MEET THE ELITE DJ: MICK BATYSKE
Bring on the dope beats! When MICK is spinning the music, the dance floor is sure to be packed all night long – from Brooklyn all the way to Tokyo. As far as international DJs go, MICK (né Mick Batyske) reigns supreme as one of the most successful music curators working today. He has DJ’d for countless A-list events and his highly enviable list of clients includes EA Sports, Lebron James, Public School, Yahoo, HBO and more. In addition, he’s also a business savvy entrepreneur with several bubbling projects in the mix. The ONS Manual has featured a number of intriguing and ambitious gentlemen and DJ MICK fits perfectly in our diverse array. See the interview below:
You don’t find many DJs that also hold a MBA degree. Why was it important for you to lock down the academic angle in addition to your DJ career?
I just think having diversity in what you do is important. It increases your odds for success. I was already smart. And already creative. But I wondered what if I could get even smarter to further along my creativity? And it worked.
Tell us a little bit about your “global DJ” lifestyle. How often are you on the road and how hectic does your schedule get?
I’m answering these questions from a plane right now. I just flew to Virginia to do an event for Michelle Obama, and now I’m flying home the same day. I’ll kiss my beautiful wife, who is my everything, hug my 4-month-old son, and then fly to Japan in the am. Hopefully, I have time to stop by your Tokyo Onassis location.
Congratulations on being a new Dad! Has your new son affected your globetrotting schedule?
Thank you. It makes me work 10x harder. But beyond that, business as usual. I even brought him to a gig at two months. Lol.
You’ve DJ’d a slew of celeb parties and high profile events. How did you become one of the go-to spinners for these elite gatherings?
First off, God. That’s most of it. Beyond that, hard work and great relationships. I don’t have a big time manager (I manage myself), a rich uncle or a famous person in my life who has helped elevate me. I just work really hard and try to treat people well.
Your mixtape roots go really deep. Tell us about some of your earlier Hip-Hop projects with Little Brother & Busta Rhymes.
I play everything these days. My sets are super diverse and inclusive. But I originally come from that true school era in Hip-Hop. Soulful gritty beats. Real rhymes. It always projected itself in my sound. Thankfully, some of my favorite artists of all time respected that and wanted to work with me. Busta. Little Brother. Talib Kweli. Big Sean. Slum Village. I’m blessed.
You’ve literally played all over the world, what are your favorite cities with the most enthusiastic and most energetic crowds?
Tokyo. London. Miami.
What are 3 artists that you can play in any venue that are guaranteed to get people off the wall and onto the dance floor?
Anything Biggie, Jay Z or Drake. Or Michael Jackson if the crowd skews older.
As far as cool projects go, you’ve worked with EA Sports, HBO, etc. How do you keep yourself in the mix with all these diverse ventures?
It’s fun, man. I love the curation of life, whether that’s music, art, fashion or media. To be able to help these brands musically or from a marketing perspective – is super fun. It’s another way to flex my creative side.
Talk to us about your preferred DJ attire. What kind of clothes do you wear when playing a gig?
It all depends on the gig. I could be in a Saint Laurent tux. I could be in some Jordans or Adidas Ultra Boosts. Or maybe some Prada boots. I’m more of a classic, simple, monochrome kind of guy when it comes to fashion. Grown with an element of street wear. My closet looks like the daily Mr. Porter email. Lol. I rock tons of black, grey and navy. But I will get a little colorful and esoteric with the kicks. In full disclosure: I should also add that I rocked some ONS pants at my event today with the First Lady.
You seem like someone who would be a luxury sneaker aficionado. What are some of your favorite possessions in this category?
I have a pair of original Jordan 1’s from 1986. I got them at a flea market in Bangkok. So cool. I also love my collection of Common Project sneakers.
Tell us about your different entrepreneurial and tech ventures. Which ones are you most excited about?
I’ll name two. Localeur is doing amazing. It’s a very successful travel curation app that has been covered in the Wall Street Journal and other big publications.
Dot Dot Dash is a dope experiential tech company who builds fantastic activations for lots of big brands and agencies. We have done projects for Nike and Hyundai recently. And planning some cool stuff at Art Basel for Complex Magazine.
Lastly, what major moves/industry takeovers do you have in store for the coming year?
I’m bringing in the New Year on top of the World Trade Center, which should be epic. Beyond that… tons more global gigs. A few more tech things I’ll be announcing soon. And lots of cool fashion stuff as well. Stay tuned to my website and @mick on IG to find out. Thanks for having me!
To keep up with DJ MICK, follow him on Instagram: @MICK
You can also visit his website: www.iammick.com
