i moved to the bay last summer, and immediately wanted to connect with as many organizations, community led projects and movements, and people doing meaningful independent, underground work here. i followed psyched on instagram, but never really made it out to their events because i was going through my own grief and loss around the time of their last festival during the fall.
fast forward to january ‘26, when a friend sent me a message about the radio having the Indigenous Cats, Rocky G, and The Neighborhood Kids live for a studio show. we had to go.
we got to the show and sat on the floor to watch the Indigenous Cats, a purposeful, underground hip-hop duo, and couple (welcoming their first child together very soon – felicidades and blessings), rap, sing, and cypher about the world. it was medicine.
Rocky G brought out a whole live band, (who i later came to learn were a bunch of musicians who also do the stoop sessions in sf), and were rocking from minute one and onward through the whole show.
The Neighborhood Kids, who I knew more and had been following for a few years now, came out and really rocked the room and had everyyyyybody moving, shouting, and headbanging.
it was an iconic show and memorable first impression as an audience member at the station.
later in the week, i saw a post from psyched: an open call for new, aspiring radio djs of all and any genre. i (impulsively) said fuck it and emailed guillermo (a founding member and ongoing training coordinator, videography, photographer, radio dj, graphic designer, and any other role you could have). i told them, “hey i have no experience dj-ing or working on the radio, but this is the first song i’d play if i had my own show” and sent him Elisapie’s Qimatsilunga (I Want To Break Free) Remix. they responded, “cool, can you come by for training this saturday?”
(as i write this, the bar is playing ‘smile like you mean it’ by the killers, a song from an album i played on repeat in middle school).
i’m not really sure how to write into words how kismet and aligned this “impulse” was. since january, i’ve had so much fun playing and sharing music i love, meeting musicians and artists who are so passionate about their work, and helping out with shows at the studio. i’m really just so grateful and appreciative for everyone who has supported me and took the time to teach me.
i love it here!! 🙂
