Industry Insiders: DJ Ivy, Blonde Ambition

DJ Ivy, aka Homewrecker, makes noise at LA hotspots Les Deux, One Sunset, Kress, Social Hollywood, S Bar, Viper Room, Key Club, Cinespace, V-Lounge, and The Garter. A 7 Jeans designer by day and Hollywood selector by night, she's known for her rocking sets and smashing blonde locks. Here the hottie goes off on hustling 24 hours a day, shots with Dr. Dre, her homies, and fashion in LA.

Where do you hang out?
I go to a lot of different spots for different reasons, but you can almost always find me at Les Deux at least twice a week. Fortunately, I’ve become close to the owners, staff, and promoters. We’re like one big, happy Hollywood family. I also love going to LAX, especially on Sunday nights for Banana Split. You can usually spot me singing along with the silly hipster kids on the dance floor or posted up in the DJ booth with the homies. I’ll always find at least one person I know there so I can roll solo and don’t have to worry about being bored. The music is hip-hop mixed with electro and dance—a guaranteed good time. Another favorite is Villa, generally to see my local favorite, DJ Edski. It’s an intimate setting, fairly small, but there’s something about the atmosphere that always makes me enjoy myself. They’re very selective at the door, so it allows some celebs to remain low-key. Oh, and the drinks are strong too.

What do you do?
I’m a DJ by night, clothing designer by day. Some would call me a “hustler,” as it’s referred to on the streets. I am truly a self-made, hard-working woman, driven by success and motivated to be the best. I work as a designer Monday through Friday, 9-6, while DJing for Lisa D’Amato during the week, Les Deux Fridays, and various local Hollywood clubs Saturday nights. It gets a little hectic, but I love constantly being busy and having a schedule to follow. Without chaos, my life would be dull.

What do you like about nightlife in LA?
I love how you never know who or what you are going to see-slash-do. It’s unpredictable—even if you originally had a game plan. One minute you could be having a casual drink at a neighborhood bar on Sunset, and the next you could be pounding champagne shots with Dr. Dre.

Anything you can’t stand about nightlife in LA?
My number one pet peeve is waiting in lines to get into a club. I won’t do it. I might wait about five minutes maximum to talk to someone or approach the guest list, but after that, forget it. I’d rather go someplace I know I can get in with no problem.

Who’s in your crew?
My favorite and most influential mentor is DJ Edski, a native to Los Angeles and a local favorite in the Hollywood night scene. He put me on the map in LA and gave me my first weekly residency. Since I came from the east coast scene originally, Edski also helped teach me to cater to bougie Hollywood crowds. Other industry associates include: DJ MisterE, DJ Bizzy, DJ Ammo, Mr. Best, DJ Higher, Steve 1der, The Rad Girls, The Dolce Group, Lisa D’Amato and her super smokin’ hot bikini dancers, and of course all my hot homegirls who come to most of my events.

What’s with all those pesky Hollywood celebrities?
The good thing about pesky celebrities is they aren’t that pesky at all. Aside from all their quirky habits and outlandish requests, they actually bring a positive energy to most parties and events. They usually enter with an entourage, which in turn means more people for the club, and if they like you, they’ll most likely request for you to be playing future events, which equals more money and credibility. A few months ago, I was DJing at Beso and one of the owners from Les Deux came in to see me and brought Too Short with him. He was hyping me up on the ride over, so when we were officially introduced, Too Short had a lot of nice things to say. That was a very rewarding moment, so as soon as he stepped back, I started playing him a set of all his most popular hits and the crowd went crazy. The set lasted for about 45 minutes, and he loved it.

What’s something that people don’t know about you?
I have a love for female pop stars. Along with my passion for music, I have a love for beautiful art. As a result, the walls of my Hollywood home are plastered with giant framed posters of inspiring female icons such as Britney, Christina, Jessica, and Gwen. Mostly Britney though.

What are three records you couldn’t live life without?
Jay-Z, Reasonable Doubt; Lil’ Wayne, Tha Carter II; and 2 Live Crew, As Nasty as They Wanna Be.

What’s up with LA fashion?
Even though trends are consistent everywhere in the US, New York fashion is a lot different from LA. New York fashion is nothing like Sex and the City, even though television makes it seem that way. Very few women put on a Prada dress and a pair of Manolo pumps to go grocery shopping. It’s hard to dress up and walk the streets of New York because a pair of heels are destroyed in one day, whereas in LA you can hop in your car and strut down Rodeo ‘til the sun goes down. New York girls are easygoing, natural looking, and less fussy, while LA girls tend to be more artificial and high maintenance, even during the day. When I lived in New York, I had to dress based on weather and where I had to travel that day by subway, taxi, or walking. Here, I feel like I have more fun with fashion because I don’t have to consider those factors.

What are you doing tonight?
I have my first night off in weeks, so I plan on going to some Grammy after-parties with friends. Maybe I’ll have another fun celebrity story to tell tomorrow.