Meet Regina "Gun$ Garcia" Dyhouse and hear her perform at The Rad Awards
Photo by @listenofabc
Regina "Gun$ Garcia" Dyhouse is a force to be reckoned with. Between feverishly creating mixtapes, promoting and performing at countless events in addition to her renowned So Far Gone Drake nights all over the country, she also takes the time to teach others how to play music at Scratch DJ Academy.
Here's why we were over the moon when Regina agreed to perform at this year's Rad Awards: While others believe that power means hoarding knowledge, Regina shares it generously. She's a mentor to many women DJ's and was a member of Factory Girls, a wave of women-driven DJ nights embracing inclusivity and positivity.
We spoke with Regina about her passion for music, her love for the community, and what's coming up next.
What do you love about being a DJ?
What I love about being a DJ is how I feel when I'm DJing. It's the only time all my problems disappear and I can completely focus on having fun and performing. Being able to connect to an entire room of people while playing music and dancing is an amazing feeling.
What are some of the challenges you've faced during your career because you are a woman?
The biggest challenge that I face is being underestimated, and when people doubt me is when I really rise to the occasion.
What are some of the ways you support other women DJs and artists? Why is it important to you?
I support other women DJ's by attending their events and being part of the community. I also teach at Scratch DJ Academy where I teach both men and women the fundamentals of DJing. I went to Moore College of Art and Design, an all women's art college, and part of what they ingrained in us is that contributing to your community is really important and how working together can make a bigger impact than working alone. So, because of this, I find it imperative to have a hand in forming the community around me.
What is your #1 girl power anthem right now?
My song right now is JSTJR ft. Uniiqu3 - Never Squad Down, and the video is AMAZING!!!
What's on the horizon for you?
A few months ago I started GGTV, a monthly live stream show that I host from Scratch DJ Academy. The concept for GGTV is I have two guest DJ's but instead of having them just play regular Dj sets we are playing a back to back to back set (B2B2B), which means we each play two to three songs and rotate for the whole show. This format means the set can go in any direction and thus far has been really fun to do. Last month Scratch Academy even made an On-Site video about the show so you can get an idea of what goes down. Stay tuned for the next episode airing at the end of May.
In May I have a new mix coming out. A few years ago I made a mix called Pretending 2 Care inspired by the break up of Amber Rose and Wiz Khalifa. I am currently putting the finishing touches on Pretending 2 Care vol. 2 inspired by my experiences in my own breakup. So, Pretending 2 Care vol. 2 is much more personal and vulnerable than the first one and I'm really excited for everyone to hear it.
I'm so honored to be playing at El Rey's Cinco de Mayo block party for the third year in a row. It is always an amazing time and they have me DJ from a balcony above the door to Ranstead Room. It's like a penthouse Dj booth! I'll be there Friday, May 5th from 6pm-11pm.
So Far Gone: Drake Night at the Fillmore is getting bigger and bigger by the month! May 17th will be our one year mark at the Fillmore and we have a ton of plans and surprises for Philly. So stay tuned for details on that!
