How DJ Hoody is bringing his eclectic music and minimal effects to lower Manhattan

Oh, I wanna dance with somebody. I wanna feel the heat with somebody.

It is midnight at the Iron Bar & Lounge in Hell’s Kitchen, and everyone in the lounge area is singing along to Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody.”

The smell of watermelon hookah lingers in the air.

The party started at 9 p.m. Over the last three hours, DJ Hoody has played Afrobeats, Reggaeton, R&B, Pop and Electronic music.

Earlier in the night, he even played three consecutive Michael Jackson songs.  After “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” finishes, he grabs the microphone. 

“Let’s Party!”

Jamie Colon, whose stage name is DJ Hoody, has been a professional DJ in New York City for four years. During that period, his face has become a recognizable one in Central Harlem. 

He performs regularly at Harlem venues Ouaga Sports Bar, Shrine Live Music Venue, Just Lorraine’s and Lux Bar + Grill.

The word of his act has now spread beyond Harlem and he is getting gigs south of Central Park. Colon’s main objective when he DJs a party is simple. Keep everyone entertained. 

“You are going to drink, party, and dance until you can’t dance anymore,” Colon said. “You are going to need Advil and Tylenol in the morning.”

Colon first started DJing in New York City in 2015. At that time, he didn’t know too many DJs in New York City. 

However, he did know Profit The DJ who he met in 2009 through his job at the Kips Bay Boys and Girls club in the Bronx’s Castle Hill neighborhood. Profit The DJ served as a mentor to him and would bring Colon to his gigs in the Bronx. 

By watching him up close, Colon started picking up the basics of being a DJ. At first, he would mimic his mentor’s style of DJing. Over time, Colon slowly began to develop his own. 

When Covid hit, he made a promise to himself. He would go all in on being a professional DJ.

“I would do whatever gig I got,” Colon said. “I was doing baby showers. People started to notice the potential, and they started sending me around.”

As a result of all the hard work he put in the past four years, he went from doing one party every two months to now DJing every single day.

On a typical day, Colon might have two or three gigs lined up. He is used to returning home at seven in the morning and waking up tired. 

When he DJs a party, he doesn’t come in with a predetermined playlist. “I start playing different music and I get a feel for the crowd,” Colon said. “I see what their reaction is, and I move off of that.”

If he sees people singing or dancing along to one of his songs, he responds by playing music within that era or genre to keep them entertained.

“Once I hit that, I know how to keep them for a while,” Colon said.

Colon is very minimalist with his special effects. You might hear an occasional air horn or a few words of encouragement for the crowd. But that’s about it.

“A lot of DJs they have a tendency to cut the song off every five seconds and talk,” Colon said. “I will cut the music off and let the crowd sing it. I like more crowd participation because when people see the crowd participating, it makes the party live.”

Something that also separates him from other DJs are his transitions. They are smooth as silk.

“Some DJ’s are just playing music,” Colon said. “They aren’t playing for the crowd of people. I like to keep the crowd entertained. Some people like the mixed music.”

For Colon, the best part about being a professional DJ is all the love he receives.

“You would never think being a DJ would bring so many people into your life,” Colon said. “They love me as a person, and I am able to do that through just music. And it has no cap”

Looking ahead, Colon has two goals. The first is hosting his own annual party in Harlem.

“Every year there is an annual Hoody party, whether it’s a 2000s-themed party or a 90s throwback party,” Colon said. 

The other is to give back to the Harlem community that has supported him all these years.

“I know where I started from, and I know what those kids go through and what joy I could bring to them,” Colon said. “I am in a position where I have a lot of support. I want to take that support and support somebody else.”