Episode 307: Woke

DJ • Producer • Creator of Dirty Pop •  Drew G is a pioneer of modern queer nightlife. He didn’t just chase a dream—he created a movement. Globally recognized for his signature Dirty Pop sound, Drew fuses pop, tech house, EDM, and mashups into sets that are unpredictable, emotional, and entirely his own. In a scene often defined by sameness, Drew is the exception: original, enduring, and unapologetically authentic. He’s the #1 gay club DJ in the world—not circuit, club—with over 22 years behind the decks and a nearly unbroken streak of weekend gigs since 2003. Dirty Pop, both the party and the sound, is the longest-running non-circuit international gay event with zero gaps—even for vacations. His journey started in death metal bands, but everything changed at 13 when he met Eddie Van Halen. The advice? “If you want to be a legend, don’t just be great—create your own sound and change the game.” That mission shaped everything. After a life-altering night at The Roxy hearing Peter Rauhofer spin, Drew walked out and promised himself he'd become the #1 gay club DJ in the world. And then he did. From managing a Sam Goody to building his own Frankenstein DJ controller out of RadioShack parts, Drew always stayed ahead of the curve—often laughed at first, then imitated later. His early foray into digital DJing helped shape what’s now standard in nightlife. He’s played iconic venues including Stonewall, Avalon, The Roxy, and Fire Island Pines, and left his mark on both mainstream and fringe queer scenes—especially in fetish and afterhours parties where he explores his darker, wilder sound. Career Highlights Include: <ul>
<li>14-time headliner at Sydney Mardi Gras</li>
<li>Personally introduced at Wellington Pride by New Zealand’s Governor-General</li>
<li>Featured in Vogue Magazine and appeared on the Ricki Lake show.</li>
<li>DJed an inaugural ball for President Obama</li>
<li>Played two World Prides and major many other U.S. Prides (San Diego, LA, SF, DC)</li>
<li>Official remixer for Madonna, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Blondie, Ariana Grande, Ed Sheeran, and Deborah Cox - Official NOT Bootlegs.</li>
<li>Tours in India (including #1-ranked Kitty Su), Colombia, Manila, Kuala Lumpur, Costa Rica, Seoul, and more</li>
<li>Brand DJ for John Varvatos, with stops in Dubai and Abu Dhabi as well as Guess Jeans.
</li>
<li>Long-running residencies at legendary clubs in NYC, LA, DC, Vegas, Houston, Dallas, Fire Island, Asbury Park, Fort Lauderdale, Austin, Charlotte</li>
<li>Held Dirty Pop at Rich’s San Diego every third Friday for 12 years 
</li>
</ul>Now based in downtown Dallas with his iconic French bulldog Pooh, he headlines globally but holds a local residency at Dallas Eagle. Drew was mentored by the late Orlando Puerta (Madonna’s right hand in the dance world), who he calls a father figure. Their bond is immortalized in the liner notes of Dirty Pop 37 and a 2016 HuffPost piece about Drew’s personal comeback. He’s also a former Billboard Dance reporter and contributor to DJ Times, with deep roots in music journalism and industry credibility.

Music

DJ • Producer • Creator of Dirty Pop • Drew G is a pioneer of modern queer nightlife. He didn’t just chase a dream—he created a movement. Globally recognized for his signature Dirty Pop sound, Drew fuses pop, tech house, EDM, and mashups into sets that are unpredictable, emotional, and entirely his own. In a scene often defined by sameness, Drew is the exception: original, enduring, and unapologetically authentic. He’s the #1 gay club DJ in the world—not circuit, club—with over 22 years behind the decks and a nearly unbroken streak of weekend gigs since 2003. Dirty Pop, both the party and the sound, is the longest-running non-circuit international gay event with zero gaps—even for vacations. His journey started in death metal bands, but everything changed at 13 when he met Eddie Van Halen. The advice? “If you want to be a legend, don’t just be great—create your own sound and change the game.” That mission shaped everything. After a life-altering night at The Roxy hearing Peter Rauhofer spin, Drew walked out and promised himself he'd become the #1 gay club DJ in the world. And then he did. From managing a Sam Goody to building his own Frankenstein DJ controller out of RadioShack parts, Drew always stayed ahead of the curve—often laughed at first, then imitated later. His early foray into digital DJing helped shape what’s now standard in nightlife. He’s played iconic venues including Stonewall, Avalon, The Roxy, and Fire Island Pines, and left his mark on both mainstream and fringe queer scenes—especially in fetish and afterhours parties where he explores his darker, wilder sound. Career Highlights Include: 14-time headliner at Sydney Mardi Gras Personally introduced at Wellington Pride by New Zealand’s Governor-General Featured in Vogue Magazine and appeared on the Ricki Lake show. DJed an inaugural ball for President Obama Played two World Prides and major many other U.S. Prides (San Diego, LA, SF, DC) Official remixer for Madonna, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Blondie, Ariana Grande, Ed Sheeran, and Deborah Cox - Official NOT Bootlegs. Tours in India (including #1-ranked Kitty Su), Colombia, Manila, Kuala Lumpur, Costa Rica, Seoul, and more Brand DJ for John Varvatos, with stops in Dubai and Abu Dhabi as well as Guess Jeans. Long-running residencies at legendary clubs in NYC, LA, DC, Vegas, Houston, Dallas, Fire Island, Asbury Park, Fort Lauderdale, Austin, Charlotte Held Dirty Pop at Rich’s San Diego every third Friday for 12 years Now based in downtown Dallas with his iconic French bulldog Pooh, he headlines globally but holds a local residency at Dallas Eagle. Drew was mentored by the late Orlando Puerta (Madonna’s right hand in the dance world), who he calls a father figure. Their bond is immortalized in the liner notes of Dirty Pop 37 and a 2016 HuffPost piece about Drew’s personal comeback. He’s also a former Billboard Dance reporter and contributor to DJ Times, with deep roots in music journalism and industry credibility.

