enrique lopez
For more than 3 decades, Enrique “DJ Loco Lopez” has spun the hottest and most dance friendly Latin music in clubs and private parties across Albany, New York’s Capital Region. After all those years, he said he’s still going strong and now he talks about running his own business, the importance of keeping things fresh and why he doesn’t need a big ego to make it out there.
The Capital Region’s DJ Loco Lopez
Here’s a quick FAQ about DJ Loco Lopez
Since I was 14. I bought some DJ equipment when I was a kid and my mother’s friend saw me practicing at home and asked if I would play at their wedding. A year after that, I started doing professional services and have been doing it ever since.
I was originally thinking DJ Keen. I don’t really know why. I liked how it looked and sounded. But one night my DJ partner and best friend from Boston, turned to me while we were performing live and said, “What’s your DJ name again?” I told him and he just turned around and said into the mic, “And now, the magic fingers of DJ Loco Lopez.” I looked at him kind of funny but it stuck.
The Latin music we promote is called Tropical. It’s primarily three styles: Salsa, Merengue and Bachata. Those styles are pretty much dedicated to the Caribbean and Hispanic; they’re the most popular types, but many of the other genres are gaining popularity as well.
It really depends on where I’m playing. If I’m doing a wedding for older people, they always request something from Bruno Mars, etc. At a club, there’s no one song that gets requested. It’s a mix of whatever the mood in the room is. It could jump from current Hip Hop and R&B to Old School or Reggaeton and back.
As for my favorite song, that’s tough. I listen to so many genres — hip-hop, R&B, Reggaeton, Latin Tropical, etc. the stuff I play, a large variety. Throughout the years I have favorites from nearly every decade and genre. It’s impossible to choose.
I usually DJ three days a week; usually Wednesday, Friday, Saturday. After the recent pandemic (COVID19) Many DJ’s started on streaming platforms like Twitch, Mixcloud, Facebook and YouTube to help them stay in the spotlight. I have channels on all those platforms as well and when I am not playing out live, I’m streaming to crowds from all over the world on them. I mostly get gigs by word of mouth — the more people that see me, the more that request me. That’s why I promote as many local events (Latin Nights, Club Nights, etc.) at bars and nightclub venues as possible.
I own Divine Productions Limited in NY. It was formed by my best friend around 1986, and when he moved away in the early ’90s, I stayed with it and kept running the company. It is currently a single-op (one DJ, myself).
I do a show called the Red Zone. There are many iterations of the show that are geared to specific genres (Latin, Club, etc.) I also do a show called Red Zone Live on Sunday nights streaming to all my platforms simultaneously. It’s not a music show though. I do a quick DJ opening, but it’s a variety show that features funny and interesting segments along with an interactive trivia show segment. It’s a departure from me as a DJ, but it widens my audience and provides entertainment to those who aren’t interested in DJing or my service at the time. It’s also just a lot of fun and I love interacting with the people. You can find me on any of the following:
Facebook.com/djlocolopezny
Instagram.com/djlocolopezny
Twitter.com/djlocolopezny
Twitch.tv/djlocolopez
Mixcloud.com/djlocolopez
YouTube: Search DJ Loco Lopez
Google Search: DJ Loco Lopez
I’m pretty humble, so I would never go out and say I’m the best thing there ever was. But, the way I’ve marketed Divine and Loco Lopez — playing mobile, in clubs, and online — I’ve built a reputation for 34 years. So, I would say that people definitely recognize who I am.
I’m really happy with everything I’ve done with my DJ business. I’m proud of my accomplishments through that. I’ve gotten to DJ in front of crowds up to 8,000 people and have global reach on my platforms. I would always like to go forward, but if I was able to maintain the same level of support and this happy atmosphere, I could do this forever.