Meet Nathaniel Hawkins Jr | Deejay and Event Coordinator/ Promoter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nathaniel Hawkins Jr and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nathaniel, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?
Punctuality, Consistency and Flexibility. However the core of these three habits is Respect.

Respect your time as well as anyone else’s.

Respect yourself shown in the effort you put forth on a consistent basis.

And respect that though you are a part of many moments, you are not the center of them all so be open to any and all changes that may come.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Well first off i would say i don’t t really feel i stand out or apart from anyone. I just have a deep love for music, dance and my culture while trying to express who it is i am in any given moment.

I could say i kind of arrived here by simply continuing to be me as well as one specific moment that truly pushed me into pursuing this art-form on a deeper level. When one of my crewmates had blessed me with his turntables he no longer used as a gift for helping him move by myself. After that it was off to the races and no looking back.
There were definitely difficult times along the way where i was playing for free / just to be heard just to get booed or completely written off by my peers. All the while struggling to financially support myself.

But i always held on to something my dad would always say (him being a dj himself up until i was a toddler) “the money will eventually come but that doesn’t matter, as long as you are doing what you love you are doing just fine”. And i would hold on to this as i continued to forge some sense of a pathway forward for myself. In the end he was absolutely right but i also learned that your energy and intention will always show up in ways that you yourself may never see. But it will appear in how you impact your world around you.

If there was one thing i would want the world to know about me is that i believe any and all of us can succeed in our own ways and your level of “winning” doesn’t need to mimic anyone else’s

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
First off, what time of the year are we talking because if its late july I’m taking them to a freezer 🤣.

But honestly i would plan to show them around the city let them see areas ive grown up in. Swing them by the litany of amazing local food spots we have across the valley wether it be: oks fish & chips, provecho, loco style grindz, stoop kid, tacos veganos, hurrachis or my favorite little mom & pop pop-up “809 hotdogs” .

Then we could swing by the roosevelt row arts district and snag some drinks from my home base the churchill at either the brill line or so far so good. After which go take in all of the art and cool spots that are all over the area. With finally topping the festivities off with a day trip to sedona later in the week just to enjoy the trails and beauty that is abundant up there

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would love to give a shoutout to: My parents, my family, my crews (Outcrowd, Furious Styles, & Supreme Selectors), my djing mentors ( Cre, Reflekshin, Akshen & Skooby) my local arizona hiphop dance culture, my friends, and so many more to name. Without any of these vast individuals i wouldn’t even be a fraction of who i am and continue to strive to be

Instagram: Sir_panico

Image Credits
N/a