Ghanaian disc jockey Kofi Amoako, popularly referred to as DJ Vyrusky, has stated that the highest he has ever been paid for a gig is $20,000.
In an interview on the Let’s Do Drinks show hosted by Ama Burland, Vyrusky revealed that he had quoted GH¢20,000 for the gig, but the client mistakenly thought he was referring to US dollars and paid him $20,000 instead.
Vyrusky said the client did not question the figure because everything related to the event was being handled in dollars.
He noted that branding plays a role in how much a DJ can earn. In his view, DJs who put effort into their brand can charge much higher for their services.
“It would all depend on your branding and what you do. You don’t just get to charge a certain amount; you just have to brand well. The highest I’ve ever gotten from playing music is about $20,000 a day. It was a private party. I mentioned GH¢20,000 and they paid me in dollars. He thought I was charging in dollars though. Everything was in dollars so when I mentioned my amount he was cool,” Vyrusky explained.
DJ Vyrusky also mentioned that there are DJs in Ghana who make even more money than he does, though they remain unknown to the public. He explained that some of these DJs work strictly at private events and stay away from nightclubs, concerts, and influencing.
“I have a friend who is a DJ in Ghana who makes way more than that, nobody knows him. He plays certain private gigs, he is not in the clubs, he is not at the concerts, he is not an influencer, he doesn’t do any of those things,” he said.
When asked if making large sums of money was the reason he stopped playing at nightclubs, DJ Vyrusky clarified that it had nothing to do with money.
He said his schedule became too demanding due to his work with artistes such as Shatta Wale, KiDi, Kuami Eugene, and other Lynx Entertainment acts, which made it difficult for him to commit to club gigs.
“I got too busy for nightlife. I used to work with Shatta Wale, KiDi, Kuami Eugene and the Lynx Entertainment boys and I was always travelling. If you have a club and I come play a night and you see me in the next three to four months, it’s not good for business,” he said.
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