Born in St. Thomas, and raised in Estate Thomas, Allison ‘Badjoe’ Trotman is now one of the premier Caribbean DJ’s of the Mid East and prominent radio personality of the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. Badjoe has been honing his trade since he was eleven years old. Under the apprenticeship of well-known DJ Neven ‘Dues’ Philips, he was playing clubs at the age of 16. After he graduated from Ivanna Eudora Kean, he attended college at Norfolk State University and got involved with the campus radio station. Upon graduating, known radio icon, KJ Holiday, then manager of 103 JAMZ offered a slot to Badjoe in 1993. Fourteen years later, he is now at the top of his game and any and all celebrities passing through Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Portsmouth, or Virginia Beach, stop through his show. Upon his recent win in the Socalicious DJ Competition, we talk to Badjoe about his status.
CORE: Your radio work is known, were you also playing the club scene as well?
BJ: Definitely. Pretty much every club in Virginia I have played, plus the old school clubs back home; like Studio 54, Club Z, The Old Mill, and Walters.
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CORE: Do you have a preference between radio and playing at events?
BJ: They each have their benefits, I can’t pick one over the other. On radio I can touch a larger audience population wise. On the other-hand, playing at events you get to interact with the audience on a more personal level. I can’t make that choice, I love both of them. I also do a show called ‘Article One’ with Pioneer DJ Red Alert that airs in St. Maarten, 92.5 FM.
CORE: At the events you play as a part of a sound system…
BJ: Yea, in 1993 I started Changez International; it is a syndicated sound in Jamaica and Florida also. The other members of the Virginia syndicate are Ace from St. Croix and Curtz.
CORE: Can you speak on the recent DJ competition you won?
BJ: The first DJ contest for Soca in Virginia, called Socalicious, with the best Soca DJ’s in the states at the time. Changez International came out on top that night, I was well prepared. I had dubs built for all the sounds in the competition, from artist like Lil’ John and ‘Umbrella’ from Rhianna.
CORE: Do you still keep in touch with any VI artists either at home or abroad?
BJ: Changez Intl. does a lot with Ras Attitude and Batch, and of course we have been pushing Pressure.
...playing at events you get to interact with the audience on a more personal level
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