Meet Rodney McMahon | AKA – Gusto Funk | DJ and Filmmaker (Post Production Specialist)

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gusto Funk, otherwise known as Rodney McMahon, and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rodney, what’s the most difficult decision you’ve ever had to make?
I’m going to be a little vulnerable and say the most difficult decision I’ve ever had to make was to stop DJing to focus on being a dad. Making the choice to stop DJing was so hard because it’s something I love so much. My daughter came unexpectedly and I wanted to be around those early years of her life. I’d DJ at home with a crowd of one baby. Not only was I adjusting to being a father but was also going through some personal grief and struggles with my daughter’s mom at the time, and on top of that COVID hit. COVID made my hiatus from DJing even longer so it was tough and got tougher as the years followed. Now that we’ve gotten out of that hole as a country, the vibes have been high, and I’ve been able to come back and rejuvenate and rebrand myself as a DJ. My daughter now sees me as Daddy DJ which has been fun and a motivator in itself. Seeing how proud I make her has been great, but it is something I look back at and say what if I didn’t stop? But hey, COVID came, and I’d had to have stopped regardless so maybe it was a sign.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m not only a music creative, but also a leader in the film and TV production space. What sets me apart from others is that I’m dynamic. I’m someone who is versatile and can wear many hats, both on the creative and operational side. As a DJ, I’m business savvy because I have to be on the production side of my life. In production I’m a leader, I oversee people, and I have to make the machine run from a logistical, accounting, and team perspective. So I bring that mindset into my DJ world, and it helps me see things differently. I’m not just someone who is one-dimensional and can only play music, and scratch records, I can build the operational infrastructure. I can also reach out to clients the right way, build out estimates, all the operational aspects of a business and I believe that sets me apart.

It wasn’t easy. Nothing is easy. On the DJ side, it wasn’t easy, it’s still not easy to this day. One of my friends says “You only eat what you kill”, which means your work is only based on the hustle that you put into to get the work. That’s how you get to where you are. I have DJed so many random gigs across LA just to get the one gig that made me feel I was getting somewhere, you know? I had to be relentless in terms of where I got as a DJ. I would act like I was my own manager and use a different name, saying this DJ is really good and you should bring them in. I had to do whatever I could to get in the door. So that wasn’t easy, and then on the production side, as the Director of Post Production now for Spring Hill, I look back to where I started as a PA at Entertainment Tonight. I went to film school at North Ridge and along the way I wanted to quit so many times. The TV and film industry is not as sweet and glamorous as people see it on TV. It is a grind, it’s long hours, weekends, it’s a never-ending train. It’s been tough, even today. I’m doing great things, we’re working on great shows, and I’m so thankful but at times, I could use a break.

I overcame challenges on both sides, DJing and content production, by having a guiding light of where I always wanted to be. I’m never satisfied. Even when I’m discouraged, I never want to fully stop because I knew where I wanted to be career-wise and that’s what has helped me overcome the challenges. If something happens, I tell myself it’s part of the journey and I’ll be in a better place if I keep going. It’s a mindset that has helped me overcome this stuff. The lessons I’ve learned along the way is ensure you’re making genuine relationships with people versus transactional ones. I’m a big believer in just being genuine and having real connections versus the “optics” of having friends or followers. You need people that can vouch for you and trust you, and believe in you in a genuine way. When people are only interested in the way you interact with them from an exterior perspective, perspective doesn’t last long. It may seem cool in the moment but it’s not usually long-term. That’s just what I’ve learned.

I want the world to know that I’m just getting started again. I’ve DJed for 14 years, I’ve been doing production for around the same amount of time, and I feel like I’m just getting started again. I want people to check out my new brand, Gusto Funk, now that I’m hungrier than ever. I can’t wait to get busy again and gig all around the country.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots you could take them to?
Okay, so food wise, I love me a good wing. As the self-proclaimed Wing King I’d take them to Wing’s Cafe on Melrose. I’ve been going to Wing’s Cafe since when I started driving in high school, we’d go during lunch and me and my homies would order like 75 wings that came stacked up on a pizza platter. So Wing’s Cafe first, also In and Out. You gotta go to In and Out. It’s a staple out here, obviously the burger of the world, let’s go. Another food spot for the experience, I would go to Smokehouse in Burbank. That’s near and dear to my heart, you get a life show of funk and soul music at a steakhouse. It’s been around since the Rat Pack era, you can never go wrong. Also, Portos. Holler at Portos. Go get some potato balls, they’re amazing. We’d also go thrifting, go right down the street from Portos is to It’s a Wrap. That’s one of my favorite spots. What’s cool about them is they sell clothes from movie sets and TV shows. On a movie set, they have like three of the same outfit and It’s a Wrap takes those extras and sells them. Got some cool clothes there. We’d obviously have to get to a Dodger game. I grew up playing baseball, I wanted to play for the Dodgers, shout out to El Camino High School and Cal State Northridge where I played. Now I get to DJ for the Dodgers which is a dream come true, so I’d take my friend to come watch me DJ first then stay for the game. Would love to take them to the Magic Castle. If you haven’t been to the Magic Castle, it’s one of the most amazing experiences. I’m still trying to find my way back in there. If you got the hookup, holler at your boy. To close it out, with me being in Long Beach, we’d have to go to the Bungalow they just opened up out there for some drinks and music.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
This is a tough one. It’s hard to pinpoint one person because it takes a village for any kind of success. In my scenario, I always like to shout out my late uncle who exposed me to DJing for the first time. My family is from New York, and whenever I’d go back to visit, every time I walked into my uncle’s house he was always crates of records out and would show me techniques, and that started for me as a kid. He’s been a big influence on my life from the DJ standpoint. I’d also have to say my dad on the entertainment and production side of my life, he made me feel that those possibilities and opportunities weren’t just dreams but they were doable. Seeing him navigate through that industry and his dreams made it a reality for me and gave me more confidence in doing it. Those are the two I want to shout out but I have so many other people to thank. Going to have some enemies after this one.

Website: gustofunk.com

Instagram: @thegustofunk

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodney-mcmahon-ii-85b5b5a5/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxFPNF96g2ylodw3Vli_JnA

Image Credits
Aric Jacobson Nick Fabiano Wyatt Kedinger