DJ and producer Chooky, also known by his friends as Chas Derr, exudes a kind of cool confidence.
Before you even step foot in Chooky’s Mecca to music (his new Kensington location right next door to us) you can sense a feeling of fresh excitement in the air. And sure enough, Chooky delivers, both in his demeanor and his beats. Leaning against one of the walls of his studio, I am overcome by a sense of thrill as Chooky lays down his latest mix, while merely shrugging it off as “silly”. The room is filled with a sound that fits the scene, a new track Chooky deems as his version of big time producer, DJ Mustard. The sound is irresistible and I find myself wishing I were in the club, or rather transported there as Chooky takes us on his roller coaster ride of music fun. Glancing around the room, one can see little reflections of Chooky himself- from his Bob Marley and Beatles posters, to his sound diffuser that looks like an upside-down version of the New York City skyline.
After a few goofy takes, Chooky gets more serious as we begin talking about his art form.
A longtime family friend of Blue House CEO Jeff Gruber, Chas got his start in the industry as an intern for Blue House, honing his skill as a sound engineer. Working with local talent, Chooky found his love of music early on. His career still in its early stages, Chooky is currently looking forward to the release of some of his new music produced on Skrillex’s label, Owsla, and has just featured a hit in the movie Rio 2.
Maybe its déjà vu but there is something familiar in Chooky’s persona. He’s like the friend you wish you had growing up, and friendly is just one of the many positive adjectives one could use to describe him. Chooky in sum is rather down to earth, as he gets real with me when talking about his advice for young musicians. His overall credo? “Persistence”. Then after he and I joke about his party cat, “Izzy” I realize I am pleasantly surprised by Chooky’s candor. He is direct and honest both off and on camera, a genuine guy through and through. And his music is a perfect replication of his personality—both are fun yet chill, as stereotypical as that sounds. Stereotypical, however, is everything Chooky is not; his production style seems to boast a bit more, as he brings something new to the EDM table.
You can find Chooky on his social media links below or at bluehouseproductions.com/chookymusic.
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