‘The most important DJ in the UK’- Live streamer takes music to streets
DJ AG has captured a massive audience by bringing prominent performers like Skepta to join him in London and beyond. We caught up with Ashley Gordon, the man behind the music.
Gordon’s journey took a pivotal turn after an unexpected performance by Daddy Freddy. “I knew I was on to something the moment he walked up,” he recalls. “I had no idea he was a record holder for the world’s fastest rapper! Once he picked up the mic, it was a gamechanger. When I posted that clip, the response was overwhelming—it was the spark I needed.”
His setup is remarkably straightforward: decks, a mixer, and basic gear mounted on a rig. He uses two cameras—one focused on him and his guest, the other capturing the crowd, which can be as small as a handful but boasts a huge online following. The clip featuring Daddy Freddy has racked up over a million views.
In 2023, Gordon made a bold decision to take his music outdoors, performing on traffic islands and street corners in busy London areas like Wood Green, Brixton, and King’s Cross, as well as in Miami after leaving his job as a sales manager in a FTSE 250 company.
Elijah, a DJ, lecturer, and author, has called DJ AG “the most important DJ in the UK.” “Important DJs have unique ways of distributing their music,” he says. “They possess a certain magnetism and showcase talent that you wouldn’t find elsewhere. Not many are doing that right now.”
As Gordon’s popularity surges, he finds himself filling a gap left by the closure of traditional venues for live performances. An alarming report indicated that 480 nightclubs disappeared between June 2020 and June 2024, while over 1,240 youth clubs shut down from 2010 to 2023. Even Rinse FM, a key player in the pirate radio scene, has remained operational for 14 years, while many of its contemporaries have closed.
Skepta, a leading figure in British grime, recently posed a provocative question: “Is the concept of an organic underground scene dead?” The overwhelming response affirmed that it is not, especially referencing the thriving UK jazz scene.
Elijah interprets Skepta’s query as indicative of a broader challenge faced by many black artists in the UK: access. “Platforms like YouTube and Boiler Room have shifted to a curatorial model. To get noticed, you often need connections,” he explains. “DJ AG’s approach is straightforward—a talent showcase that feels raw and authentically working-class.”
Gordon himself acknowledges the rarity of his platform for aspiring performers. “The industry is in a poor state,” he admits. “Opportunities are shrinking, which stifles growth. Open mic nights are disappearing as bars and pubs shut down.”
Since that pivotal Daddy Freddy performance, several established artists have joined him. MC Fizzy, for example, took to the mic for a rendition of UK garage hit “Boom Selection,” and grime icon Lethal B performed his classic “Pow! (Forward)” in King’s Cross.
We asked Gordon what it felt like to have Lethal B—an artist he grew up listening to on pirate radio—on his stream. “It was surreal,” he responded. With excitement in his voice, he teased that a very special guest was set to make an appearance this week. On Tuesday evening, Skepta and his brother JME took the stage together, performing for a captivated audience. If Skepta was in search of the underground scene, he might have just found it with DJ AG.
