They say nice guys finish last. Local turntablist John McGee, also known as DJ Littlefoot, is hoping this isn’t the case.

In a dimly lit corner booth at Escape, 2400 Lincoln Way, McGee is about to do his thing for anyone willing to listen.

But in Iowa, the number of people listening can often be very slim, he says.

“Spinning is underground here, but if you go somewhere else, it’s not an uncommon thing,” McGee says. “In a college town like Ames, people want drink specials.”

It may be this humbling environment that has kept him so grounded. One conversation with McGee proves he doesn’t fit the egotistical stereotype of some musicians.

“It’s not really all about being known — when I’m spinning, I want everybody to feel the way I’m feeling,” he says.

“If there’s one person in the audience that’s having as much fun as I am, then there’s not enough money in the world to match that.”

Besides what he calls a dwindling live DJ scene in Ames, McGee has had his share of personal obstacles to overcome. It’s clear, however, he’s not looking for excuses or pity.

“I was born three months premature, with webbed hands and feet, and now they’re deformed and not the size of a normal man my age,” he says.

One might think these physical quirks would discourage a man from pursuing an occupation so technically involved with the hands, but it doesn’t seem to faze McGee.

“When you want something, it doesn’t matter,” he says. “You’ll find a way.”

Rather than complaining, McGee looks to the positive aspects of the situation.

“I’m really fortunate because my family never treated me like I was handicapped,” he says.

Despite the barriers, McGee is set on doing what he loves.

Saturday night at Bali Satay House, 2424 Lincoln Way, McGee, along with local turntablists Chris Hyde and Dan Henderson, will be spinning for “An Event Named Justice.”

The event is designed to celebrate the birthday of his son, Justice, and to help raise money for his son’s college fund.

“[Justice] lives in Virginia, so I won’t be able to spend [his birthday] with him,” McGee says. “I figured I might as well throw a party for him.

“All the money that I get from playing will go to his college fund that I have set aside.”

McGee says adding the keyboard and vocal talents of Rachel Norgaard, senior in civil engineering, has allowed him to explore new styles and directions within techno.

“European or epic trance — which is what I play — is very mental,” McGee says. “If you add [Norgaard’s] lyrics to it and do it right, it just grabs your soul.”

Norgaard says she and McGee understand techno music’s downfalls and are trying to produce music that can escape those boundaries.

“Techno can be too monotonous,” Norgaard says. “It’s an acquired taste, and you kind of have to have patience for it.

“The music he picks and how he mixes it shows how he feels, and all I’m doing is responding to it.”

Norgaard says it’s McGee’s selfless devotion to his music that sets him apart from the norm.

“The way he does his music — he’s just giving,” Norgaard says. “It’s never to boost his ego. It’s just to give to everyone listening.”

What: “An Event Named Justice”

Where: Bali Satay House, 2424 Lincoln Way

When: 9:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday

Cost: $3-$5