Behind The Beats: How One DJ Undercut Another DJ’s Talent Fee In Manila

Networking and working together with other professionals is essential in the DJing industry. Working well with others and keeping positive relationships is crucial to your success and reputation as a DJ. In the case of DJ “PuchaHandsUp” and FDJ “Jane”, this type of collab unfortunately hit a snag in a gig in Manila.

DJ “PuchaHandsUp” has been in the game long enough to know the ins and outs of the nightlife industry, and he has built a reputation for himself on the strength of his excellent music selection and his ability to read the crowd. His extensive professional connections have been invaluable in opening doors for up-and-coming DJs like “Jane”.

“Jane”, a young and gifted FDJ from Cavite, is working hard to establish a name for herself. She has the technical chops and imagination to make it, but not the connections to get the jobs done. That’s where DJ “PuchaHandsUp” comes in; he offers to put “Jane” in touch with clubs who are looking for good DJs.

PuchaHandsUp recently facilitated Jane’s booking at a bar in the metro. (Jane stated prior to the gig that her talent fee and transportation is ₱3500 in total.) The evening’s performance set the bar manager ₱5,000, of which ₱3,500 goes toward Jane’s TF+transpo and ₱1,500 for PuchaHandsUp’s commission. PuchaHandsUp told Jane about the gig, but he “can” only offer her ₱2,500 for her talent fee and made no mention of the total budget or his commission. Jane, eager to take any opportunity to play, agreed to the offer instead of the initial amount of ₱3,500.

Jane traveled to Manila on the night of the gig, pumped to give a stellar performance and make a great first impression. The situation changed, however, when she learned that the bar manager set aside ₱3,500 for her talent fee and transpo. Jane, confused and upset, confronted PuchaHandsUp, who admitted to having taken more commission from Jane’s talent fee without telling her. PuchaHandsUp claimed he should be compensated more for his role in helping Jane land the gig and giving exposure. (utang na loob)

The situation caused friction between the two DJs, with Jane feeling betrayed and PuchaHandsUp believing his actions were justified. It was a difficult situation that could have been avoided if there had been more transparency and honesty from the start.

The moral of the story is that in any professional relationship, honesty and transparency are essential. To avoid misunderstandings and conflicts when working with others, it is critical to communicate clearly and be upfront about your intentions. The relationships you form in your career can be just as important as your talent and hard work in achieving your objectives. Maintaining positive relationships with your colleagues as a DJ or any other type of creative professional can be critical to your success.

Out of respect for the people’s right to confidentiality and safety, we are not going to identify anyone by name. These stories were sent to us, and we are well aware that similar stories occur in real life. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us if you have any stories that you would like to tell. Contact our official Facebook page.