Some music lovers make it a ritual to go out every weekend just to hear the sounds of their favorite disc jockeys.

But somewhere during the rise of DJing, promoters wedged themselves in between the club and the person spinning records, said Peter Choung, SF State senior and co-founder of the newly formed independent event DJing group, “Coalition DJs.”

“The DJing industry has changed in the wrong way,” said Choung, 22. “Many DJs are underappreciated for their talent, hired through promoters and treated like disposables.”

In late 2007, six Bay Area DJs decided to collaborate and establish Coalition DJs. The group was formed with the hope of reformatting the role of DJs in the music industry.

The six DJs that make up the group go by their DJ names: Beatknoxx, Chris Pera, PTR, Rockmatic, Smilez and J.E. Coalition DJs stands for a formulation of people with a goal to accomplish something in the music industry, according to the group.

“As a group, we basically hire ourselves, run the event and cut the middleman out,” Choung said.

SF State senior Randy Ramiro, a member of Coalition DJs, said a disc jockey should be able to throw parties without a promoter.

“The idea and motivation behind the creation of Coalition DJs is to bring back the hype and essence of a DJ,” said Ramiro, 22. “When a new DJ goes into the industry, there are no set pathways. Our position right now is to be a coalition and make it big as respectable DJs.”

For a self-proclaimed shy guy like J.E., a 2007 SF State alumnus, DJing at an event is his tool for communication.

“Being a DJ is how I talk to people,” said J.E., 23. “I could talk to 500 people without saying [a] word to them. And the way they talk back to me is when they scream.”

A crowd’s response to the DJ’s creative blend is half of what makes the party great, Ramiro said.

“I’m happy when the crowd is happy,” he said. “And getting $500 at the end of the night is like the cherry on top.”

Although the DJs have played multiple events for hundreds of people, the experience for J.E. will always be the same.

“[I am] nervous as hell,” he said of stepping in front of a crowd. “And if the nervousness is gone, you should stop DJing.”

According to Choung, Coalition DJs will continue to spin music from Top 40 to hip-hop to salsa.

“We’re walking iTunes,” J.E. said.

“[The new DJs] don’t know how to lift a crate of 150 records,” Choung added, in reference to updated technology where DJs need only a simple laptop to run the party. “It sucks when a host takes away your gig and gives it to someone else they find [who] will do it for free.”

Coalition DJs are currently aiming for weekly gigs as they grow as a group. They plan to make themselves known through their events. The group also said it hopes to help other DJs learn how to market themselves within the music industry—without promoters.

After three months of planning, Coalition DJs officially launched as a group at “Renew,” a club event on March 15 at Horizon Ultra Lounge located at 498 Broadway St. in San Francisco. A portion of the proceeds collected at the event were donated directly to families of people living with cancer. The families were hand-selected by the group as a way of connecting to their communities within the Bay Area. Future shows will also have proceeds donated to other charitable causes, the group said.

“Our goal is to make a DJ army,” Ramiro said. “To get recognition in the industry and change other people’s views of a DJ.”