OFF THE COUCH | ALIZAY

Regarded as one of Washington D.C.’s best disc jockeys, DJ Alizay's life story is propelled by his love for the turntables.

Turntablist blood runs thick and deep through DJ Alizay’s family lineage, as his father and seven uncles all practiced the art in New York City during the 1980s. Inspired by his family, he began to fully own his craft at the tender age of 12. Growing up in Hyattsville, Maryland, he stood out from his peers who preferred go-go music to hip-hop. While his peers were listening to the funky sounds of Backyard Band, Rare Essence, and Northeast Groovers, Alizay was fascinated by A Tribe Called Quest, Nas, and Outkast. The unique influence of the go-go sound and hip-hop culture set the foundation for Alizay’s love of music. Incorporating different genres and continuing to explore his roots he worked tirelessly to perfect his skills.

After graduating from high school in 1998, he gained popularity from DJ’ing local parties which ultimately earned him spots on Howard University's campus radio show and the University of Maryland's 88.1 radio station.

The following year, Alizay secured a position with Radio One's 93.9 WKYS in Washington, D.C. At 19 years old, he became the youngest DJ on the radio at that time and broadcasted live from major D.C. establishments such as Dream (before it became Love Nightclub), H2O, and DC Live. In addition to breaking records on the radio, in the clubs, and becoming recognized as D.C.’s most notable DJ, he began to expand his reach in the music industry outside of D.C. by DJ’ing a weekly show on Sirius XM’s Shade 45. 

In 2004, rapper Wale approached Alizay at The Mall at Prince Georges. After listening to Wale’s music, he recognized his talent and potential for stardom. This launched his career in A&R, and he began managing Wale in 2005 through his company, Capitolville Entertainment. Through this partnership, he was able to get Wale’s music played on the radio, gaining national awareness of the talent present in the D.C. area.

After achieving notoriety, they were given the opportunity to join the Rock the Bells tour in 2008. Coming off the tour, Alizay and Wale entered the international scene by traveling to Australia for the Good Vibrations Music Festival. While touring together through the United States and Europe, they supplied sold out overseas venues with a true hip-hop experience. DJ Alizay has continued to take his craft global, spinning in Africa, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Jamaica, and the Bahamas. In addition to appearing at the BET Jazz Festival in Turks and Caicos.

As a DJ who predates the digital era, his knowledge of what will rock a crowd matched with his careful selections make him an elite choice for a broad range of events and clients. In April 2012, he spun at President Obama’s first fundraiser for his second term in office, and later performed at events for the Democratic National Convention. In recent years, Alizay has expanded his reach to NYC and LA, DJ’ing events for Major League Baseball, Spotify, Dell, Shots App., Purple Brand, and serving as tour DJ for King Bach. From playing music for the President to teaching LivingSocial classes with Biz Markie, Alizay remains one of the most respected DJs in hip-hop history and has no intention of relenting. 

DJ Alizay’s love for music is something he believes should be shared with everyone, and he remains driven by his passion for hip-hop culture and the community. You can now find his mixes streaming on Apple Music. Although DJ’ing is his first love, he is now making an impact on the world of production. With 2019 singles from IDK and Wale his beats continue to reach the masses. What’s more exciting is that he’s just getting started.

Regardless of what the future holds, you can always catch Alizay spinning an unexpected blend of records at your favorite local spots. If you’re lucky you may even catch him show casing his mastery at one of his all vinyl events across the country.