BLIGATORY’s mission is to amplify the voices of music fans, establish an inclusive community for all, and offer an alternative to traditional music criticism. We are committed fully to amplifying the voices of ALL music listeners and providing them a space for discussion, collaboration, and community.
TEAM
Dominick
Baglivo
Co-Founder
Philadelphia, PA
Without the deep-rooted connections music has brought, it is hard to imagine the person I would be. I have made it my life's mission to work within music, continually striving to share great art and using it as a vehicle to establish connections amongst artists, listeners, and all of those who are passionate about music. Blessed to have been able to do so through both BLIGATORY and my time with WKDU Philiadelphia 91.7FM—my second home—where I’ve been a DJ since 2019 and Music Director since 2020.
DeVán
Whitaker
Co-Founder
Portland, OR
DeVán is a lifelong music entertainer and enthusiast. Beginning as a DJ for Bridgecity Music in his youth, DeVán's professional engagement with music and entertainment spans well over a decade. In recent years, the BLIGATORY platform, short-form content creation, and podcasting have been his primary modes of creation. His skills include: writing, content creation, DJing, and multimedia design.
Ben
(AKA Synth)
Contributor/Editor
Long Island, NY
Ben is an avid writer of more than four years, both specializing in reviews, as well as his own ventures into creative nonfiction and prose poetry. His favorite artists are Kanye West, Charli XCX, Bladee, Yves Tumor, Westside Gunn, Ecco2k, and Nick Drake. When he’s not editing other members’ work or writing some reviews of his own, Ben spends his time either watching movies or in the gym.
Cameron
Benson-Davis
Outreach Coordinator
London, UK
Cam is currently studying means of communication, linguistically on campus and artistically out. He's been writing English freelance articles since 2019, and in Spanish since 2021. These include artist profiles, travelogues, poems, reviews, longform essays, interviews (Xiu Xiu, DJ Sabrina The Teenage DJ, & more), and commentary on industry affairs. Other artists he's listening to 24/7 are Sufjan Stevens, Injury Reserve, Sea Power, Ecco2k, sLUms, Animal Collective and SOPHIE. Most recently he's emerged from a three-year voyage examining epistemology in art criticism, but he doubts the sabbatical will last long. Lowkey a maximalist.
Jacques
Morel Jr.
Contributor
Brooklyn, NY
Jacques Morel is a host, producer and journalist with more than a decade of digital media experience. A familiar face at both HuffPost and Genius, his visual medium spans from culture to politics to music. On the edge of the constant changes in the digital and pop culture landscape, Morel has produced both live and short form video in all of its forms. He has also interviewed hundreds of guests, notably John Legend, U.S. Senator Cory Booker, Jamie Foxx, Yara Shahidi, Jada Pinkett Smith, Giuliana Rancic, Ne-Yo, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wiz Khalifa, and many more. He can be found at @jmorel_jr on all social media platforms.
Pablo Hawkins
Contributor
Orlando, FL
Pablo is a journalist and content creator with over 200K followers on TikTok. Pablo has recently worked as a writer for United Masters, and currently provides coverage to various art and culture mediums across their various platforms like Instagram, Twitch, and Discord.
Hadley
Schaffer
Contributor
Columbia, SC
Hadley is a film major at the University of South Carolina with a minor in mass communications. Film, photography, and music are three of my biggest passions. Some of my favorite artists include Jeff Rosenstock, Death Grips, Car Seat Headrest, Tyler The Creator, Kanye West, and AJJ. I DJ for my school’s radio station, WUSC-FM, on Thursday nights from 10pm to Midnight, so feel free to tune in to get a better feel for my taste!