Nigel’s out on the road, so Derrick holds it down in-studio with a real New Orleans legend: DJ Raj Smoove a.k.a. the “world’s greatest DJ” (self-appointed, but… also kind of true).Raj walks us through coming up in Gentilly, learning the craft the hard way (crates, records, no shortcuts), and how the city’s hip-hop scene grew from local identity into national waves. Then we get into the actual story behind the Gallier Hall/Mardi Gras DJ budget discourse: the nuance, the misquotes, the media framing, and what it means when culture gets reduced to a “Spotify playlist.”Also: Danny Abel appears from the shadows like a benevolent studio gargoyle.(For context: Helena Moreno was sworn in as New Orleans mayor on January 12, 2026.)

Timestamps

00:00 – We’re back in 2026 + Raj Smoove joins the pod
01:05 – Gentilly upbringing + music in the house (piano lessons + artists)
01:46 – Beat Street / DJ-as-hero origin story
02:44 – Radio mix shows, Sound Warehouse runs, and learning blends by ear
03:36 – “I’m tall and awkward… so I became the DJ” (strategy)
05:00 – Did New Orleans catch hip-hop late? Scene vs. city culture
11:20 – Why early NOLA rap held its own (UNLV, DJ Jimmy, local records everywhere)
16:58 – The rain-soaked “Reggie meeting” at C-St. / industry reality check
22:22 – Physical-era grind: CDs, barcodes, printing, BMI publishing, copyright forms
26:46 – Sin Night / House of Blues ecosystem + paying dues before the main room
34:30 – Getting on the Cash Money tour train (New Year’s 2000 pivot)
37:52 – The “Wayne runs out” moment — when the room changes
44:21 – Gallier Hall DJ budget talk: what got lost in translation (and why it blew up)
52:02 – COVID-era streams: House of Blues stage sets + Gallier Hall sessions
1:02:44 – Respecting culture without living in pitchfork mode + closing thoughts