I’m a bit of a Baylor nerd. I sometimes imagine myself being at convocation as Samuel Palmer Brooks Immortal Message was delivered in May of 1931. The thought alone makes me giddy. Brooks was nearing the end of his life when he wrote the salient manuscript which seems to prophetically speak to the future.
“To you I hand the torch. My love be unto you and my blessing be upon you.”
This past Saturday, I performed my last set as the head DJ at Scruffy Murphy’s. While I’m no university president, I can’t help but feel a tinge of what Brooks must have felt as he spoke into the future of what Baylor would become.
Like Brooks, I had the responsibility to lead. Every week, invariably, the responsibility of being the master of ceremonies for one of the more popular weekend destinations for students and non-students weighed on my mind. Not only did I have to keep up with trends, I had to quickly gain a canny ability for reading a crowd, multitasking, and above all, ensuring the safety of the people I performed for.
If you’ve been to the little white building off Speight in the past two years, you’ve been a member of that crowd. I appreciate every moment that I had the privilege to provide the soundtrack to part of your Saturday night.
As for me, a move to Houston for a wonderful career opportunity as a biomedical engineer is in my future. But part of me will always miss opening up the small DJ booth in the corner and cranking up the tunes.
Though I won’t be there, I’d like to leave you with some pointers to ensure that the culture I nurtured survives.
1. Keep Scruff’s beautiful. It is a place where both students and non-students alike have enjoyed for over 26 years.
2. Look out for each other — if you see a friend in a compromising situation, have the courage to take action and help.
3. Keep an open mind. Your favorite song may not play every time, but someone’s favorite song is playing.
All in all, I’d like to say goodbye to the community I was privileged to perform for every Saturday for the past 2.5 years. And to the patrons of the past, of the present, and of the future, to you I hand the torch. My love be unto you and my blessing be upon you.
P.S. Follow me on Instagram @Waviavelli. Let’s keep in touch.
Chukwuemeka Nzeakor
Former Scruffy Murphy’s head DJ
Baylor 2019 Alumnus
