: What's the craziest thing that you've seen while DJ'ing?
SPYNFO: The first time I dropped a techno track at Amazura. It was an urban crowd and when you play a track totally unexpected and still get a response that's crazy. But the craziest thing would have to be when I had 40,000 people partying and doing the wave at Giant stadium. It was an annual college football game and bands were battling and everything.
CH: What's one thing that makes you unique?
SPYNFO: I'm one of those DJ's at my own party I'm not shy on the dance floor. I'm on the dance floor trying to get it in. People get to know me that way and they realize I'm a regular dude that's trying to have some fun and make some money at the same time.
"Stay positive and positive things will happen. Get rid of negative energy in your life"-DJ SPYNFO
