Memphis, this one’s for the culture. On Friday, October 31, the godfather of Memphis rap, DJ Spanish Fly, steps onto the Minglewood Hall stage for Memphis Rap OGz, a Halloween blowout honoring the bass-heavy blueprint that helped launch an entire sound.
“I was born here in Memphis… it’s my hometown, Memphis,” Fly told us, tracing his roots from elementary to high school in Memphis. That hometown pride powers everything: the music, the mentorship, and the spiritual mission he brings to every room.
The Originator
Spanish Fly’s story starts in a radio booth. As a kid, he guided his blind father—“my father, he was a pastor”—to Sunday broadcasts. Across the glass, Studio B glowed with turntables and tape carts. A DJ named Danny Mac waved him in.
“One day I want to be a dj,” Fly remembers thinking.
From there, church rhythms fused with street energy.
“I always had access to instruments… the drums, the guitars, the tambourines… the sound of the church… that influenced me a lot.”
Then came the spark that changed the city:
“When I created the Memphis sound the way that I did back in 86, 87, it was amazing. I feel like I created a lot of jobs, a lot of revenue. That’s priceless.”
Faith in the Club
Fly’s purpose has never stayed inside four church walls.
“God need some people out here on the devil’s playground. I let God work through me and through my music.”
He’ll even bless a packed room mid-set because sometimes that’s where folks need to hear it most.
“God bless everybody in the house,” he once said on the mic at Club Senses. “You’d be surprised if it were one or two people that you inspired.”
DJ Spanish Fly is Still Having Fun With It
Longevity is joy.
“It’s not, like a job. It’s fun. It’s my playground. At any given moment, I can just go turn on the keyboards to free my mind.”
His ears stay wide open, too:
“I also DJ on numerous radio stations: Flynn Broadcasting, Hot 107, WYXR, NTS Radio, We Worldwide. I just play what the people want to hear, and when I get to myself, I play what I want to hear.”
And yes, his personal rotation is deep:
“Gospel, old school blues, bluegrass… all genre of music.”
Halloween Night: “Easy Peasy” at Minglewood
Fly can’t wait to bring it home:
“We’re gonna give ’em a show… Minglewood Hall is one of my favorite music venues. From London to Paris to Barcelona to Australia to New York, Memphis is like the home. It’s easy peasy.”
Expect the classics. Expect surprises. Expect Spanish Fly to do what he’s always done: connect, uplift, and move the room.
“I’m gonna be on the ones and twos, on the microphone, all over this stage. Be there. Halloween night.”
Event Details
- What: Memphis Rap OGz
- When: Friday, October 31 (Halloween Night)
- Where: Minglewood Hall
- Why: Celebrate the Memphis sound with the architect himself
- Cost: General Admission Early Bird: $40, General Admission Early Bird: $50
Costumes encouraged. Energy required. Grab tickets here and pull up with your crew. As Fly says, “Be there… I want to see you there.”
