Simeon Jacob DJ Spotlight PYNRS Performance Streetwear

Simeon Jacob — DJ Spotlight #3

We're hype to introduce our third monthly playlist, just in time for the Chicago Marathon. Round three is right from Chicago runner and DJ, Simeon Jacob!

As a reminder, each month we will be talking to sound selectors from all over the world, listening to how their lives are impacted by movement on and off the dance floor. Oh and we had each of them throw together some heat for us as well.


How long have you been DJing and where are you based?

I started DJing in 2016, the homie Sondae Blu was hosting a monthly event called The Collab, which was essentially an incubator for creatives of all mediums to come together skill trade through workshops and then spend the evening creating content right alongside the professionals. This was where I began djing and wanted to bring a very specific music curation that catered to the Portland freestyle community. Moved to Chicago in 2021 and since have taken more of a passive approach to securing DJing gigs.


What music do you typically spin? 

I will most typically spin House music or house edits, but if you have been to any of my sets, I will be all over the map attempting to bridge some gaps. Since moving to Chicago and experiencing the invisibility of fellow Pacific Islanders, I have had more intentionality on integrating more Pasifika artists into my set to hopefully reach that one other islander in the crowd but to bring our culture / our music into the midwest. 


What's the coolest place you've played and do you currently have any residencies anywhere?

My favorite places and residency that I played was a weekly monday event called Open Session, it was an open studio space that was open for dancers of styles, whether it was breakers, krumpers, waackers, voguers, poppers, contemporary movers would come practice and explore in their movement. Each week, I would make it a game of how many genres more or less seamlessly  I could hop into to activate different movers in the room and exchanges that I contributed  to and got to witness between all these dancers over the 2 years made it the coolest place I had played.


Did you workout today? What do you normally like to do to get your body moving?

Finished my long run of 20 miles for the weekend for my workout for the day. I am in week 8 of training for the New York Marathon on November 6th


What music do you listen to during your workouts (if you workout)?

I actually don’t actually listen to music while I workout, most likely find myself listening to The Runners Club Podcast with Courtney and Ian during workouts. I would describe myself as more of a rhythm runner and I honestly get so thrown off from the changes of BPM from song to song, which may lean into why I enjoy those house 12” edits. A fun Fartlek workout for those who do listen to music while running, put on a playlist on shuffle and whatever the tempo is of the song dictates the pace you gotta run (eg, slower songs are recovery segments ; faster songs are speed segments) this could really help develop your different gears/speeds


And how do you feel about music and moving your body in general?

Music is the ecosystem is where we get free. we get free through movement. within our bodies, within our communities, movement is necessary and music makes that movement possible 


Talk to us about your process when sound selecting for a playlist or mix.

I am drawn to warm tones generally, I also consider creating narrative arc of intro, drama, climax, and resolution when arranging a mix. I imagine very specific people who are going to be at the event and I tuck special songs that we had shared or have shared memories associated with that song, where I guess the mix starts to feel something like a love letter or my personal rendition of late night dedications.


What is your personal hope for this year?

A hope that I find myself having is that we as a people can learn to be a little bit more gentler with one another, like on the moving boxes lets handle each other with care. 


Anything else you'd like us to know?

Shoutout to all the run crews and run community in Chicago, 7onSundays, GumboFit, Grocery Run Club, FamilyStyle, Run2Hard, Heartbreak, Tortugas, Venados, Peacerunners, 3RUN2 and this list goes on yall are the best! Yall have really made Chicago feel like home to me! To my family back home I miss yall I love yall! I hope to be back soon. If you didn't know, I go by Dj Pohnpei, when you chant this name you aren't chanting for me but you chanting for my island. 



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