I think if you have passion and really want to explore the genre beyond the typical Top-40 hits, then it’s all the more worth it. I’ve generally thought of DJs as people who become experts on a sound. They’re the ones (in your case) who might listen to the popular stuff, but they’re also digging and listening to the not-so-known sounds and thus introducing them to crowds.
In terms of “finding your sound”, this takes time. When I started in 1991, I was mainly using old Bad Boy Bill hot mix cassettes as a source of new music to go look for. It wasn’t until a few years later that my brother suggested I start exploring beyond those mix cassettes.
I first would play tunes that Bill didn’t…but sounded like he would. Then I’d suddenly look at B-Sides and even promos I had received (I was in a record pool at the time) and would find points where they did fit into my stuff.
Over time, this exploration took me further and further from what Bill was doing, plus now I had started listening to other DJs and gaining inspiration from their sounds and techniques. This mish-mash of styles, sounds, and ideas became “my sound”. You will eventually do the same.
You don’t have to be a turntablist or controllerist to do hip-hop, but I will say knowing some “oooh” and “ahhh” tricks can separate you from the who just play music. You more though need to know how to find new stuff as well as craft playlists that normal people can get into. If you notice, the “hip-hop” played in many clubs isn’t the same as what the hardcore fans call “hip=hop”.
I’d also suggest you look into remix services like Crooklyn Clan for more “DJ friendly” versions of the tunes you want. These are people who also think the stuff put out by the labels isn’t very easy to DJ with, so they made their own remixes.
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