Dj Hyphy Crunks stories and good bye to Dj AM / Adam Goldstein . . .

I’m writing this at the dinner table of Adams remembrance, I couldn’t find the words for the longest time but we are all hear telling stories and looking over photos and I have it all inside of me right now and feel the words need to get out . . . I was getting filmed a second ago and really stumbled on my words because there was so much to say but I was told 45 to 60 seconds was the limit . . . Honestly would need days, months, if not years to go on about Adam and I only knew him for the last couple of months but that’s the impact he makes on people . . . One thing I want to point out is we lost The King of Djs, Kindness, Strength, Rock, Hip Hop, Pop, Electronic, Dance, Funk, Techno, Disco . . . And the list goes on!

Adam was not only a friend but a teacher to me and when I say teacher not only in Spinning but life and my career, When I first really got back into spinning after my break of being a mobile dj, Adam was the one who made me realize there’s more after the grunt work watching youtube videos of him doing work was like watching a blind painter work on a white canvas you never knew what was coming next. The videos were my school books and all I could do was watch them over and over . . . He made it clear you didn’t have to be a signer, or rockstar to perform in front of 100 to the thousands.

It wasn’t long after that I then started to try to get into every club he was performing at to watch this amazing dj do work live! I would be face smashed against that dirty glass of the cinespace dj booth or sitting sidelines at LAX Banana Split which I always called his Playground to try new ideas! My night The Heist was growing and I was getting known here and there . . . I would never think of being able to book someone like Adam based on how amazing and huge of an artist he was, but if anyone knew Adam is wasn’t about the money he was told by Aoki the party is amazing and its full of crazy kids you have to do it!, Adam then came out and killed my night . . .

HEIST was insane we were of course sold out with over 1000 still waiting out side, I remember spinning right before him and Erick Neutron came up and said “hey AM’s here” . . . I turned around with the most craziest smile and shook his hand and checked the time and noticed I still have 20 minutes to play . . . I train wrecked and tried to scratch and gave up because of the DJ GOD behind me haha . . . Adam took the stage and the night was insane . . . He STAGE DIVED!!! It was amazing!!!

After performing we then started to keep in touch via Email and the random bump-ins at Cinespace or LAX Banana Split. . . Now my life was changed the time he would take to speak to me meant the world to me because he was someone I always looked up to, so unreal at times because we would talk about random shit . . . I’m huge on lighting and visuals at my club, and we would always talk about DAFT PUNK stages, when Adam and I performed at THE FACTORY in pomona glass house he was asking me about my LED TUBES I put up on stage, like really? He actually took interest in that he actually noticed Haha I was always trying to give him ideas on lighting up LAX Banana Split then he brought in some crazy LED washes haha I texted him “Love the new Lights” he writes back . . . “Its Not Daft Punk” haha

When I started performing more and more around these amazing djs I always felt weak or not up to par so I would go out of my way to pump up my sets by adding some lighting or confetti blast and what not . . . Adam once told me “Your hustle is intense, I love your push” that blew me away to hear this from someone I look up to day by day . . . He always and only had nice things to say.

Just thinking back on the times I’ve sat behind him killing it at LAX Banana Split was out of this world to any DJ, I think my favorite LAX Banana Split story was watching him make his own build up by looping and changing the pitch control and pushing the the record faster and faster then turns to me and says “I didn’t know were that was going but I think it worked” The crowd and my mouth to the floor was clear, “it worked Adam” it honestly always does some how with him! Watching him kinda mess up on a split second if he ever did, would make me realize he is human and not a DJ ROBOT haha.

One serious convo he and I had was after an embarrassing night I had at LAX Banana Split which thank god he wasn’t there to witness it but of course was told by everyone who did, but I had one to many Lemon Drops and Puked and passed out in the back of the Dj Booth at LAX Banana Split . . . Horrible night for me Mike B said it was a first for the Dj Booth haha but, then it gets worse waking up to an email from AM . . . Subject: “Awww Buddy” he laughed at me of course but then wrote some knowledge telling me to get the fun out of the way soon because I still have a long way to go, he would break down things for me here and there and make me see the future before I was even thinking about it. He would change my way of looking at life. He always had an amazing time doing what he loved and didn’t need to add anything to it, I look up to him every day because of that!

