Villa, Vinyl & Vivid Ink: The Rue Jay Story

Rue Jay: From Club Nights to Business Life We caught up with Rue Jay – international house DJ, producer, presenter, entrepreneur, owner of Vivid Ink (one of the UK’s biggest tattoo studio chains), and proud Villa fan (yes, we filmed this at Birmingham City – and yes, the banter was real). Rue’s been a staple in the UK house scene for years, playing at major festivals like Creamfields, Forbidden Forest, Global Gathering, Space Ibiza, and Seoul World DJ Festival. He’s signed to WH0 Plays Records and Stashed Music, with Radio 1 support and big-name backing from the likes of Armin van Buuren. Just this week, his latest release ‘Bring The Beat Back / I Want Your Love’ hit #1 on the Beatport charts. In this episode, Rue shares how it all started — from lugging his record box into clubs hoping for a shot, to meeting Peggy Gou before she blew up, DJing near the North/South Korea border in camo trousers and a “Start Wars” tee, and accidentally becoming known as “the tattoo guy.” We also dive into his business ventures — from helping grow Vivid Ink into a national brand to launching holiday lets — and how he’s helping the next wave of DJs and creatives find their way in the industry. Plenty of laughs, Brummie energy, and real talk about life behind the decks — and behind the business. #RueJay #VividInk #BeatportNo1 #B2BBusinessClub #DJLife #BrummieLegend #VillaTillIDie #HouseMusic #FromBrumToIbiza #ClubCulture #MusicBusiness #TattooIndustry #PeggyGouStory #BehindTheDecks #CreativeEntrepreneur