In Vegas, DJ Five is a household name. Born Jerid Choensookasem, Five started spinning hip-hop as a teenager in the ’90s, laying down jams anywhere he could. “Underground parties, b-boy park jams”—you name it. Now, as part of the SKAM family that includes the likes of Lil Jon, Vice, Samantha Ronson and Amber Rose, Five can be found on the decks at Vegas’ most-electrifying clubs, from Hyde and Light to Tao and Omnia.
When he isn’t DJing, Five is fully immersed in everything Las Vegas. He’s a partner in Downtown ramen joint Itsy Bitsy, and he says there’s talk of investing in a coffee shop.
On a typical day Five and his crew might hit up Eat for breakfast or Makers & Finders for coffee. “Once or twice a week we meet up, me and a few of my buddies, and we ride bikes Downtown. Sometimes we go to UNLV and come back. It’s good exercise, it’s fun, and you see parts of the city you never get to see.”
Then there’s spots like Institution 18b, an independent streetwear shop owned by pal Wil Eddins in the heart of the Arts District, where Five and his friends can chill before a night on the town.
For dinner, Five hits up the popular westside haunt Other Mama and always orders the French toast with caviar. “But I tell [chef] Dan [Krohmer] to add uni,” he says. You can do that when you’re buddies with the chef. “Everything’s good there. It’s a local gem.”
His best night ever? Five could end up hitting up the bars along Fremont East, stopping by Velveteen Rabbit on Main Street or “anywhere in the Cosmo,” he says. Basically, where Five goes, the party follows.
