So did you stop doing music knowing you were eventually going to come back, or did you think that was it?

Well God spoke to my heart and just let me know that it's not that He wants me to stop DJing, because actually I tried! I said "Okay, that's it. I'm done." Then the bookings started coming! Not as frequent as they were, but for instance the first time I went to Japan was after I got saved.

I remember I went there and then they brought me back four or five months later for another event. One of the guys had a copy of my mix CD and said, "Terrence man, I don't have a Bible and I've never read the Bible, but this right here - this is my Bible!" And that was just one of many moments that made me feel like I had a purpose.

I mean there are also some people that are totally turned off that I even play Gospel House. I've had some friends of mine publicly come out and say "Terrence is crazy, he's lost his mind, his career is over." And all I said was I love the Lord!

So what is it exactly that draws people to Terrence Parker? The scratching or the Gospel House?

For some people it's the tricks and the beat juggling and the scratching... Like, "Okay, it's that House DJ that brings this whole Hip-hop element to what he does." For some people it's just the music that I play. For some it's "Man, I just love the way he blends records together. I love the way he takes the piano from one track, and blends it with the bassline of another track... and it sounds like it was made like that!"

I definitely feel that I'm unique. Now I say that in the most humble way. Musically I always try to stay away from stuff that degrades women. Music is powerful: it sends messages and it plants seeds.

Do you plan out ahead of time what you're going to blend?

Sometimes yes and sometimes no. I can remember being in the club spinning, and the idea just popped into my head: "Play this tune and right on this break drop this!" And the tune could be playing like "Strings of Life", and all of a sudden it would just hit me to grab Adonis' "No Way Back" and drop the bassline right on that break! I mean I have less than 30 seconds, and because God has blessed me with this skill to be able to do what we call a "quick drop" - when you just take the record, drop it in and the blend is tight - I literally would just grab the record off the bag, queue it up and boom, it's tight!

You've had quite the travel itinerary recently. I guess the economy hasn't really hit you then.

The economy has definitely hit a brother over here too, no question about that! In fact I'm glad I can say this in this interview because I think it's going to help some people. Yes I travel, but I have a regular 9 to 5 job! I work at Comcast! As a matter of fact I just got promoted!

Congratulations! That's great that you have a job given these times.

What I'm saying is that there are people out there, especially up and coming DJs, and they get frustrated because they think that it's not hitting us. They're like "Well man, how come I see so-and-so DJing over here and over there... everything must be good for them!" And it's really giving a false impression of what's happening! Because I know some very well-known DJs that have lost houses and had their cars repossessed. It's just really crazy.

So the thing I tell up and coming DJs is not to be discouraged because it's not blowing up for them at this moment. They also think, "I should be able to do it and not have a job." And I'm telling them: "I'm doing it and I do have a job!"

Where have you played here before?

I've played at Crobar...