DJ Puffy and Apple Music make history together

Andre “DJ Puffy” Parris continues his trailblazing musical ways by becoming the first DJ in the Caribbean to have an official mix on Apple Music.

This is a major accomplishment for the 29-year-old Barbadian who fearlessly embraces every opportunity to take everything he does to the next level.

The Carnival Tabanca mix by DJ Puffy is the first time the genre of Soca has been showcased this way on the world’s most popular music streaming platform.

Asked if he was interested in doing a mix for a Notting Hill Carnival Special being produced by Apple Music, Puffy immediately responded with a yes.

The request came from Apple Music’s New Artist Relations Executive Carlene Morlesse, who Puffy did carnival or traffic jam mixes for when she worked at BBC 1Xtra.

“I had just landed back in Barbados from an event I performed at in Anguilla and saw the email, and I was like hell yes, I will do it.

I only had a few days, so I spent my time in quarantine putting the mix together and then recorded it when I got home out of quarantine, sent it off, and it was approved right away.”

The Carnival Tabanca Mix by DJ Puffy is broken down into tracks and posted as an album on the Apple music platform, allowing users to add it to their libraries.

“The artistes that are included are the essentials when it comes to Soca, and they will receive royalties from being on this mix. It was important to me that the mix included a lot of people from Barbados.

DJ mixes have been done for other genres, but an official carnival mix for Apple music has never been done before. I knew it was a big deal, but I am always focused on the task, so when I was asked, I just zeroed in on what needed to be done and did it and didn’t get caught up in how big it is.

But, when you consider the fact that as a DJ, you can’t just go and upload a mix to apple music just like that, so yes, it is a big deal to have this type of representation for both the genre and what it means for us a country, as a region, as a people. . . it’s an important first.”

The first Red Bull Champion from the Caribbean now the first Caribbean DJ with a mix on Apple Music, DJ Puffy is moving at pace creating new legacies and charting a path for others to follow.

One can only wonder what piece of history-making, barrier-breaking feat is up next for DJ Puffy on his beautiful beat-filled journey.  (PR)