BETWEEN FWD & ROCKET MORTGAGE: BOBBY BOOSHAY IS HERE TO STAY

By Tre Smith

Who do you know goes from performing in a coffee shop, to DJing with Rick Ross, RL Grime, and Pauly D in their DJing career? I know someone who has not only done that, but has also left a real measurable impact on Cleveland culture of music. It’s my friend and great peer in music, Bobby Booshay.

I originally met Bobby Booshay, at my very first show ever in my life at a close friend’s birthday when I was 15. That’s probably my earliest memory of performing and it only makes sense that we both were there. Since that day at Alanna Ciancibello’s house, Bobby has done nothing less than put the work in and proves that he’s not interested in anything other than one fact: he’s here to stay in the realm of DJing and music for a long time.

Bobby has always had an immense commitment to Cleveland music, even in his early days while we were doing shows with Chief Keef, Tezo, and DJ Ky. He’s always had his hand in showcasing many different genres, styles and artists, such as Mushroomhead, MGK, Kid Cudi, Dead Boys, Bone Thugs & more. This really gave him quite a strong perspective in music. The look, sound, feel, and energy of each genre, has been used to showcase himself, greatly and considering the icons we’ve named in their own right of greatness above, Bobby uses their elements of success, to not only have his own road map of greatness, but to also use that as motivation to grow myself and craft, which is very honorable, as well the mindset that many DJs in the city, need. As a very well established DJ. Myself, I thought it was important, I write this article, because highlighting our peers in the city is a very new thing for the culture of Cleveland. We are all stronger, together instead of separate.
Speaking of separation, Bobby has also done the exact opposite of separation in the DJing community of Cleveland as a whole and also in nightlife as a prominent Resident DJ at FWD Nightclub for over 3 years. While he’s extremely hopeful for Cleveland to becoming a music hub in the United States, he understands that we’re different from Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, and Miami. Booshay also believes that we have something valuable to offer just like the bigger cities, which is a true reflection of his larger than life DJ career, with some of the greatest DJs in Nightlife. but wait, it gets better! Bobby is never hesitant about being humble and confident, too. That is a great quality that I respect in musicianship. He worked for it. Nothing was handed to him and started at the bottom like every Cleveland kid that wants to put energy into a great music career, except he continued, when many were not up for the challenge. That takes real passion and a real dedication to the craft.

Bobby has made an active effort to bring each other together, especially beyond the nightlife and concert elements of his career, as well. After Covid, Bobby hosted and organized with Re:Bar
(a beautiful music venue and live space in downtown Cleveland) a creative event and music industry event, openly inviting the DJs and the music industry of all scales and levels to collide and collaborate, while existing in their own separate space. This to me, a great example of someone who isn’t waiting to be big to impact the culture and the city, which in my opinion is exactly what we need, value in our community to impact. At No Cover Magazine, we’re going to continue to keep highlighting Bobby as he grows and ultimately keep highlighting the great network of people that the Cleveland Creative Culture has to offer.

You can follow Bobby Booshay at
@bobbybooshay216 on all socials.