DJ Alizay

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About DJ Alizay: This DJ does more than keep the party hype. He’s given the difficult task of forging intimate relationships by creating memories through melodies. Already regarded as one of Chocolate City’s best disc jockeys, DJ Alizay’s life story is propelled by his love of the two turntables.

DJ blood runs thick and deep through Isaiah Johnson’s family lineage – his father and seven of his uncles all disc jockeyed in the Big Apple. A native New Yorker, DJ Alizay was relocated to the Washington DC Metropolitan area at a young age by his parents with hopes of a better environment for him and his brother. Coming from a multi cultural background (American father, Jamaican mother) his artistic creativity and passion for music was encouraged on all platforms even on the walls of his home.

While Alizay was always fascinated with the art of DJing, his dreams were materialized at the age of 13 when he began to fully own his craft. He got the moniker “Alizay” from a friend, and despite his evident talent, he remained humbled and didn’t disclose his gift. This self-proclaimed “Hip-Hop Head” was quite different from his peers who weren’t interested in the elements of Hip-Hip that he’d grown to love and cherish. Yet, despite his apprehension, Alizay continued to perfect his skills and had his first performance in the 11th grade at a Northwestern High School talent show. This performance marked the beginning of his career.

After graduating from high school, Alizay enrolled at the Omega Studios’ School of Applied Recording Arts and Sciences in Rockville, Md. However, as he worked towards learning more about the art that he loved so much, he was also obtaining an immense amount of hands on experience, which proved to be his best teacher. Having made a name for himself among teens and young adults in the metro area, Alizay became a popular deejay choice for local parties and college events. His talent and popularity also landed him a spot on Howard University’s Campus Radio Show and then he became a regular on the University of Maryland’s 88.1 radio station.

As Alizay’s arsenal of music grew, he became the premiere DJ of the DC area and selected to spin at hot spots such as 2K9 and DC Live. However, at 20 years old he secured Friday nights at Dream Night Club which is now known as, Love The Night Club, and Saturday nights at H2O Nightclub. He proved that he could rock a party like no other! Moreover, his accomplishments allow him various opportunities where he continues remains humble and always gives credit to those in the game who came before him like Kid Capri and FunkMaster Flex and local stars DJ Al-Ski, DJ Celo and DJ Iran.

In 2000, Alizay’s radio experience and impressive resume landed him a position with Radio One’s 93.9 WKYS in Washington, D.C. He played alongside radio personalities Lorenzo “Ice Tea” Thomas, Osei – The Dark Secret, and EZ Street during the coveted five o’clock evening mix show and accompanied over 500,000 Washingtonians during their rides home from work. This accomplishment made him more accessible to the public and he became a household name ; enabling those who’d never heard him spin at local parties the chance to hear him live on radio.

Driven by spontaneity, Alizay learned early on that the turntables didn’t have to be his only source of fulfillment. He began dabbling in production and A&R, and started managing DC rapper Wale in 2005 through his company, Capitolville Entertainment. Dubbed as “DC’s Hip- Hop ambassador”, Wale is one of the few to bring credibility to DC rap. Through Alizay’s recording industry repertoire, he introduced Wale to famed record executive and fashion designer, Kenny Burns. Together, Alizay and Burns are both responsible for jump starting Wale’s career.

Considered one of the most prolific DJs, he was given the opportunity of touring with the Rock the Bells concerts in 2008 featuring hip-hop pioneers such as Tribe Called Quest, The Pharcyde, Ghostface, De la Soul, and other greats guests. In 2009 Alizay and Wale embarked upon an international experience traveling to Australia for the Good Vibrations music festival. Touring together from the US to the UK, they performed in front of thousands of fans and hundreds of sold out shows and delivered true hip-hop overseas.

While Alizay depends heavily on the love that he receives from his hometown, he’s been able to take his craft global, spinning at Mix Show Power Summits, where he’s a 3 time “Mix show DJ of the Year” nominee in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, and the BET Jazz Festival in Turks and Caicos. His knowledge of what will rock a crowd matched with his careful selection process keeps him as a # 1 DJ choice for a broad range of events and clients.

He has successfully turned a genuine love of music into a fulfilling career and he doesn’t plan on looking back anytime soon. But don’t think he’ll change. He proclaims that no matter how much fame he receives, he’ll “always be ‘Isaiah’ first!” Yes, DJ Alizay has done much more than kept the parties hype; he’s provided soundtracks to some of our most memorable moments. He’s undoubtedly the BOSS.

Alizay has been maintaining his DJing legacy by involving himself in different community affairs, concerts, events and clubs. In April 2011 he was given the opportunity to spin at President Obama’s first fundraiser for his second term in office. From spinning music for the President to spinning for today’s young hipsters, DJ Alizay has remained one of the most respected DJs in Hip Hop History and does not plan on slowing down his career. His love for music is something he feels he should spread to everyone of every color, race, and age group. Today DJAlizay continues to be driven by his passion for the hip-hop culture and community.