Michael O’Neill, also known as DJ Kush, grew up on the outskirts of New York City where he developed a love for music at a young age.   Growing up in a household with a mother of African American descent, a Puerto Rican father, and two older siblings, Kush got a taste of a wide variety of musical genres growing up. 

Kush recalls what it was like growing up at home.  “I have an older sister who was a big fan of artists like Parliament, Funkadelic, Zapp and Roger, Prince and hip hop. I also had an older brother who listened to mostly breaks, hip hop, and house music.  When I would be with my dad, it was salsa and merengue. When I was with my mom, it was any jazz and R&B that was on the radio at the time.” He was mostly influenced by his sister and brother.  Growing up watching movie classics like Beat Street, and Krush Groove, Kush’s first love became hip hop music along with the culture as a whole. 

Kush’s favorite pastime was watching Yo! MTV Raps, then later channel surfing between the legendary Video Music Box and Rap City.  He would spend many nights up late to listening to college underground hip hop radio stations during the mid 90’s. If he wasn’t doing either two, he would spend hours at his friend’s house listening to whatever new vinyl he bought that week. “My boy, Felipe, was a DJ who went to school in the Bronx, so he always had exclusive stuff weekly.”  As Kush got older, his friends referred to him as the “hip hop almanac” since they would tend to ask him whatever hip hop trivia they were stumped on. 

At the age of 19, he bought his first set of turntables, and has been djing ever since.  Specializing mostly in hip hop, classics, and house, yet stands apart from the norm by simply keeping his sound fresh and innovative at the same time.  “You are not going to hear the same stuff from me over and over for months at a time.  I want to be the guy that you hear a song first from.  I want to bring back the era where DJ’s were the first to break in a record.  If it’s a classic it will be something that you forgot about.  All in all I will have you moving.” 

Contact information:

http://www.facebook.com/michael.a.oneill1