By Emma Schwichtenberg

Barry Williams, known by his stage name, DJ B-Mello, is a seasoned and respected award winning DJ with a rich history in the craft that dates back to the early 1980s.

His journey into DJing began as a natural progression from his days as a B-Boy, where he was immersed in breaking and rhyming. His passion for the art form was fueled by a desire to create mixes for breaking, leading him to explore the world of DJing. Influenced by the iconic sounds of New York radio mix shows, he was captivated by the art of turntablism and nurtured a dream to not only DJ but also work in radio.

At just 15 years old, DJ B-Mello took his first steps into DJing at a pool party, armed with makeshift equipment and a passion for music. His first professional gig came in 1987 at the NCO Club, a nightclub for enlisted members of the Air Force, marking the beginning of his career in a professional setting. Since then, DJ B-Mello has evolved from those humble beginnings to become a well-known figure in the DJ community, blending his love for hip-hop and mixing with a commitment to sharing his art with audiences.

Converge Music recently spoke with Williams about his journey from B-Boy in the 1980s to prominent DJ, reflecting on the evolution of hip-hop and the impact of digital changes in music consumption.

What was your audience like in the late '80s?

Well, this was around 1987, and back then, the clubs weren’t really letting us play a lot of hip-hop. They were pretty anti-hip-hop honestly, so we leaned more toward R&B, especially the more danceable tracks, though we still mixed in some hip-hop here and there. Our audience was mostly young military members, probably in their early twenties, around 21 or so. It was a young, energetic crowd.

One of my questions was about how DJing has evolved over time and where you see it heading. But I found it interesting when you mentioned that during your first official DJ gig, there was resistance to playing hip-hop. How have you seen that change throughout your career?

Oh, it's been a complete transformation—like night and day compared to when I started. Back then, I was just a bedroom DJ making mixtapes, and when I began doing club gigs, a lot of venues actively avoided hip-hop. They were concerned it would attract the "wrong crowd." But over the years, that attitude has shifted significantly. Hip-hop is now a global phenomenon and a major industry, although I do think it's seen better days.

Why do you say hip-hop is on the decline now?

Well, I don't mean hip-hop culture itself is fading—it's as strong as ever. But as a music genre, in terms of sales, it's not where it once was. For a while, hip-hop was the top-selling genre, but it's had some rough years recently. It’s hard to measure, though, because the entire industry has changed so much. With streaming services, it’s a different game now. I have a background in marketing and promotions for record labels, and I've worked in radio, so I’ve seen firsthand how things have shifted.

When SoundScan was introduced to track sales, and then later with the advent of streaming, it completely changed how we measure success. Even radio monitoring evolved with systems like BDS (Broadcast Data Systems), which tracked spins. I believe they still have Mediabase.  Everything's different now, and the way we gauge popularity has become more complex.

How do you think having that background knowledge has changed your perspective on DJing?

It brought me full circle. At this point, I see DJing more as a hobby than a job—something I genuinely enjoy rather than just a way to make money. The other aspects of my career, like marketing and promotion, came about more out of necessity. As I grew as a DJ, I needed to supplement my income, so I started doing marketing and promotions for record labels.

That experience gave me a broader view of the music industry and influenced my approach to DJing. It was a natural progression. I also got involved in writing for magazines, initially to promote mixtapes and artists I was passionate about. I started out being interviewed by magazines, but eventually, I began interviewing artists and writing reviews myself. It all just kind of evolved over time.

Since you've interviewed other artists, was there a particular question that you always liked to ask or that usually got a good response?

Not really. When I look back, I did a lot of interviews in the early '90s with artists who went on to become big names, like Wu-Tang Clan, Biggie, and Gang Starr. I asked some pretty generic questions, but I also threw in things I was personally curious about. I didn't have a set script, and honestly, a lot of the questions seem kind of boring in retrospect. I haven't revisited many of those interviews in a long time, but sometimes people will post them, and I'll see some of the old slang or phrasing, and it's a bit cringe-worthy.

Where did your name, DJ B-Mello, come from?

My real name is Barry, and I've always been pretty mellow, so it felt like a natural fit. Back in '79, I went by "Cooley B," but that name felt outdated as time passed. Around '86 or '87, I switched to "Barry Bass." However, when Rob Base came out with "It Takes Two" and blew up, I knew I had to change it. In hip-hop, copying—or even having a similar name to someone else—is considered a big no-no. I didn’t want people thinking I was biting Rob Base's style, so I changed it to "B-Mello" around '89.

Since then, there have been a ton of DJs with variations of the name "Mello"—DJ Mello, Mello D, Mello B, and even "Mellow" spelled differently. It's kind of like Dr. Dre; there was Dr. Dre from Yo! MTV Raps and Dr. Dre from N.W.A. Both coexisted because they were distinct enough. The evolving music scene, though, has made things like unique names less sacred because the market is so oversaturated now. I've seen artists or DJs with identical names, simply because there are only so many names to choose from.

It reminds me of Biggie Smalls. When he was emerging, there was another rapper who had the copyright for that name, so Biggie ended up going by "The Notorious B.I.G." Similarly, Common had to drop "Sense" from his original name "Common Sense" because another group held the rights. It just goes to show that once a name sticks, it becomes part of the artist’s identity regardless of any initial confusion.

And I want to ask, who are some local artists that have impacted you, or just artists in general within your genre that you think have heavily influenced your music and DJing style?

Um, man, wow. When it comes to my musical style, I think I’m more influenced by DJs, especially old-school DJs like Red Alert, Marley Marl, and Chuck Chillout. As for artists, I’m not entirely sure. I’ve always been there to play the music, so it's hard to pinpoint specific local artists that influenced me.

