DJ Tohbahd on The Fresh Out Podcast

About DJ Tohbahd

Born with an innate desire to manipulate music, DJ Tohbahd's journey didn't start in the pews of a church or the comfort of his home. Instead, it sprouted from the seed of curiosity when he stumbled upon the Virtual DJ software during his second year at the University of Lagos, where he was studying architecture.

DJ Tohbahd Initial Interest in Music

It was an accidental discovery. He tells Mdundo Podcast that it was one of those hectic days and he decided to break for lunch before his next class. It is on his way to the campus eatery that he stumbled on one of his classmates with Virtual DJ on his laptop and he quickly requested him to copy it for him on his flash drive.
This marked the inception of a journey that would shape his future in entertainment.

Experimenting with Virtual DJ became a creative outlet for DJ Tohbahd, allowing him to sculpt and mold beats to his liking, adding the effects that resonated with his unique style. His passion for manipulating music grew stronger, laying the foundation for a DJ with a distinct approach.

How “Tohbahd” Came About

The moniker "DJ Tohbahd" was coined during family parties, where his cousins playfully labeled him as "too bad." Little did they know that this nickname would become his stage name, a symbol of his prowess in the world of music.

His breakthrough moment arrived when a cousin, who had returned from studying abroad, asked him to deejay at his wedding in The Gambia. Initially hesitant, Tohbahd took the plunge, setting the stage for a remarkable journey. This unexpected gig led to a domino effect of opportunities, with one client leading to another, and DJ Tohbahd found himself at the epicenter of the music scene.

Going Into Music Fulltime

Despite his success, DJ Tohbahd faced a pivotal crossroads when he completed his architecture degree in 2015. Confronted with the expectations of pursuing a career in architecture, he decided to follow his passion for entertainment, leaving behind the blueprint for buildings to create sonic architectures on the dance floor.

Known as the King of Disco, a title he borrowed from one of his favorite songs, the 31-year-old attributes his success to the diversity in his music selection. Growing up among older cousins exposed him to various genres, enabling him to seamlessly switch between old and new sounds during performances – a skill often overlooked by newer DJs.

For DJ Tohbahd, being a DJ is not just about playing music; it's a transformative experience that has helped him manage his emotions better. Drawing parallels between his architectural background and deejaying career, he emphasizes the importance of research and meticulous planning – the foundational pillars of both disciplines.

Acknowledging the influence of DJ Spinal and DJ Neptune in shaping his career, DJ Tohbahd emphasizes the significance of continuous practice. His advice to aspiring DJs is simple but profound: aim for greatness.
He believes that greatness gives you leverage when negotiating pay with promoters, a sentiment rooted in the belief that Nigerian DJs are undervalued for their contributions to the music industry.

For now, he is stopping at nothing in his quest to command the dance floor. He says his musical craft stands to inspire generations to come; from the architecture lecture halls of UniLag to the celebrated King of Disco. With each beat, DJ Tohbahd not only spins records but weaves a narrative of passion, resilience, and the unwavering pursuit of one's true calling – a calling that beckons from the soul of the music itself.