He’s DJ Quicksilva’s son. He still had to earn his turntables.

Don’t call Antonio Silva a nepo baby.

When the 18-year-old decided to follow in the footsteps of his father, Roberto Silva — better known as 92Q radio host DJ Quicksilva — there were no handouts or cutting industry corners. Dad insisted that Antonio start at ground zero: taking classes and earning certifications like any other student in his DJ school.

“This isn’t something where you can just come on as Quicksilva’s son and be a gimmick,” Roberto Silva said. “That’s not beneficial to you or the brand we’ve built.”

Now the proud parent from East Baltimore is watching something he never expected — his only son is carrying the mantle as DJ Sauce God, quickly emerging in the region and aspiring to live up to the family name.

“It wasn’t no ‘I’m just gonna put you in front of a crowd and let you fail,’” said Antonio Silva, seated next to his dad. “You gotta come through and do the work.”

Work is what Quicksilva is known for. He’s widely considered the biggest DJ from Baltimore, hosting 92Q’s “The Quicksilva Morning Show” from 6-10 a.m. weekdays, while also regularly performing live in hot spots like Houston, Miami and the Bahamas.

When Cardi B needed a DJ for her post-concert parties in Baltimore and Washington, D.C., the DJ known as “The Party Kingpin” got the call. Quicksilva’s starring role on the OWN reality TV show “Love & Marriage: DC” with his wife, Ashley Silva, and his popular Instagram account, with its 1.4 million followers, have only grown his presence.

Drive down the 1600 block of Shadyside Road in the Hillen neighborhood, where Roberto Silva grew up, and you’ll notice that Mayor Brandon Scott renamed the street Quicksilva Way. On Friday at AFRAM, where Quicksilva performed, Gov. Wes Moore presented him with a governor’s citation for his career achievements.

“Quick is worldwide, but he’s ours,” Moore said.

Roberto Silva’s most important job, though, is being a dad.

“Being a father means everything to me,” he said last week. “Everything I do in my life is for my family.”

Seeing his dad work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic — and searching for an activity to cure his own boredom — inspired Antonio Silva to throw himself into DJing. Quicksilva was supportive but wondered if this was a passing fad for his son, who was always more into basketball than music.

“I never was that dad that wanted to force my lifestyle on my son,” said Roberto, who also has a daughter, Ashton.

Antonio quickly proved his commitment, enrolling in the Quick and Eazy DJ Academy, which Quicksilva owns and operates with William Epps, aka DJ B-Eazy. The courses, held in Baltimore and Washington, D.C., teach aspiring DJs how to work turntables, cueing up tracks with proper timing and finesse.

By the second week of class, the mentor already knew his mentee had a knack for the art of DJing, which requires a seamless mix of hand-eye coordination and a curated music taste to keep an audience engaged.

“I was like, oh he gets it. He knows how to count beats,” Roberto said. “He was just so much far advanced than the other students in class even at his young age.”

DJ Sauce God — who came up with his moniker while eating at a pizza shop with his mother — hasn’t looked back since. He’s gone from DJing proms to performing at this year’s CIAA FanFest and Artscape. He recently made his radio debut with a mix set on the Silver Spring-based 93.9 WKYS.

He loves to play “sing-along R&B records” like Brent Faiyaz’s “Clouded” and the ’90s classic “I’m Goin’ Down” by Mary J. Blige.

“When you get the party started and have the girls sing their hearts out with their homegirls, that’s one of my favorite parts of DJing,” Antonio said.

Antonio is about to start college at Morgan State University, where he plans to study business, but he insists music won’t fall by the wayside.

“By the time I graduate, I want to be the biggest DJ under 25 on the East Coast,” he said.

Roberto, beaming like only a dad can, smiled at the thought.

“He can take over the business,” he said. “If I could put my feet up tomorrow, I would.”

Quicksilva’s work schedule may show no signs of slowing down. Aside from his 92Q role, he’s interviewed hip-hop stars like 2 Chainz and veterans from Baltimore’s music scene on his recently launched “#WhoIs” podcast. And last week, Quicksilva was named executive vice president of the National Hip-Hop Museum.

But at 45, he still cherishes fatherhood most.

“On top of every accolade that I’ve won in my life and in my career, watching my kids win — that’s priceless to me,” he said.