I mean, someone asked me the other day if I knew a specific Usher song, and my response was, “I probably do, but I can’t remember all the titles.” As time goes on, I see TikToks and reels asking, “Where was Usher at seven?” and I realize many people have no idea about his history. It’s an age thing, for sure. A lot of people enjoy music and know the songs, but they might not remember the titles or artists, which can be challenging for a DJ.

People often request songs in vague terms, like, “You know, that one guy with the…,” and it can be frustrating trying to figure out what they mean. In the early days, it was easier, but now, with so many songs out there, it’s tough to keep track.

Now, outside of DJing, what do you do?

That's it—just being a father. I’ve had a long DJ career, but I’m currently on hiatus. My main focus is on my younger kids; they really need me right now. I got divorced in 2022 and went back to radio, working with KPEZ in Austin. The industry has changed a lot since I last worked in it, and I forgot how time-consuming it is. I started doing club gigs again, but I realized it takes away from my time with my little ones.

I also have older kids from a previous relationship—a son I raised in his 30s, a 16-year-old, and a 25-year-old. I know their childhoods were sacrificed a bit due to my career, whether I was out of town for gigs or spending time at the radio station. I remember promoting records and parties with my oldest son when he was just a kid, sometimes bringing him out to clubs late at night. It was rough back then, especially in the mid-'90s. I recall instances where we had to duck for cover, but thankfully, nothing ever happened at my gigs.

So, just being a father—that's my primary focus right now.

When you were DJing, what was your process for selecting tracks or creating your sets?

I was really good at reading crowds. Once things went digital, I had access to huge arsenals of songs at my fingertips. However, I came up in the era of records, where I had to rely on my collection. Up until about 2004, DJs would have records before others, often getting test pressings a month or more in advance. Some records were exclusive to us, but now it feels like everyone has access to everything.

Today, it’s less about the records and more about creativity and pleasing the crowd, especially if it’s a dancing crowd.

Do you remember any weird requests you’ve received during a show?

Oh, there are always weird requests. Recently, someone asked for a song I didn’t even know. Everyone else in the club seemed to know it, though. It was a pop song, and I thought, “Sure, why not?” When I played it, it turned into a sing-along anthem, and I was surprised by how much everyone loved it.

What’s the song that gets you really excited when people request it?

Honestly, I don't get excited about requests at all. I've always hated them. When I was headlining, I would typically go in and perform for just an hour at the height of the night. You hope the openers don’t play all the big hits before you go on, but sometimes they do. If you’re not at the venue and come in at the last minute, you can usually tell the crowd has already reacted to a huge song because the opener played it.

When I moved up to Bellingham and DJed at a club three nights a week for five years, I learned to take requests. That experience actually broadened my musical taste. Younger crowds would come in and request new tracks, especially in 2016 and 2017 when songs were dropping online. They would know exactly what they wanted to hear, sometimes the same day a song was released. So, I started to see the value in listening to their requests and seeing if those tracks worked well with the crowd.

Most DJs don’t like playing requests because we want to please the majority of the audience. We can gauge the room and understand the crowd’s reactions, and it’s not about stereotyping people’s tastes. It’s just about creating a good experience for everyone.

On that note, how do you stay current with music trends or incorporate new styles into your sets?

The key is just keeping up with music. Honestly, on this hiatus, I feel like I'm falling behind and becoming more of a consumer rather than a DJ. I catch new music casually through satellite radio or online, instead of actively seeking it out through my email or record labels. Nowadays, there are plenty of digital pools where you can find music, but it seems like a lot of new hits have been breaking through TikTok in recent years.

I actually had to delete TikTok because I felt overwhelmed and like I was missing out. I would see trends and hear songs that everyone was talking about, but I wouldn’t even know what they were referencing. I’d fall asleep scrolling through TikTok, and then realize, "Oh, I have that record!" It's been a challenge to keep up with everything.

You know, it’s these labels pushing their music to different content creators, or influencers, I guess you could say. They send out snippets of songs, so when you hear just a small segment, you might not even realize it. Then, while going through music, you come across a full track, and suddenly a familiar part plays, and you think, “Oh, yeah, I know this!”

How do you see the role of a DJ evolving in the next two years, especially with TikTok changing how we consume music?

I enjoy watching DJs live on TikTok, and after the pandemic, Twitch really took off. However, copyright laws are extremely strict these days. If I post something on Instagram or Facebook, it often gets muted. I hope the industry evolves to better appreciate DJs and the role we play in exposing new music. I came up doing mixtapes and worked in underground and commercial radio, as well as satellite radio. In the past, I did street promotions and sent out mixtapes to DJs to help promote tracks. But then we faced a big backlash with anti-piracy campaigns targeting DJs. It was a learning curve, but now it feels like we’re emerging from that.

With streaming, it seems similar. Labels are trying to figure out how to monetize everything. I think it will evolve in some way, but they need to create a platform where DJs can play music freely without censorship or muting. I remember when Universal pulled all their music from TikTok; I’m not sure what happened after that. Personally, I’m not huge on social media these days. I spend a lot of time on Facebook, and my Instagram has only around three or four thousand followers. As for TikTok, I have a business account, but I can’t access a lot of songs. If I try to make a TikTok, I have to switch to a regular account to use the songs I want. Otherwise, I’m stuck with a bunch of generic options, which is frustrating since I initially wanted to use it to create content and potentially monetize my mixes.

Williams is currently on hiatus, focusing on family. For updates follow him on Instagram @djbmello.