100 per cent cool: DJ bids to hit the record books

A 33-YEAR-old Cypriot DJ yesterday completed the second day of his Guinness World Record attempt to play music for over 100 hours.

Speaking to the Cyprus Mail 22 hours into his playing time from Limassol’s Nautical Club, George Papapetrou, also known as DJ Gee Papa, said he was having a great time.
“Everything is 100 per cent cool,” said Papapetrou, who has been a professional DJ for 15 years.

The DJ’s record attempt started at 8pm on Thursday. By 6pm yesterday he hadn’t slept or been to the toilet once.

“You have to take a break to do that. You’re allowed five minutes’ break every hour. If you don’t take it you can carry it over,” he said. Eating and drinking is allowed freely during play time.

The DJ said he played any kind of music from mainstream, R&B, to House, Dance, 70s, 80s, Greek and Rock.

“I’m able to play all kinds of music but according to the regulations I’m not allowed to repeat a song for four hours,” he said. The DJ added that he had to write down all the songs he played as well.

Papapetrou said the atmosphere at the club was good, with some people dancing and others just enjoying the music. Some people even milled around on the beach.

He said things got quiet between 6am and 8am, which was when he got bored.

“I’m not tired at those times, just bored. But other times where there are people it feels like I’m just getting started,” he said.

Papapetrou had initially been aiming to break the current world record of 88 hours and complete a total 100 hours. However, he said another DJ in London had started his own record attempt on Tuesday and had plans to play for 101 hours.

“He’s already played for 82 hours. I can watch him, and when he’s going to stop, I’m going to stop. I’m going to break the current record and the new record if he succeeds,” he said.

Seven DJs had already tried and failed to beat the current world record.

Tickets sales and the proceeds from T-shirt sales at the music marathon will be donated to breast cancer forum Europa Donna Cyprus.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.