Barely legal beats

California knows how to party. And DJ Mark “Mack” Morris knows how to get that party going. At the ripe old age of 18, Morris is Chico’s youngest professional DJ and has already made his name spinning for radio stations Club 96.7 and Colors 92.7, the Brick Works’ Saturday night Teen Night, as well as Class Act Entertainment. In addition to mastering the turntables, Morris started his own DJ company, Elite Sound, at 16, only one year after he started deejaying. Guided by such Chico radio fixtures as Black Magic, Boomer D and DJ Feist-E, Morris is on the verge of both his freshman year at Chico State University and something big.

How did you get into this?

I deejayed my sister’s birthday party. And then everyone just liked it so much, I started getting jobs for it.

How did you learn?

I was just playing music. Black Magic, he’s like, the best mixer in Chico, he taught me, took me under his wing.

You use primarily vinyl. Why?

I like the feel of it. You get more prestige. I’m on CDs also. You can’t afford to just use vinyl right now; it’s too expensive. You gotta buy it instead of just downloading it. I get [the vinyl] through the radio station.

What are you doing now that your internship with Club 96.7 is over?

I’m in a middle stage. It kind of sucks for me right now, because I’m not on the radio. And then I was deejaying for Colors. I was on their mix show about a year ago.

How are the Brick Works Teen Nights?

Those are cool, because they’re all kids my age that I’ve grown up with. They all know me. It’s cool, because you actually get to show everybody what you do. We started those [Teen Nights]. We heard about them in Sac, and I was kind of affiliated with the Brick Works, and a kid who works there that I know, we just said, “Let’s throw a teen night.” So we handed out hella flyers; I went and deejayed at PV and Chico, Paradise [high schools]. We promoted it all over the place. There was a huge turnout. [There’s] usually about 500 kids.

Do you think your age gives you an edge?

Yeah, because most people I know didn’t even start until they were, like, 20, and I’ve been doing it for three years. So when I’m actually old enough to get into a club, I’m going to be tight. My age right now is a disadvantage, in the fact that I can’t go into alcohol-serving places.

Are you more in touch?

Yeah, with the upcoming crowd, because I am the upcoming crowd. I’m very diverse, I do everything from club mixing on the radio, to club scenes, to weddings.

Does the DJ thing help you with girls?

[Laughs] Yeah, in a way. Because you’re kind of that prestigious figure. I have a lot of girls that always call me, listen to me on the radio. I’ve had crazy girls do weird things for CDs and stuff.

Like what?

Don’t even…