He’s had Will Smith, Ciara, Ed Sheeran and Idris Elba on his platform, but DJ AG told the Mirror his platform is about giving every day people a stage, a shot of hope and a little bit of joy.
DJ AG is bringing music to the streets – literally. From performing sets on Wood Green High Road to passing cars and empty crowds, to partying outside Kings Cross station with Hollywood A-listers like Will Smith, Ed Sheeran and Idris Elba, it’s safe to say his open-deck pop-ups have become a space where both icons and newcomers can show off their musical talent.
DJ AG spoke about his journey during a powerful speech at Black Tech Fest and in an exclusive chat with The Mirror, he opened up about what it really took to get where he is today.
But DJ AG’s career started with no correlation to music. Real name Ashley Gordon, he worked in sales in a FTSE 250 company and planned to excel to a director level, but was overlooked by his team. This triggered an insatiable desire for something new, so, with a knack for DJing and after being shown the ropes by his two children, he created a TikTok account.
There, he livestreamed his solo DJ sets and began managing his social media content alongside his usual 9 to 5. “In the morning before my nine to five, I’ll go on TikTok. Lunchtime, TikTok. After work, TikTok,” the 40-year-old told The Mirror.
READ MORE: ‘I built Notting Hill Carnival’s first live stage – I watched as the crowd became one’READ MORE: ‘I quit successful job for risky new career – people threw eggs but I had last laugh’
And after three months of livestreaming his DJ sets, he realised he could monetize his content. He took a leap of faith and quit his job to work full time as a TikTok DJ.
Wanting to get more from his new venture, Ashley decided to take his sets to the streets of North London, which was no easy feat. “I started in Wood Green and I noticed it was just dark,” he said. “People with financial issues, mental health issues, you’ve got the homeless, those that are on substances, you’ve got the kids that are disengaged in schools.”
“I just started playing music for them and just catching a vibe. And from there, I was like, ‘You know what? This is my purpose. This is what I’m meant to do’.”
But not everyone welcomed his growing presence. “I had eggs thrown at me, water thrown at me, I was heckled, it was tough. But I think that’s because people didn’t understand what I was doing, they thought it was a joke,” AG explained.
The DJ was also arrested and served an ASBO in January 2023 because of the size of crowd during his on-street livestream. The ASBO has since expired. “That motivated me to say, listen, in the next five years, the police are going to be like, ‘Yo, AG, you’re the guy,” he said.
For more stories like this subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The Weekly Gulp, for a curated roundup of trending stories, poignant interviews, and viral lifestyle picks from The Mirror’s Audience U35 team delivered straight to your inbox.
Three years on, his open‑deck livestreams now draw in thousands – both in-person and online – and he ensures it’s as accessible as it can be. To perform on DJ AJ’s show, he simply asks that you turn up with a USB. There’s no sign up forms or fee.
“The music industry is challenging for many reasons, we don’t want to make it complicated, the whole point is making it easy to access,” he told us.
From spotlighting upcoming artists to bringing the vibes to the streets of London, DJ AJ’s platform has been a force for positive change, extending beyond the music scene.
Earlier this year, he opened up about a deeply personal moment. He told his Instagram followers that he’d been experiencing testicular pain for months, but was avoiding a check up out of fear.
“I get why people don’t do it and your prostate is so far up,” he said. “However it’s important, it’s important that we get checked especially to preserve life. Just for that two to three minutes of discomfort, the peace of mind and preserving life is important.”
The video went viral and gained over 60,000 likes, with thousands commending him for speaking on such an important topic. Later during Men’s Health Week, he teamed up with Prostate Cancer UK and Hollywood actor Will Smith to raise awareness and break the stigma around prostate cancer, specifically within the Black community, where one in four Black men are at risk.
DJ AJ’s rise to fame is a story of grit and determination. From the streets of London to the spotlight, relentless hard work turned a mission to uplift others through music into a powerful reality, but his journey is still unfolding and a festival style event is on the cards.
“Two years ago, I hired a boat on the Thames and it took me eight months to sell the tickets. Now [I’m hosting] AG Fest, the capacity is 10,000 and the mailing list already has nearly 10,000 people on it,” he excitedly said. Details regarding AG Fest are yet to come, but fans can expect the event to take place in 2026.
In the meantime, AG hopes to take his brand global and has already performed sets in Jamaica and New York. Until then, he hopes to continue sharing his platform and changing people’s lives through music.
Help us improve our content by completing the survey below. We’d love to hear from you!
