[00:05] — What Sets Him Apart
His fear of being “whack” drives him — every party, every time, he’s asking what he has to do to make sure the crowd has a good time.
[01:33] — Beat Street Started It All
At 7-8 years old he saw Beat Street 10-15 times at the dollar show. Seeing the DJ as the hero made him want to do that.
[06:02] — Shaped By New Orleans
Growing up around Gregory D and Mannie Fresh, DJ Jimi, DJ Jubilee, Cash Money and No Limit, plus live radio DJ battles — music was just in the sidewalks.
[10:13] — First Mixer at 13, First Paid Gig at 14
Got his first mixer in 8th grade, then DJ’d a friend’s 13th birthday in Eastover for $175. Learned the big lesson fast: everybody doesn’t like the same music you like.
[15:03] — Playing Hip-Hop Style in Any Genre
At House of Blues opening for rock cover bands and Journey / Toto, he blends classic rock like a hip-hop set — no dead stops, just building energy song to song.
[28:00] — Keep The Talent in NOLA
Stayed to go to Dillard so he could build with his crew. Says keeping artists, teams, and money in New Orleans creates gravity — like Cash Money and PJ Morton did coming home.
[38:29] — How The Saints Gig Happened in 2017
After DJ’ing the Essence Fest main stage in the Dome, he asked who to kidnap to get in with the Pels. They snuck him into Saints pre-game first to warm up management to in-game DJs
[45:19] — Saints Games Are Not a Party
Highly scripted Broadway production — countdowns in his earpiece, 20-second and 45-second windows, every stinger timed. Even Mannie Fresh was shocked at how structured it is.
[56:30] — Never Rest On Your Laurels
Decades in, he still won’t coast. If the first hour was fun, he still has two more hours to kill it — intentionally figuring out how to keep them moving.
[01:01:13] — What’s Next: Smooth Fest and New Artists
Bringing back his Smooth Fest at Broadside in August, plus new projects from Flagboy Giz, Hasizzle, 504 Icy Girl, and the immersive Journey to Funkstar show with Waterseed.
What does it take to control the energy of a room, rock the Superdome, and become one of New Orleans’ most respected DJs?
In this episode of From NOLA with the Forstalls: Local Legends, Jonathan Forstall sits down with legendary New Orleans DJ, DJ Raj Smoove, for a deep conversation about music, culture, creativity, and the art of reading a crowd.
From discovering hip-hop through the iconic film Beat Street to DJing his first paid party at just 14 years old, Raj shares the journey that led him from practicing in his bedroom to performing for massive crowds at Saints games, Jazz Fest, House of Blues, and international events.
The conversation dives into:
- How New Orleans shaped his musical identity
- The psychology behind DJing and crowd control
- Why DJs must understand emotion, timing, and energy
- The influence of Cash Money, No Limit, and New Orleans hip-hop culture
- Behind-the-scenes stories from the Superdome and live events
- How DJ Raj Smoove blends hip-hop, rock, R&B, reggae, and more
- The importance of creativity, experimentation, and authenticity
This episode is a masterclass in music culture, performance, and the heartbeat of New Orleans nightlife.
If you love hip-hop, DJ culture, New Orleans music, storytelling, or creative entrepreneurship, this episode is for you.
