BTD004 – Razaq El Toro: From Lagos to Toronto, The Rise of Afrique Like Me, Building a Strong DJ Brand & Aesthetic

In this episode of Beyond the Decks Robert catches up with Eko Electronic pioneer and member of the African Electronic Music experience trio Afrique Like Me, Razaq El Toro (aka. Razaq Onakoya). From his roots in Lagos, Nigeria to migrating to Toronto's fast-pace nightlight scene, Razaq El Toro's story highlights the power of authenticity, curiosity and openness in building a quality reputation as a DJ and performer. Razaq opens up about his journey, why he feels personal identity is essential to great DJing and how he thinks DJs can build a name for themselves in a competitive scene using niche appeal. Transcript: https://learningtodj.com/btd-004-razaq-el-toro-transcript EPISODE LINKS Razaq El Toro's Instagram: https://instagram.com/razaqeltoro Razaq El Toros's Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2mWpbTLf9eYkNfx0BBnez2 Razaq El Toro's Resident Advisor: https://ra.co/dj/razaqeltoro/biography UNDER THE RADAR, ON REPEAT & GUILTY PLEASURE Under the Radar - Tanner Ross - B Sides On Repeat - DJ Houseplant's - The Morning GUILTY PLEASURE - Jesse Reyez & Lil Wayne - Ridin PODCAST INFO: Beyond the Decks is your guide to mastering the art and business of the DJ, electronic and dance music industry. Podcast Website: https://learningtodj.com/podcast/ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-decks-podcast-with-robert-simoes-learningtodj-com/id1758609395 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/34jVG0wkfNyinasE9G2jln RSS: https://learningtodj.com/podcast/feed/ Youtube Full Episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@learningtodj SUPPORT & CONNECT Twitter/X: https://x.com/l2djschool https://x.com/robert_x_world Instagram: https://instagram.com/learningtodj https://instagram.com/robdeepmusic Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Learningtodjcom/61556544425570/ Quora: https://learningtodj.quora.com/ OUTLINE Razaq's Early Life (00:00:00) Musical Influences in Nigeria (00:01:41) Early Music Production Experiences (00:03:08) Transition to Hip Hop Production (00:07:12) Exposure to Electronic Music (00:09:08) First DJing Experience (00:15:00) Building Unique Events (00:22:11) Origin of Afrique Like Me (00:24:33) Cultural Integration in Sets (00:27:23) Afrique Like Me, Community and Belonging (00:32:48) Advice For How Emerging DJs Can Stand Out (00:38:09) Niche vs. Open Format (00:42:28) Building an Identity (00:44:56) Razaq El Toro Selects (00:49:03)