18 Sep DJ Fly Guy Takes Center Stage at Miami Carnival on Sunday, October 13, 2019

DJ Fly Guy Takes Center Stage at Miami Carnival on Sunday, October 13, 2019.

DJ Name: FLY GUY

Name: Rahsaan Alexander
Repping: Georgetown, Guyana
Genre: Hip -Hop/R&B/DanceHall/Soca
Lives in Miami

How did you come up with your DJ name?

I had the moniker Fly Guy, before I became a DJ. A young lady who was working the door at a party, my friends and I were throwing in Washington, DC, back in 2007, approached me one night and complimented me on my outfit. She came up to me and simply said. “Rahsaan, you’re a such a Fly guy. At the time, I was launching a blog site and needed a name for it, and that’s when the lightbulb went off. I told myself I could use the name Fly Guy for my blog. I would later add the “A” to it, and use A FLY GUY so that it would show up first in any alphabetical search. About a year later, I started toying with the idea of DJing and needed an identity. I figured I might as well utilize the name I was going by for my blogging, and that’s how A FLY GUY became DJ FLY GUY.

What makes someone a DJ?

I think the answer is different for everyone. It’s like, what makes a chef, a chef? I use that analogy because being able to cook doesn’t necessarily make you a chef, but there are fundamental things that go along with having the skill of food preparation. The same can be said for DJs. I think some simply play music, and then there are those of us who DJ. The way I was schooled in the culture and craft, calling yourself a DJ means you have a certain skill set of being able to blend, use different types of equipment efficiently, “read” a crowds energy and create and maintain a vibe for an extended period of time. Within each of those skills, it gets more intricate and detailed, but those are the basics.

When did you start DJing?

2008 is when I started DJing. There was a legendary venue called Love Hate on South Beach (Washington Ave between 4th & 5th street). Also, the weekly staple, Classic Sundays is where I got my official professional start. I had played around a few years prior with vinyl 45’s and dubplates in my cousin’s basement in Brooklyn, but this was different. It was on the job training, learning as I went, in front of a packed house every Sunday night. Coming up under DJs Self Born and Ferg Fresh (aka Johnny Walker Red) was a great training camp for me. Always grateful to those brothers for the tutelage.

How do you utilize technology in your daily business?

I would be lost without my laptop or my phone. My laptop is how I earn a living because it’s what I use to DJ with. Also, my phone is my lifeline for all business-related things. The thing I do the least on my phone is talk on it, to be honest. And if I am on a call, more often than not, it’s about business.

List three DJs you admire who made an influence on the DJ culture. Why these three?

DJ Irie – I admire him for the way he has been able to turn DJing into an overall brand. He’s shown the culture how you can expand and have a reach the goes far beyond music and parties. It reaches communities and organizations and is something I aspire to do with my career as well.

Kid Capri – I went from watching him when I was a kid on Def Comedy Jam every Friday night, to being judged by him on VH1 Master of the Mix DJ reality show, to DJing parties alongside him. He’s displayed the same passion back then like he does today, and that alone is admirable; not to mention the way he commands a crowd and creates unforgettable experiences.

Walshy Fire – As a freshman at Florida A&M University, I watched Walshy Fire go from DJing in the back of a tiny Trinidadian restaurant in Tallahassee, FL for a hundred people, to touching stages in front of 100,000 people. He is one of those people who understands that music truly is the universal language of humanity and impact he’s made and influence he has over the Caribbean and African diaspora, if to be commended.

What three skill sets do you feel are critical for any professional DJ?

You have to be able to think 3 or 4 songs ahead while one is currently playing; especially in the urban party world. The attention span of the party-goer is so short. You don’t want to find yourself playing one song for too long. It’s like chess. You have to think ahead continuously.
Also, learning how to read and judge the energy in a room. When something isn’t working, vibe-wise, what is your contingency plan? How do you get yourself out of a musical rut?
Know your equipment. In any field, at the professional level, you should know the tools of your trade…if not at a masterful level, then at least with enough knowledge to trouble if and when technical issues occur.

Can you tell us three tracks that are at the top of your playlist these days?

Music is ever-changing and evolving and at the level that I’m at now, a record that’s hot today might be obsolete in the next 3 to 4 weeks, so it’s my job to stay on top of what is current as well as being able to introduce audiences to new sounds and artists. Right now, Lizzo’s TRUTH HURTS, Drake & Chris Brown NO GUIDANCE and Sheneesa BLESSED are at the top of my list. That might change before Christmas. You can never tell with the rate at which new music drops nowadays.

How do you know when you are connecting with people through music?

Easiest way to tell if you’re connecting with the people is to drop the fader on a well-known sing-a-long song and see if the crowd will sing it for you. When I’m looking into the crowd and seeing the smiles, and dancing, the vibes, the movement, all these things combined, when people walk up to take pics with me or to give me dap or praise, these are all indications that I’m doing my job, which in its simplest form is connecting with the people.

Favorite spot in Guyana?

The Seawall is my favorite place to be in Guyana. I was born in Georgetown, and where we lived was not that far from the Seawall. It’s like our national “recreational” and hangout spot. Kite flying, wave watching. It’s tranquil.

Favorite Guyanese Food and Drink

My all-time favorite dish is Guyanese split-pea soup with beef. Favorite drink is Cream Soda from ICEE

Favorite Soca Artist
Machel Montano

Favorite Soca Song for 2019
Good Vibes Only by Machel Montano (because I’m all about good vibes!)

Two Soca songs on your current playlist
Farmer Nappy – Hookin Meh
Famalay– Skinny Fabulous

What does the future of DJing look like with the influx of so many DJ’s?

Technology has made the art of DJing more accessible, but I still believe some are just starting out who want to preserve the essence of culture and the craft and pursue from a place of passion and good intent. The future of DJing looks bright from where I’m standing as long as there are those of us who use our positions to educate and help guide the generation of spinners coming after us in the right direction. That’s all we can do. Lead the horses to water….

Where can people find you on social media?

My Instagram is AFLYGUY
My youtube is iamAFLYGUY

You can catch DJ Fly Guy weekly at LIV Nightclub and Story Nightclub.

The 35th annual Miami Carnival Parade of Bands and Concert is set for Sunday, October 13, 2019. Visit https://miamicarnival.org/

Media Contact: Yvette N. Harris/786.897.8854 or info@harrispublicrelations.com