Adam would always give pointers and advice that I could really sink my teeth into, funny thing I never deleted my emails from him because I would always love to go back and read them from time to time if I was getting sick of work or alone traveling and bored I would pop them up and study what I would call “my notes”. Adam always replied even if it was short because he was busy but always and always replied . . . That always amazed me because I can’t even write back to text messages sometimes. He always found the time and I never took it for granted, When I played LAX Banana Split I felt I made it haha I didn’t have to dj anymore after that night as silly as this sounds but it wasn’t even that packed, Dude Adam wasn’t even there! But I djed at LAX Banana Split that was all I ever wanted to do! The following day he emailed me “Heard you killed it, sorry I couldn’t be there” I freaked! Haha still made the effort to write me, that’s just the way he was!

I would feel so lucky to even speak to Adam every chance I got because of his role in my life of being this Dj God I look up to every day but to actually be friends with Adam was out of this world! My luck I was bringing out my cousins and brother to Vegas one weekend which was the Grand Opening night of AM’s new residency spot at Rain! I’m driving into Vegas and see these Giant Billboards with Adams Face on it, I quickly grab my phone and Text him “I’m in Vegas! Lets Rage!” he writes back “Your already on the List player” Me and my family walk up to RAIN already getting looked at funny because my cousins in a t-shirt and tenni’s, I’m rocking dunks haha RAIN is not going to let us in, I say to the door girl “Adam Goldstein’s list please” She checks the list and has security walk us straight through the side entrance no lines no dress code no hassle, always took care of his people even when he didn’t have to! I always thought fuck its his grand opening night he still took the time to write and take care of me! I wish I could make time like he would. Watching his intro video to Rain was something else . . . I bet he loved the production that night!

When I heard about the crash, I was in shock and lost of words I don’t think I ever watched that much news in my life before my eyes were stuck and my ears were wide open, I remember being at LAX that following week for the get well party for AM and I was at the bar with Mike B, I was asking him if he was ok because I knew how close they were, Mike said “I’m cool, its Adam, of course he makes it through a plane crash” he was just that guy!

Hey everyone sorry if this post is Long I had a lot to get out, Once I heard what happened it took me about an hour to believe it because of how fucked up this world is with TMZ and the wack News reporting . . . I stood at my desk in silence just kept clicking refresh hoping for the subject title to change or a new picture to appear . . . I looked over pictures of me and him and him playing at The Heist while listing to his mixtapes and power . . . I couldn’t take it all so I walked out side for a while thinking, “what the fuck do I do now” I couldn’t understand it, I stumbled into this random tattoo shop down the street from my studio and showed this dude my iphone with Adams logo and said “Don’t Fuck this up”, I hope I can count on AM’s imprint on my arm for the answers or the push everytime I look down at it.

Adam you didn’t have to take the time on me but you did and the little time it was, has changed my life in ways I can’t begin to explain, you go in the books as not only the most amazing DJ but Human that ever lived, No one could ever replace you and the world lost a real life angel, I will always wonder were you would hide your wings and how you were so fast on the decks.

We will miss you but never forget you, please watch over me and point me in the right path. We have no more emails, phone calls, texts, which worries me the most right now . . . Please give me the strength you had. You taught me to not try to do it all yourself, never got the chance to show you like I wanted to but . . .

I did it, I have a office now and staff! I hope you can see it from up there . . .

Like you would say to me . . .

“Keep on Hustling, Your Killing it” -Adam

Right back to you AM, Keep on Hustling I’m sure your still killing it up in Heaven. . .

God is so Lucky to have you in his Club

I miss you Friend, Teacher, Hero, Idol, Legend

-Mark A. Rodriguez /// Dj Hyphy Crunk