A few weeks ago, DJ Obediah and the Ministry of Sound (MOS) team shook The Refuge with their perfect mix of sound, lights and fun. We caught up with DJ Obediah to find out a bit more about MOS and his much anticipated upcoming event this Saturday, May 6.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up on the Northwest side of Houston, Texas – an area with tall buildings 15 fifteen storeys high on one side of the street and cow pastures on the other side of the street. It’s funny when I bring friends from Sint Maarten back to Houston; their first reaction is: “You grew up here?!” Although my surroundings today are very different, I enjoyed growing up in Houston. My childhood basically consisted of playing football and sneaking into nightclubs on the weekends to listen to music.
How did you get into deejay-ing?
I started to deejay and throw big events when I was in college. I was elected vice president of programing in my fraternity. My job was to organize all the events, parties and mixers. I really enjoyed organizing those parties so I thought, “Why not start doing it for a living?”
How did you find yourself on our island?
I came to Sint Maarten in 2012 for a consulting job. I had never seen the Caribbean before. The first night I flew in was dark out so I couldn’t see much of anything. Then the sun came up the next day and I saw the water for the first time. I couldn’t believe what I was looking at. The beaches where I came from were clay and the water was brown. In short, I fell in love with the island and I stayed.
Describe Sint Maarten in one sentence.
Sint Maarten is home!
What do you like to play and who are your influences?
I’m an open format deejay but I really enjoy good house music. There are so many artists out there that I draw influence from so it’s hard to list just a few. I really enjoy a simple kick drum and a clean bass line.
Tell us about the MOS party of a few weeks ago?
MOS on April 1 at The Refuge was a great party. Everyone got involved and made it a HIT – from the great group of DJs to the amazing Refuge staff. You could not ask for a better team. Besides that, the sound and lighting system at The Refuge is the best on the island; the mix just made everything run perfectly.
How soon can people expect to enjoy another MOS event?
We’re hosting MOS Flower Power Edition - Part 2. This Saturday, May 6, will be a 60s themed party with some of the best local DJs, such as DJ Leo Jacobus, Alkaleen, Jayson Miro and Ajay Raw. Plus we have some surprise entertainment features coming in too. The whole team is very excited about this party. All I have to say is if you enjoyed the last MOS event, then you are going to LOVE this Saturday!
What do you enjoy doing besides deejay-ing?
I really enjoy producing music. I’ve been spending a lot of time with Jayson Miro in the studio. We are about to release four new songs this summer. Besides deejay-ing and producing, I also run a marketing company called SXM By Night. Other than music, I enjoy going out on the island. There’s always something fun to do and fun people to do it with. Whether it’s going out to eat or just a day at the beach, life in Sint Maarten is the best!
