Catch Up With Dallas Mavericks' Official Mix Master, DJ Poizon Ivy
By Jane HumphreyBy Jane Humphrey|January 3, 2022|People, Feature,
Ivy Awino—aka DJ Poizon Ivy (@poizonivythedj)—has been blazing new trails bridging the gap between the worlds of music and sports. As the official sports sound strategist for the Dallas Mavericks and ambassador for the Basketball Africa League, she has made her mark within both industries and is just getting started. We caught up with this mix master who is rewriting the narrative. Here, a few sound bites...
Was this industry always of interest to you? Growing up in Nairobi, Kenya, I honestly couldn’t have ever guessed that I would make a career out of designing music and sound for professional basketball. However, music and sports have been a common thread throughout my life. I grew up with extended family that were immersed in both worlds, and thus I picked up both an appreciation for and knowledge of both sports, specifically basketball, and music. I became a Dallas Mavericks ball girl at the age of 12. Fun fact: I’ve known some of my current co-workers, namely Mavs ManiAAC Big Rob, since my ballkid days.
Tell us about the early days. I began DJing in college. I connected with WNBA supermom Skylar Diggins-Smith during that time and eventually went on to tour with her as part of her camp. I then joined the Dallas Wings as their first-ever in-arena DJ for their inaugural season. Shortly thereafter, I joined the Mavericks organization, and six years later, here we are.
How are you involved with NBA Africa/the Basketball Africa League? The current president of the Basketball Africa League, Amadou Gallo Fall, began his career with the Dallas Mavericks, so I’ve been fortunate to be under his tutelage. I spent the month of May in Kigali, Rwanda, being the lead music and sound director for the Basketball Africa League. The league is equally focused on the growth and development of the sport as much as it is using sport as a vehicle for overall community development.
How are you involved within the community? Dallas has given a whole lot to me, and so it’s only natural that I am invested in giving back as much as possible. As Mavs CEO Cynt Marshall would say it, giving back includes three important components, namely “time, talent and treasure.”
What excites you most about the current artist landscape? There is so much to be excited about: ownership, opportunity and direct creator-to-consumer relationships. I am absolutely loving that transparency is being normalized in business, marketing and advertising. I believe that there are so many opportunities for creators.