I’ve never been one to be much bothered by death. Maybe it’s because I’m selfish. Or maybe I think it’s a natural occurrence and it’ll happen to all of us someday. Or maybe I take solace in the fact that ‘they’re in a better place’. But for some reason this time is different.
I’ve read all of the other thoughts on Adam’s passing, each one ringing as true as the next. He was a great friend. A mentor. An icon. And of course, the ultimate DJ. But none of those labels truly do him justice. One posting likened him to the Michael Jordan of DJs, and while that is true, he was so much more. As far as I’m concerned, he was the Michael Jordan of living.
He dedicated his life to helping others first hand, and indirectly was an example to hundreds of thousands more. Other than my own mother, he was the one person in the world that I looked up to.
Rather than try to wax poetically about how amazing of a DJ or person he was. I thought I’d just recount one of my favorite memories. Take from it what you will…
A couple of years ago I threw an X Games partyat Avalon in Hollywood and booked AM and Travis to perform along with a slew of indie hip hop names like Babu, Rhettmatic and the Visionaries. As I sat with him backstage before his set he started to confess, “Bro I am SO nervous right now I might get sick. None of these people are here to hear any of this mainstream stuff we’re gonna play. They’re going boo us. Why did you book me for this? Look at my hands. They’re shaking”. He held out his hand out for me and it shook like a leaf.
Half an hour later, true to style, he and Travis stepped onto the stage, took to the drums and turntables and proceeded to tear the roof off of the club in front of 1500 awe stricken party goers. It was honestly one of the greatest performances I’d ever seen. Half way though his set Babu and Rhett, legends as they were, stood backstage watching, shaking their heads and debating with each other whether they should even go on afterwards. Who could follow that performance?
But that was the person Adam was. Humble to his core and skilled beyond belief. He never rested on his laurels, never stopped trying to be a better person and spent every waking moment trying to help others do the same.
I never had a brother but today I feel like I’ve lost one.
RIP ADAM MICHAEL GOLDSTEIN aka DJ AM
