Producer, promoter and philosophy sophomore Kaylee Dinot, better known as DJ Rae, is putting her own spin on the traditional Southern disc jockey format.
Dinot’s career began her freshman year at the University, when she was noticed by DJ Ya Boy Earl, a prominent Baton Rouge producer, while performing at her birthday party.
DJ Ya Boy Earl, who used to manage and DJ for Kevin Gates, was instrumental in getting Dinot started in the competitive Baton Rouge DJ scene. He showed her the importance of promotion and marketing in launching a career as a performer.
“The hardest part is getting the gigs and making a name for yourself,” Dinot said. “It really just depends on how passionate you are.”
She started by performing with DJ Ya Boy Earl across Louisiana and Mississippi, but before long she was getting booked at clubs in Tigerland and downtown Baton Rouge.
Dinot is currently a resident DJ at Vibes every Friday night. Now that she’s able to find work all around the city, she’s focusing her energy on helping other Baton Rouge artists promote themselves and find gigs.
On March 5, she’ll be performing at a local artist showcase at The Spanish Moon with fellow Baton Rouge performers Shaunzy, Nice Dog and The Chambers. Dinot works as a promoter for Shaunzy, an LSU student and hip hop artist, and Nice Dog, an indie alternative band.
Dinot says she’s able to differentiate herself from other Baton Rouge DJs by incorporating elements of indie and alternative rap into a club scene that’s long been dominated by bounce and trap music.
“I try to set myself apart from other DJs by hosting cheap showcases for local artists that anybody can afford,” she said. “Sometimes I do free shows and host parties so that I’m able to meet people and gain a more dedicated following for the artists I manage and promote.”
She said she likes to incorporate ‘90s hip hop into her sets and she listed DJ Jazzy Jeff from “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” as one of her biggest influences.
Other artists that have had an impact on her performances include Wiz Khalifa, Travi$ Scott, Kanye West, Metro Boomin and Zaytoven.
“She controls the mood and atmosphere of the party whenever she performs,” Shaunzy said. “She’s not afraid to grab the mic and get the crowd into it.”
Dinot occasionally gets nervous before performing since she’s still relatively new to the scene, but she said she’s eager to keep improving.
“I want to release a mixtape of my own eventually,” Dinot said. “Working in the studio is just as much fun as doing shows and it’s a lot less pressure. You’re able to be yourself, relax and practice as much as you want.”
DJ Rae, Shaunzy, Nice Dog and The Chambers
When: Saturday, March 5 at 7 p.m.
Where: The Spanish Moon, 1109 Highland Rd.
Tickets: $10

Gallery • 14 Photos

Anjana Nair

LSU philosophy sophomore Kaylee Dinot, or DJ Rae, will be performing on Saturday, March 5, 2016 at Spanish Moon.