LeRoy and Karen Blackful those are my parents. My father was probably the closet thing I had to a best friend and wherever you seen him you would see me. My father grew up in Chicago Heights Ill and went to Bloom High School while he was there he was a outstanding football player and wrestler. My father went on to Eastern Ill University where he was introduced to my mother. As the son of a blue chip athlete I grew up around coaches and sport trainers and it was pretty much determined that I was to be this big time sports star. I started wrestling for Rich Township Wrestling at the age of Nine and was drinking protein shakes by the time I was twelve. My father by this time was coaching wrestling and football at Harlan High School and I would travel with his teams in the summer during the summer league. I found myself in states like Nebraska, Dakota, Kanas and Iowa and with the sport of wrestling pretty much dominated by the white man I really got a interesting look at America. I can remember my father taking his wrestling team to Nebraska and trust me none of those kids would have ever went to Nebraska on there own. My biggest lesson I remember from those trips were that in Chicago we are used to seeing black people weather rich or poor in the hood or the suburbs you can go anywhere and see a face that looks like yours but in the states I visited the only black people those people saw were the ones on the talk shows UGHHH I used to get those looks when we all went out to eat at Sizzler as if they wanted to yell out “hey homeboy”or “whats up cuz”but the good thing was after they saw how disciplined we were and that we were serious and no threat to them or there community they were some of the nicest people I ever met. My father was a great coach he touched so many lives and his wrestling teams won city championships year after year and if you were a member of Coach Black’s team then you were a winner. So by the time I was sixteen I had two state championships for freestyle wrestling , placed second in the IKWF and had gone to the Jr Olympics, Prairie State Games,and The AAU Nationals but I was getting tired. I was starting to make a name for myself as a DJ and I wanted to date girls I was sick of working out. It was sophomore year during the summer and while working out I tore my knee up and it took me 4 months to get it back to normal but during that time off I realized that I was tired of sports and that being a DJ was my true passion. So with scholarships on the table from Howard, University of Miami, and Hawaii and had to look at my father and tell him I QUIT I am a DJ and I am good! HAHA trust me I told him that with my eyes closed waiting for him to knock my teeth out but he sat back and said “Son if that’s what you want to do then go for it and go all the way because I don’t want you coming back to me a year from now wanting to go to school because it wont be there” with that said I said dad trust me I am a really good DJ. My father was transferred from Harlan to Orr High School on the West side of Chicago and I continued to travel with my father but now I was seeking music knowledge and buying records. I was the DJ for my Prom and the sock hops and everybody’s house party. I still had my radio with me and I gave out mixtapes to everybody I could, before I knew it the year was 1988 and High School was over and thank God. I did not like Rich East at all most of my friends went to Rich Central or Bloom. So lets go to Broadcasting school where do I sign up. UH OH PROBLEM!!! Mr Blackful your test scores are pitiful and you have no money sorry kid maybe you should go to the ARMY. OHH NO What am I going to tell my dad, how can i get on the radio without a degree, hell I am not a dummy but screw that A.C.T. test what does that have to do with me talking or mixing on the radio……..TO BE CONTINUED!!
AWWW SHUCKS FARLEY WBMX TRIBUTE MIX 2/20/09 click and paste
http://www.sendspace.com/file/82wzei
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Wow….ya know I kind of went the same thing only the grades were ok, but the money wasn’t there, my parents couldn’t afford college after paying four years of catholic school. I managed to get into the navy and do the military thang for 4 years and get college paid for. This is such an inspiring story thanks for sharing that with us. this may sound sappy but this story hit home so much it was almost a tear jerker( I said almost, cus I aint no punk!!! ha ha). peace to all.
-Big EZ
very inspiring. You tell it like it is with the good and the bad of it. I’m on the edge of the chair wondering what The Dizz is going to do next.
One question, What about mom? you start off by intrducing you dad and mom but no other info about mom.
Keep up the excellent work.
a Groupie
I can relate to your story. My situation continued down a path of doing what my mother wanted me to do. It wasn’t because I couldn’t make up my mind…I was (still is) a strong-minded and independent young woman that didn’t change my mind very easily…it almost takes an act of Congress to do that(LOL). Since it was the parents that guided me to my adulthood, out of respect, listening to them was the way to go. I have children now and I am giving my children the green light on “exploring their dreams.” I have one that I have to pray for. He’ll get it together one day.
It good to hear how you changed directions and followed your dream. If you didn’t, I wouldn’t be dancin’ to your mixes everyday. Thank you for aspiring to become a DJ. Keep doing what you do best…you are the best.
I thought I had a colorful past going from blending in at an all black grammer school to being THE ONLY black girl (the other black student was a boy) in junior high (frankfort). I went to 3 different high schools Shepard, Homewood-Flossmoor, and Crete-Monee. But all of these experiances made me the well rounded being I am today and yes having GREAT parents helped.
As a high school counselor I can definitely feel your dilemma. I deal with students in catholic schools who have had four years to figure it out and still wind up waiting until the last minute. But, from the other side of the counselor’s hat, gotta get those grades! If there is a lesson to be learned, it’s that following your dream was a combination of your passion and a blurred lack of vision. Unfortunately, post-secondary education is all about the money, and most colleges/universities want to know how are you paying, not exactly where you come from. I guess one of the main benefits in attending Mendel (outside of the parties, baseball and football) was that it laid the foundation for my path. I have been acquainted with students from East who have said that if you were not in the Honors section, having the opportunity to learn was hard because there were a lot of students who were there just to kick it. But I definitely admire your drive…you have a testimony as God has prepared you and given you a platform to touch people. Keep bangin the house!
Hey Dizz!
I know you know who Ms. Scorpio is. Anyway, I can’t wait until you come out with your book. You have an amazing story telling ability, not everybody can tell a story. I love how you put historical facts that at least I can relate to being born and raised here in Chicago. Keep it going luv. I love your DJ and story telling style. Oh yeah, I believe I told you this in an email before, but my Mother, who is 65 years old loves your House mixes with the DISCO influence. It takes her back to her finger poppin days. Now that is saying a lot!