Arts & Entertainment
Tyson Phillips, DVDJ Hype, Brings the Tunes to Oxford Events
Tyson Phillips, also known as DVDJ Hype, has been a DJ for the past decade. He has made his presence in Oxford and is living the dream of playing and remixing music. So, bounce to the beat with DVDJ Hype at your next event or social gathering.
“I’m originally from Clarksdale. I relocated to Oxford in 2008 and attended Ole Miss from 2008-2009. I plan to enroll at Ole Miss again this fall semester to finish a degree in hospitality management,” Phillips said. “My original stage name was DJ Hype, but I later changed it to DVDJ Hype when I began incorporating videos into my mixes. I recently noticed that people around Oxford are calling me DJ Tyson, especially the Oxford High School kids and their parents. Even though DJ Tyson isn’t my official stage name, I don’t mind people calling me that.”
His passion for music started at a young age but Phillips didn’t pursue dj’ing until his senior year of high school.
“I’ve been fascinated with music and dj’ing since I was a kid. One of my closest friends challenged me to DJ his high school graduation party, so I gladly accepted his challenge. I rented the equipment and threw a party shortly after. Since I had such a great response from my friends and classmates, I decided to continue dj’ing in my spare time. The rush from being in front of a large crowd was exhilarating. I believe there were over 1,000 people in attendance at my first event,” Phillips said while recalling the memory.
Phillips describes his favorite part about being a DJ as, “when party-goers are ‘wow’d’ at my mixing skills. I love to mix genres of music that aren’t ordinarily played in that particular market or setting. For example, I’ve played at hip-hop events where I mixed in country music. I also recall dj’ing a couple’s anniversary party on the Square where I mixed Frank Sinatra into a Top 40 set.
“DJ’ing is an art, so I prefer to create my mixes on the spot. Some DJ’s prefer to play pre-mixes, but I really enjoy the challenge and artistic fulfillment of creating a mix during a show.”
Phillips has had a colorfully career already, opening for some incredible acts. “I’ve dj’d several events including national concerts, weddings, sweet 16’s, high school dances (proms and formals), corporate events, Ole Miss sponsored events, and college parties. One of the most interesting events I’ve dj’d was a Silent Disco at the Lyric in 2009. The silent disco concept debuted at Bonnaroo in 2005, where partygoers use a set of headphones instead of using traditional speaker systems. I’ve also opened up for Bassnectar, Young Joc, Waka Flocka, and Yo Gotti,” Phillips said.
As a master of music, Phillips enjoys to listen to all kinds of music.
“People are surprised that country music is one of my favorite genres. I listen to country the most during my spare time,” Phillips said.
Being a DJ is a rewarding job, with the energy of the audience and the beat of the music. But being a DJ also has its challenges. Phillips said, “The biggest challenge of being a DJ has to be the equipment cost, because quality equipment is expensive. As new technology is released, some components of the DJ industry change pretty regularly. I try to keep up with the newest music technology trends so my customers can have the best experience, but it can be pricey.”
But Phillips continues to live his dream. He mentions that his future endeavors include, “developing a Southeastern Conference tour to experience party traditions at each SEC campus. I’ve also considered pursuing a rotating residency in Las Vegas because the city is so well known for providing state-of-the-art entertainment experiences.”
Whether Phillips stays in Mississippi or moves across the country, he will continue to entertain for as long as he can. To contact Phillips for your next event, call or email him at (662) 205-6053 or dvdjhype@gmail.com. Or visit his Facebook page for more information.
Molly Brosier is a HottyToddy.com staff reporter and can be reached at mebrosie@go.olemiss.edu.
