Goldman Sach's David Solomon says he still DJs as a 'hobby' but won't let his 'passion' distract

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  • Goldman Sachs boss David Solomon told the Financial Times that DJing was still his "passion." 
  • The banking executive previously retired his "DJ D-Sol" side hustle.
  • His gigs at music festivals sparked internal unrest at the Wall Street bank.

Goldman Sach's boss David Solomon says he is still DJing as a "hobby," even though he probably won't be performing at a music festival again anytime soon.

The banking executive told the Financial Times that his side gig as a professional DJ known as "DJ D-Sol," which sparked internal unrest at the Wall Street giant, is now reserved for special occasions like his daughter's wedding.

"My daughter got married a month and a half ago, I DJed at her wedding. It's still a hobby, it's a passion," he said.

"But if my doing it publicly in any way is distracting to Goldman Sachs, my number one focus is Goldman Sachs," he added.

Goldman Sachs confirmed last month that Solomon had stopped DJing at public events, adding that the media interest in his high-profile side hustle had become a distraction.

Solomon was often performing half a dozen times a year, including at festivals such as Lollapalooza, and even cracked Billboard's Top 100 with his first single in 2018.

He told Business Insider in 2017 that DJ'ing helped him deal with the pressure of his job, but it has got him into trouble in the past, with Solomon forced to apologize in 2020 after he played a show with the Chainsmokers in the Hamptons that flouted Covid social distancing rules.

Solomon's decision to stop came amid increasing discontent at the Wall Street giant over a number of issues, including his high-profile gigs.

The New York Times reported earlier this year that Goldman employees helped manage Solomon's DJ'ing schedule, and one of the bank's senior partners reportedly told him that his side gig was not the right image for a top Wall Street CEO.

The bank has had a tough few years, cutting thousands of jobs over the summer and losing billions on an ill-fated push into consumer banking.

Goldman Sachs declined to comment when contacted by Insider.

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