Today we’d like to introduce you to Leland Bonner.
Leland, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’m an emerging DJ born and raised in Chicago but have called St. Louis home for the past ten (10) years. I got my start in music around the age of 12 when my uncle bought me what was then called Fruity Loops, a digital audio workstation used for producing, recording, editing, mixing and mastering music. My uncle recognized that I had a genuine interest in creating music because he was a part of a band as a drummer and had a home studio I’d always find my way into. Not much came out of that purchase besides a few very bad juke beats. This was around 2002, so “YouTube University” didn’t even exist yet. There weren’t a bunch of ways to be self-taught in this era and in-person courses were a fortune. Fast forward a few years and one thing remained constant – I still wanted to be involved with the creation of music. In high school I joined marching band and played snare and bass drum. This made all the difference. I was able to sonically discover the intricacies of a record and how each note or rhythm connected with each other. In my mind, the band playing was like when each of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers banded together to form the Megazord. It really put into perspective the whole concept of being only as strong as your weakest link. Well, that and the movie Drumline when Dr. Lee would pound the whole, “one band, one sound” motto into everybody’s head.
It wasn’t until around this time period that I realized my relationship with music was a lot different than most. Rushing to get home to rip off the CD packaging to read the liner notes and compose hand-written lists of up-and-coming producers and famous music studios to visit when I grow up apparently weren’t on every twelve-year old’s list of things to do. For me, it was like magic and I got a front row seat to the show every time I pressed play.
Fast forward a few years, I land an editorial internship with a rap blog out of Chicago called FakeShore Drive. The yearn to create music was still there, but I had to figure out a way to break into this field. After high school I attended Mizzou to pursue a career in print journalism. My intent was to graduate and work as a music writer or editor for one of my favorite publications, but that linear path I laid out didn’t quite pan out and I ended up back home in Chicago. Working at FakeShore was a dream come true. I got an opportunity to hone my writing, editing and interview skills all while being around the music I was so passionate about.
My tasks at FakeShore included creating and editing blog posts, conducting in-person interviews and composing, editing and posting editorial content. This was somewhat at the tail end of the mixtape era of rap, but music blogs were still prominent and still the go-to for showcasing talent. I built relationships with artists, videographers and other writers but in hindsight the best part about that experience were the intangibles. Getting a firsthand account of how a brand is built, how to sustain a brand, forecasting trends within an industry in order to stay ahead of the curve and how to build a team that aligns with the goals of the company were paramount to my future success. I met with the founder of FakeShore, Andrew Barber, exactly one time in-person and any correspondence after that was mostly via email. I was an ambitious twenty-something with some great ideas, but a bit rough around the edges. The patience, attention to detail and leadership he depicted I’m forever grateful for and I carry those values to this day now being a 35-year-old father of two and husband. Looking back on it, all I really had was a bit of talent, a laptop and the belief that if I took the time and effort to make writing a discipline all would work out in the end. Nowadays I still carry around a laptop with all my music, but it’s coupled with a DJ controller and speakers. All the equipment I have now is strictly for stunt purposes if I didn’t adhere to attention to detail, exercising patience and having some grit about me to delegate tasks when needed and advocate for myself in different spaces.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
This nonlinear path I’ve charted has been challenging. I’m a firm believer that experience is the best teacher. Through that experience I’ve faced some obstacles along the way. Learning a new craft while raising a toddler, showing up for your spouse and figuring out how to keep it all together without losing a sense of self have all been a part of my journey. Luckily for me, my former professional life assisted with mitigating some of these challenges. So, I worked as a St. Louis police officer for six (6) years prior to pursuing DJ’ing. First things first, I don’t believe there is a profession that teaches you more about self, others and the world as a whole than law enforcement. My experience was one that tested my faith, family and my hairline. I eventually had to go bald, so there’s that. I eventually left the police department, but it was tough for me to speak about my departure because in a sense I felt like a failure. I planned to retire after a long career in law enforcement and when I left only after six years it bummed me out. But in the words of Dwayne Carter Jr., “it ain’t ’bout what you walk away from, it’s ’bout what you walk away with.”
I left department with a renewed sense of stress resilience and a commitment to serve. My goal no matter how big or small the assignment was, I looked to provide a service that was uniquely me. If I completed the service part of the job, then most likely I left the people, places and spaces in better shape than when I started.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
The concept of leaving people and places in better shape holds up in my DJ journey.
Whether big or small, I bring high energy performances to events ranging from happy hours to festivals. My ability to adapt and perform under pressure combined with reliability and poise make me a unique asset. My sound is dynamic as I quickly bounce around genres and tempos without skipping a beat. Discovery, depth and engagement are at the forefront of my sets. I currently host Backroom Sessions – a series that takes place select Fridays and Saturdays at Nick’s Irish Pub in St. Louis. I’ve learned my crowd pretty well so from 10pm-2am it’s a nonstop party. Luck didn’t get me here, but preparation and opportunity worked out for me and I’m excited to continue to learn and grow.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
Being ready for the moment when an opportunity presents itself is important. Halloween of last year was a big stepping stone for me. I got an opportunity to spin for four straight hours on a relatively busy night for a packed house. I hate to toot my horn, but BEEP BEEP! I felt very good about the set and I served my purpose. Weeks prior I had shadowed one of the seasoned DJs at the venue, vThom, and he gave some best practice advice so I’m grateful for that. I paired that insight with an organized library and a clear understanding of how I wanted to progress through the night and it was magic. I earned my first residency that night and I’m proud of the work I’ve put in and the blessings I’ve received because of it.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: DJLBSPINS
