Only child born and raised in Boston Yada Yada Yada.
Short story, my mother a professional singer since she was eleven. Every since I could remember she had me at her rehearsals, also tons of equipment in our home. She would rehearse with her band and then they would hit the road every weekend performing and singing the latest top 40 and R&B. At a very early age I seen what dedication and sacrifice was all about. By the time I turned 12 years old I would come home from school, grab a bowl of cereal, and turn on the videos. I noticed that every rap group had a Dj. Run DMC w/Jammaster J, The Fresh Prince & Jazzy Jeff, Salt and Pepa, ect. But Spindarella stood out to me because I noticed she kept licking her fingers to scratch, not that she was a girl. I played records a lot but never once did I lick a record to scratch it. Hmmm I looked across the livingroom and Walahhhh there was a Record player just waiting for me to scratch on and lick the record lol. I put the record on and scratched it back and fourth (noticed a discoloration on the record) and seen that Spindarella licked the record to keep control of the slippage. Then all of a sudden the arm went flying to the end of the record. Omg I broke the needle. I had to think quick, turn off the power and put things back how they was and run. Lesson learned was record players were not made for scratching turntables are lol.
I started buying records at Skippy Whites and Spin City. I remember going in Skippy' s and having tons of records to look thru, just to end up with maybe 2 45's. At Spin City my uncle's friend Rusty worked there and I would try to hum him the songs I heard on the radio just to end up leaving out with 1 12" of something else good (I never could remember the key words back then).
I made blended mix tapes with double cassette players, 1 turntable Technic sl, and a 4 track recorder. I played instruments and would do long mega mixes incorporating it all. It was so much fun to me little did I know it was a gift of talent and that it was a bigger deal because I am a girl. I made mix tapes for family, friends, and talent shows battling my boy Kerrin for who made the hotter mix.
One day I was at rehearsal with my mom and I seen a dj set there at the club. I ask to play something, next thing I knew I was spinning back stage for the bands intermissions. (Heard but not seen). At that point the growth kept going.
Sometime later I was hanging out with my homegirl Caprice and we stopped by Funky Fresh Records the old Spin City now owned by Rusty. He had spare mixers and Turntables. I was like I spin on old 1200 sl's Russ but, I saved up money and I have 1 Technic 1200 now. (Cost about $450). Rusty said to me "here T, this is for you" (another Technic 1200). To this day it still means so much to me that he knew I was serious about the craft that he wanted to see me complete it.
At that point I needed to bring more to the plate. So I started paying attention to club DJ's, watching Battle videos and asking questions to DJ's that's been out here with different styles and genre's around town. I found myself in the record stores daily.
One day I said to Jeff 2x's while hanging in Funky Fresh, teach me how to manipulate the record like y'all. He said, Tonya (my name is Twanya) you must create your own style, make it yours, create your own style of scratching and manipulating the record. Right then something clicked, it was called Originality and I had plenty of it.
I spun for Family and Friends that turned into Graduations and Weddings. Big Events, Showcases, Radio and Television. I was known as Boston's Hottest Female Dj. Then Boston's only Female DJ (named by Chubby Chubb and many others), to now New England's Hottest Female Dj. (So Serious?reow)
Years later I'm still at it. Not because it's a Trend (female Dj) .But for the real love of Music.
The DJ world has changed drastically. Anyone can be a DJ due to technology. But there is only 1 DJ T. LAWSON that carried crates of records, speakers, and still has her vinyl collection.
This is something that I will continue to do as long as I have the ability to. Thank you if you ever supported me as a Dj... Any questions just ask.
Special Shout Out to: Mom, Dad, Grandparents, Mike Reid, Uncle Reggie, Auntie Mary, Rusty, Aunt Georgia, Uncle Larry, Aunt Linda, Uncle Milton, Kerrin, Kendra, Diamond, Arnetta, Derryck, Dj Nyce, Dru Nyce, Mo D, Dj Wade, Junior Rodigan, Jeff 2x's, Coolbreeze, Keith,Traci Washington, Touch 106.1, 5 Star Magazine, Chronicle, The Globe, Stealth Ryderz, BET, FREE, Big Tigga, Coco Shannel, Jammin G Cleff, G Spin, Bobby Bangers, and unlisted Dj's. Every Promoter that hired me, every Person that hired me. Also my ex who's dealt with the babies so I could type this for y'all. If I forgot someone tell me.
Much love ?