A DJ plays records. An MC speaks (or raps, or sings) over the music. At UK DnB nights they often work as a duo. At Baltic SELECTA nights the MC role is less common but still appears.

The MC role

Hype the crowd between tracks. Announce the drop on key moments. Add vocal energy where the producer left space. Good MCs amplify the DJ's set; poor MCs talk over it.

When you see one

If an MC is booked for the night, they will be standing next to the DJ booth with a wireless mic. Watch how the DJ reacts to their input. The best DJ-MC duos work with hand signals and shared vocabulary built over hundreds of nights.