DJ Cupcakes crafts mashups blending humor, relevance, and sharp cultural references from familiar Filipino sounds like primetime newscast themes and viral soundbites. He began DJing in 2016 during college and started creating meme remixes in 2024, earning him the title 'DJ meme lord of the Philippines.' Through his work, he celebrates the country's unique humor via music.
In Manila, Philippines, DJ Cupcakes has gained fame for his viral remixes drawn from everyday Filipino media, including the ABS-CBN TV Patrol primetime newscast theme, protest chants, and OPM karaoke staples. His DJ journey started in 2016 during college, where he was part of a band. He noticed bars and parties heavily featured mainstream hits and EDM, prompting him to think, “What if I started DJing for my friends and I’d play the music we’d like only?”
He entered DJ competitions and won his first in 2017. In 2018, he triumphed at the San Mig Light DJ Spin-Off, becoming a two-time champion. “It was so scary. But through hard work and perseverance, all the generic inspirational stuff, I actually won. And right now, I’m just blessed to be called a two-time champion,” he recalled.
In 2024, he began producing Filipino meme remixes, inspired by TikTok. “What if I tried something? What if I put it on top of an existing song? And when I saw that people loved it, I started making more. And two years later, I’ve made so much at this point. It’s crazy,” he shared. His inspiration comes from current events and the Philippines' unique humor. “Our humor is so unique as a country. Every time they post something, it’s always relevant to today’s news, also. Sometimes, when there is an issue, they already make content about it. If you try to explain it to an outsider, they won’t get it.”
One favorite is his TV Patrol remix, which surprised audiences and caught the news anchors' attention. His “Multo x Tulfo” track, blending Cup of Joe's hit with clips from Senator Raffy Tulfo’s radio show, was completed in a day. “That took one day to do because I was rushing. I just searched for clips with Tulfo. It was all [about] relationship issues, which is also what ‘Multo’ is about. I just overlaid the show clips on top of the instrumental of ‘Multo’ and it worked for some reason.”
Not every remix goes viral, but he focuses on generation-relevant songs. “That’s free engagement,” he says of online hate. As an artist, he noted, “I’m very honored. And I’m surprised [and] happy that people consider my works as art. I’m really grateful.” He advises young creators to be unconventional to stand out. Looking ahead, he plans more original tracks, remixes, and new material for live shows.
