BootsBoogie
BootsBoogie
Full name: Derek B Williamson
Toronto , ON
See map: Google Maps
Bio:
Boots Boogie, aka Derek Brian Williamson is a DJ from the metropolitan city of Toronto, Canada. From a very young age, Boots has always been fascinated by music and its powerful ability to move people both physically and emotionally - - and he knew from the very beginning that music pumped through his blood.
Boots Boogie has always had many strong musical influences, including his family, an influential force which had an undeniable impact in forming his early interest in music. Boots’ musical interests are strongly rooted in dance music from the late 1980’s and 1990’s - - especially house - - which he cites as being the major reason he became interested in becoming a DJ. Prominent radio and club DJs such as Terrence Parker and Deadly Headly quickly became role models for the aspiring DJ and by his late teens, Boots began to get his hands on turntables and his fascination soon became an undeniable hobby that bordered on addiction.
By the age of twenty, Boots Boogie was inside the clubs of Canada’s largest city, rocking dancefloors at some of the cities most famous establishments and events - - including the MOD Club, Wrongbar, Circa (2007), Guverment, The Barn and even the Toronto’s infamous Pride events - - from dusk till dawn, and beyond. Boots has even been seen spinning in clubs along Canada’s East Coast, Montreal and New York, travelling hundreds of kilometers to move bodies in distant regions and neighbouring countries, a feat that very few non-producing DJs - - who are usually destined to a lifetime of local gigs - - can ever say they have accomplished.
More recently, Boots Boogie has become an identifiable figure in Toronto’s underground music scene due to his impact not only as a selector, but also as an event coordinator. Boots was responsible for the notoriously outrageous “Hotmess” parties he threw over an approximately two year long period with his then partner Chris James. During those few years, Boots simply went by his real name, Derek Brian Williamson, and was better known as one half of the “Hotmess DJs”, a duo that catered to the then super popular electo and electro-house scenes. At that time, most of the gigs Boots played were not solo acts, but rather were played under the “Hotmess” banner, as the DJ duo was his major focus and essentially his identity before he decided to pursue a solo career as the rebranded “Boots Boogie” in 2011.
Now, as the former “Derek B W” of Hotmess focuses on his solo project as Boots Boogie, Derek has refocused his energy on the love of his life; house music. Boots has put his mind to playing and organizing events which cater to his well established roots in four-four, but he likes to switch things up in order to keep his ears tuned and abilities sharp. While house music - - Deep, Soulful, Disco, Jackin and so much more - - is his musical focus, he still manages to spin non-house event, giving him a chance to play a variety of genres he is fond of, including old school hip-hop, funk, disco and music from the personally influential 80’s and 90’s.
Boots Boogie continues to establish himself as a pillar in Toronto’s music and nightlife scene over the coming years. In 2011 Derek Partnered with Shanelle Williams and started to host events as well as DJ. They were responsible for I Know U Care, Mix Fix Mondays, Dis’funktion and Summer of Donna. In 2016, they formed Das Nasty and Das Tasty; A Collective that brings DJs, people, music and food together, working on new events such as Hip Hop & Breakfast.
Going on 15+ years of DJing, there is no slowing down for Boots Boogie. Recently been accepted as an artist on the up and coming record label DUZ and looking to travel abroad with Das Nasty, the DJ admits that there is clearly no end in sight and will continue to live his ultimate goal of spreading to others the powerful and positive effect that music has had on his life.
Now, let’s make those boots boogie!
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