DJ • Producer • Creator of Dirty Pop •&nbsp; Drew G is a pioneer of modern queer nightlife. He didn’t just chase a dream—he created a movement. Globally recognized for his signature Dirty Pop sound, Drew fuses pop, tech house, EDM, and mashups into sets that are unpredictable, emotional, and entirely his own. In a scene often defined by sameness, Drew is the exception: original, enduring, and unapologetically authentic. He’s the #1 gay club DJ in the world—not circuit, club—with over 22 years behind the decks and a nearly unbroken streak of weekend gigs since 2003. Dirty Pop, both the party and the sound, is the longest-running non-circuit international gay event with zero gaps—even for vacations. His journey started in death metal bands, but everything changed at 13 when he met Eddie Van Halen. The advice? “If you want to be a legend, don’t just be great—create your own sound and change the game.” That mission shaped everything. After a life-altering night at The Roxy hearing Peter Rauhofer spin, Drew walked out and promised himself he'd become the #1 gay club DJ in the world. And then he did. From managing a Sam Goody to building his own Frankenstein DJ controller out of RadioShack parts, Drew always stayed ahead of the curve—often laughed at first, then imitated later. His early foray into digital DJing helped shape what’s now standard in nightlife. He’s played iconic venues including Stonewall, Avalon, The Roxy, and Fire Island Pines, and left his mark on both mainstream and fringe queer scenes—especially in fetish and afterhours parties where he explores his darker, wilder sound. Career Highlights Include: <ul>
<li>14-time headliner at Sydney Mardi Gras</li>
<li>Personally introduced at Wellington Pride by New Zealand’s Governor-General</li>
<li>Featured in Vogue Magazine and appeared on the Ricki Lake show.</li>
<li>DJed an inaugural ball for President Obama</li>
<li>Played two World Prides and major many other U.S. Prides (San Diego, LA, SF, DC)</li>
<li>Official remixer for Madonna, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Blondie, Ariana Grande, Ed Sheeran, and Deborah Cox - Official NOT Bootlegs.</li>
<li>Tours in India (including #1-ranked Kitty Su), Colombia, Manila, Kuala Lumpur, Costa Rica, Seoul, and more</li>
<li>Brand DJ for John Varvatos, with stops in Dubai and Abu Dhabi as well as Guess Jeans.
</li>
<li>Long-running residencies at legendary clubs in NYC, LA, DC, Vegas, Houston, Dallas, Fire Island, Asbury Park, Fort Lauderdale, Austin, Charlotte</li>
<li>Held Dirty Pop at Rich’s San Diego every third Friday for 12 years 
</li>
</ul>Now based in downtown Dallas with his iconic French bulldog Pooh, he headlines globally but holds a local residency at Dallas Eagle. Drew was mentored by the late Orlando Puerta (Madonna’s right hand in the dance world), who he calls a father figure. Their bond is immortalized in the liner notes of Dirty Pop 37 and a 2016 HuffPost piece about Drew’s personal comeback. He’s also a former Billboard Dance reporter and contributor to DJ Times, with deep roots in music journalism and industry credibility.

Share Episode 307: Woke

Sign up to save your podcasts

Episode 307: Woke

Episode 307: Woke

More shows like Drew G Presents

Dance Club Podcast ®

J Warren's Podcast

HouseNation UK - Lee Harris

GSP In The Mix

Joelby's vocal house!

Let There Be House

PurpleCast®

Guy Scheiman's Podcast

DJ KITTY GLITTER

JOE GAUTHREAUX Official Podcast

POSH DJs Podcast

RadioJaxx

dj 5ive, NYC

The Disco, Funky and Soulful House Sessions

Dance Anthems