Paddy Cassidy
The hardworking DJ plays in venues all over town, including the Memorial Union’s Rathskeller (above).
Spend an evening or late night at one of the clubs and restaurants lining King Street or the Capitol Square and you’re bound to hear a set from DJ Phil Money. The hardworking DJ typically plays two shows a week at locales that attract a wide variety of clientele, such as Maduro, Merchant, Natt Spil, Majestic, the Great Dane and Genna’s.
Money has the ability to read a room’s vibe while also crafting a free-flowing mix of different genres. No matter who’s in the room, Money (whose real name is Philip Murray) wants to help people shake off their worries. And that impetus comes from experience.
“It’s safe to say that stress was a contributing factor in my dad’s premature departure,” Money says, hoisting a 60-pound speaker into the trunk of his car at 2 a.m. one recent Wednesday.
“I think about that and remember how important managing anxiety — shaking off everyday aggravation — is to making the most of your brief time. Just like anything else, letting go of that baggage is something to work at.”
Money’s preferred method of relaxation is playing sets into the early hours of the morning. The audiences seem to let go of whatever may be bothering them, and sometimes they gain some new favorite songs.
One recent evening while Money was spinning at Maduro, an admirer approached the booth, excited to discuss tunes with him. “I’ve been dancing two hours,” she hollered over the beats. “And I keep hearing new songs I need to know!”
Although interrupting a working DJ is typically frowned upon, Money walked her through a number of artists he had played.
By his own admission, his preferred mix is eclectic — Money calls it “The Soup.” Typically, he works up a hip-hop base before experimenting with more adventurous sprinklings of rare reggae tracks, funk and, most recently, Afrobeat. He makes it work with precision-timed transitions: “Even though you’re jumping different genres, you’re not jumping different vibes.”
Money earned his stripes with almost 30 years’ experience in New York and Atlanta before arriving in Madison. He began cultivating his style in 1985 in New York City — hip-hop’s Golden Age — after attending a Run DMC show. “I was 15 when I saw Jam Master Jay take over the set, and it was over for me,” says Money of the groundbreaking hip-hop trio’s late DJ. After working with NYC acts like DJ Rekha — known for blending South Asian music with hip-hop beats — Money set off for Atlanta.
“The scene in Atlanta was much more a community of artists, generally speaking,” he says. “I associated with painters, jazz musicians, installation artists, you name it, and they really opened my eyes to the musical possibilities at my disposal to explore as a DJ.”
Six years later, the birth of his first daughter brought him to the Midwest. “I’ve been incredibly fortunate to land in such a supportive community — from the owners, waiters, bartenders, security on down,” says Money. “The crowds change nightly, and it’s those people who you really end up getting to know and becoming friends with.”
Lately, the ambitious DJ is seeking to branch out from the late-night club scene. “A city like Madison might really respond to a regular Afrobeat show with a 6 or 7 p.m. start time,” says Money. “There are so many people who want to hear that kind of music but aren’t going to stay up until midnight to hear it at the club.”
Money has been exploring the possibility of an Afrobeat/Latin grooves/reggae/hip-hop fusion event at Olbrich Gardens. “I think that venue’s conservatory has an incredibly tropical vibe,” he says. “You just become stimulated by the lush scenery, the music and everyone dancing.” Money has also recently co-produced the title track on MC Yah Supreme’s new album Naked City.
Whatever his next move, it will surely carry Money to the far reaches of artistic exploration, with a beat even the least musical among us can bounce our heads to. “I just can’t imagine not spending my nights out, meeting new people, playing new music,” says Money, surveying a packed dance floor at an upscale Madison lounge. “You have to play every show like it’s your last.”
The DJ spins his next Smoke-N’Groove session at Maduro on Friday, Sept. 4.
