You might recognize DJ IE as a current resident DJ in downtown Pensacola at The B Side, The Well or The Handlebar, but you might not know his history of DJing started long before many of these bars were even established.
Ivan English has been DJing since the age of 10, starting out with two turntables and a mixer. Even before that, he had a rack stereo with two tape decks, a mixer, and a single turntable using what ever he kind find to mix and scratch.
“DJing helped me find my voice, literally,” said English. “As a child, I battled a severe stutter, and through years of speech therapy it was learning to rap on beat, spacing my words between the kick and snare, learning to speak to a rhythm I gained confidence, overcame the stutter, and found connection through music.”
Photo from Ivan English’s middle school year bookWhen his parents separated in 1989, his father gave him his stereo system. Already armed with a Gemini BD-10 and a Linertech mixer, he pieced everything together and he was ready to rock.
That moment kicked off a journey that’s lasted over 30 years.
Now based in Pensacola, FL, DJ IE came up DJing in the Trenton, NJ, area. Which was a very rough area but it had a rich DJ culture which was something that spoke to him.
As a true turntablist, he entered battles across Philly, New York, and Washington, DC, including his first DMC competition in 1995. In the tri-state scene, versatility through different genres was essential, and he developed and honed his open-format skills—mastering everything from House and Hip-hop to Reggae and R&B, Latin freestyle adapting seamlessly to whatever the party demanded.
After high school, he landed a job at Polygram Records in Manhattan—an exciting step into the professional music world. Around the same time, he sharpened his live set game at the Nuyorican Café’s open turntable nights, where 2-minute sets felt like 15 under the pressure and eyes of fellow turntablists such as the Executioners.
His journey took an international turn during his military service in South Korea. During his first enlistment he learned that re-enlisting came with a bonus, he raised his right hand quick, grabbed that money, bought CDJs, and started DJing overseas.
The Korean nightlife scene was electric, and before long, he was spinning on and off military bases, eventually landing his first direct deposit as a professional DJ for the MWR (Morale, Welfare, and Recreation) program. That was the moment it all became real.
English’s extended family began relocating to the Pensacola area from the Northeast in the 1980s. His mother eventually relocated in 2017. After she passed away in 2020, English visited Pensacola with the sole intention of selling the property and returning to his government job at the US Army Research Laboratory in Aberdeen, MD, but, like most, he grew to love Pensacola.
”I fell in love with the beaches, the rivers, the downtown area, the restaurants, and the overall vibe. Five years later, I’m still here and this place has truly become home,” said English.
Today, DJ IE approaches every set with the same hunger he had at 10 years old. Nothing is pre-planned—he picks the first song, reads the room, and lets the vibe dictate the journey.
“Like a freestyle MC or improv comic, no two sets are ever the same. Some nights are tough, some are magic and even when he kills it, he drives home thinking about how to improve,” said English.
It’s DJ IE’s talent that drives his success, but the local support has driven him even further in his Pensacola career.
“I can’t say enough how much I appreciate the support from the local community. Harry, Aure, and the staff at both B-Side and Vinyl, along with Jensen and the crew at Perfect Plain Brewery and The Well, have shown me nothing but love and have truly made me feel like part of their team,” English concluded.
Listen to DJ IE spin some of his upcoming events below or for private bookings, he can be contacted directly at 619-962-5488 or by email at DJIE279@gmail.com.
