DJ Natural Selector is no stranger to music. As a kid, he would make cassettes for his friends before he could mix, always buying records and CDs. He constantly bought and sold music either because he just wanted to check it out or because he was actually a fan. He was also in a band called Driver 13 and played at the Taste of Madison.

This 32-year-old Platteville native has always wanted to DJ, even as a kid. Rappers like DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince made him realize how much he wanted to DJ because of the scratching on the first album they produced.

However, being from a small town made it incredibly difficult to burst on the scene as a real DJ, and Natural Selector found it increasingly hard to find someone who could teach him the DJ-ing ways. He moved to Madison in 1997 to look for a way to start his dream career of becoming a DJ.

Natural Selector went to Madison Music Institute, but dropped out because he didn’t want to go into radio. He then volunteered for WORT and met some friends who apparently had the hook up. They showed him how to mix on their turntables and after lots and lots of practice, buying his own records, turntables, and equipment, plus lots of hard work, he started getting somewhere. His friends noticed and began introducing him to those who would later be the reason for his current success.

DJ Natural Selector started off playing with ska in the 90’s, and began spinning drums and bass. Both Reggae and hip hop have had a huge influence on this particular DJ, but currently, he plays all kinds of different music including mash ups, like hip hop with reggae sound effects. “Nowadays I touch on everything I can,” Natural Selector said. “I like continually finding new things to play for people.”

However, Reggae music will always be apart of who Natural Selector is and what he plays. “Even if I’m not playing reggae, it’s kinda got a reggae background,” he said.

And what kind of a name is “Natural Selector” anyway? Throw in what this DJ calls his natural talent, mix it with a little of Darwin’s theory of natural selection, and of course, the all import Reggae influence, and you’ve got DJ Natural Selector. “It just made sense because a selector is a Reggae DJ, basically, that is what they call them in Jamaica”

DJ Natural Selector spins mostly at the Alchemy (every other Monday and Tuesday opposite DJ Vilas Park Sniper and DJ Dr. Funkenstein), he has also played at various places in both Fitchburg and Lake Geneva. He usually DJs by himself, anywhere from two to four hours, but he has also been known to play with TakI Allstars and the DJ Crew of eight people called Formula Sound System, started by DJ Mr. Brown, a close friend of DJ Natural Selector.

What is his favorite part about his fantastic night job? “The music,” Natural Selector said, and of course being the reason for the full dance floor. “Actually connecting with the crowd is really fun. It doesn’t always happen so you really appreciate it when it does happen.”

Now that DJ Natural Selector has achieved his life long dream of becoming a DJ, he is not about to let it go, who has now been a DJ for 13 years and counting. “I’m going to continue playing pretty much as long as people let me, that’s pretty much the plan,” he said.