DJ AG once had an Asbo because of his performances, now he isperforming alongside the likes of Jessie J, Ashley Walters, and Skepta.
DJ AG is a viral TikTok performer who has amassed 906k followers on the app.
Real name Ashley Gordon, the star has gained traction through his viral outdoor videos in which he invites upcoming artists to perform a set with him, typically on decks just outside Kings Cross station.
As well as shining the spotlight on upcoming talent, he has performed with some major names in the music industry, bringing in more and more followers to his platform.
Warm or cold, the DJ has performed across the UK and has gone viral most recently with a seemingly spontaneous performance from Jessie J.
During his live stream DJ set, after performances from unknown artists, Jessie J bounded into view and quickly began belting out some of her most famous songs – along with some of her upcoming tracks.
Having previously worked in sales, he quit his 60k a year job in pursuit of DJing on the streets of London.
‘I was a sales manager. I worked there for my good 12 years, kind of long story short, my director was leaving, and I got passed up for the job. I thought I would have a good chance,’ he told Metro.
‘So my kids said, “Oh, why don’t you try TikTok? Because you DJ anyway. Like, why not go on TikTok and try.”‘
He admitted that he was apprehensive and thought the move was ‘crazy’ as he thought the app was mostly for kids.
‘But I thought afterwards, like, you know what? Let me give it a go. Jumped on TikTok. I was DJing at home, and then talked to my community, and I kind of tested it for a few months, and I realised that I can monetise and survive, so I effectively quit my job.’
The move was worrying for his family, especially his mother who was baffled as to why he’d make such a risky move.
‘I think someone from me, coming from Tottenham, earning like £60,000a year, like, that’s a big deal for my family. So it was a shock to her system, but when she started to see that one, I could monetise, but two, more importantly, I was enjoying what I was doing. It was in that acceptance that we are where we are now.’
‘When I first started the walking DJ thing, I had people throw water at me, had kids throwing eggs at the equipment,’ he previously told Dazed.
Transitioning from an office job to making music on the streets wasn’t an easy transition to make at first, as he explains, a lot of people didn’t understand what he was doing.
‘Well, starting the journey of going outside, so a lot of people didn’t really understand why I was there, it was like a “what is this?”,’ he told Metro.
‘I’ve got heckled, water thrown at me while my decks out. Oh no, I’ve, I’ve suffered, man, so embarrassing. I’ve just been like, “This is expensive stuff!”
‘But look,’ he adds with emphasis. ‘Now I’m not suffering. Everything’s fine. It’s good, and it’s going in an upward trajectory.’
That said, when asked how he ‘made it’ and what his advice would be to other artists trying to break into the scene, he said: ‘I would say, humbly, that I’ve not, I’ve not made it, and we’re not so far away, but we’ve got a lot of work to do.’
He adds that his secret to his success is consistency and innovation, which he jokes is what led to him being arrested at one point in his career.
‘I don’t think it’s just one thing, but consistency does help. I think you’ve got to be innovative, willing to take a risk. Look, I’ve been arrested, man, like I’ve got an ASBO, like I’ve been in the middle of Wood Green on my own at like, 10 at night, and I’m not really saying that’s a good idea, but like, I’ve had to go through it.’
He has been recognised for showcasing both emerging and established talent in his live sets and in December 2024, he was named Time Out’s Londoner of the Year and was praised as the DJ of the people.
He explains that every celebrity collaboration is mutually beneficial and all about having fun.
‘Someone like Jessie, J She wanted to come, so we made it happen. Yeah, I think a lot of artists want to come because it’s organic and it’s not a booking.
‘When an artist leaves. My thing is, “Have you had fun? Yes or no,” and if you have, regardless of the engagement, the numbers with the rest of it, whatever. Man, we made a moment, perfect.’
His dream artist to appear on the stream? Drake.
‘Drake is someone that I definitely wouldn’t like to see on the stream. Yeah, he’s given a lot to culture, and it has helped the UK, in my opinion. So I think it would be great for him to come on.’
Since seeing Adolescence star Ashley Walters appear on the stream in March, fans have been keen to see fellow Top Boy actor Kano appear on the channel as well.
When asked if this is a possibility, AG is earnest: ‘I hope so. I hope he’ll want to, but I guess it has to be right for him. Yeah, when he’s ready, so maybe he might have something to release or just wants to have a bit of fun. So I hope it will happen. But again, I’m at the mercy of the artist and when they want to come.’
Although I am keen to ask about his celebrity guests, he is insistent that it’s not the celebrity interactions that excite him the most.
‘It’s great to see a celebrity, but I get a lot more pleasure from seeing an artist that has nothing and gets a bit of traction or gets producers that contact them, to radio.
‘Eventually, it’d be great to see some other DJs to try and help, because this is not for everyone. But try and educate them and maybe get some more DJs to come out – because I can’t cover everywhere at the same time.
‘How nice would it be to have like, 50 DJs around the UK doing exactly what I do, and giving that joy, I think, will make the world a better place.’
He doesn’t just spread the joy on the streets of London, he also regularly visits elderly care homes and plays some of their favourite songs – streaming the event online to spread the positivity.
‘I’m not here to gatekeep, but I think inevitably, for me, it’s about impact. So it’s not about trying to be the richest person, just trying to impact the world in a good way.
‘And I think having an initiative like that, where you do teach people that you can be outside, it’s safe to be here, and you can give people a chance, a space to just vent. Imagine, like, a long day, you’ve had a long day at work, and you see a DJ playing the music that you like. Yeah? You listen straight away. So that’s why I would like to see it. But look, we’ve got a long way to go.’
When asked about his plans going forward, he said he’s hoping to inspire others so he can pass the torch on.
‘I’m 39 years old, so I’m very mindful. Like, this job is very taxing mentally. Yeah, physically, it’s taxing. But I think it’s more than the mental side, because we’re dealing with energy. So I could be outside, and you can sense frustration, and you can sense passion. You can sense people haven’t got the money to then execute it,’ he explains.
‘So I think for me, does it have a shelf life? For me as an older man, yes, it does. How long I can do? We’ll have to wait and see.
‘I think for me, I’m hoping within the next 10 years, I’ve done my bit, and it’s an opportunity to make sure the infrastructure is in place, but all the other DJs are supporting, are able to come here and beyond.
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