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DJ Rekka
Any real DJ’s can attest to the fact that the road to notoriety is filled with more grooves than the vinyl they carry. Luckily for turntable assassin DJ Rekka, the ride is well worth it, simply for the love of the artform. DJ Rekka was born in Trinidad and raised on Long Island, so close yet so far from the city that birthed the dynamic cultural street movement known as DJ’ing. Raised upon the veterans like DJ Red Alert, DJ Premier, and Funkmaster Flex, Rekka was drawn to the manipulation of sounds delivered once the needle hit the record. It was only a matter of time before the young music lover wanted to create his own style and sound. While music like Hip-Hop, Freestyle, and House blared from his radio, the cultural sounds of his homeland Trinidad also permeated the soundwaves in his New York home. An 80’s baby with both Hip-Hop and the Islands in his heart, DJ Rekka began his love affair with the turntables at the age of 16. Gaining inspiration from the diverse styles of his three favorite DJ’s, Rekka earnered his skills by starting out in small bars and social halls in Queens. As a self-titled “mobile DJ” at the time, Rekka carried his entire set on his back– traveling from party to party with his turntables and music. As his vinyl collection grew, Rekka became involved in the mixtape scene, testing his song selections on friends from his high school. While growing as both a DJ and a taste maker, Rekka became a young professional at knowing exactly how to please specific crowds – a skill he possesses to this day.
Following high school, DJ Rekka decided to dedicate his life to turntablism. He relocated to Queens and utilized his close proximity to Manhattan for the purposes of networking and employment in the ever so popular New York club scene. An internship with DJ Frank Delour led Rekka to an interest in mash-ups, while opening acts evolved into a residency at Club Speeed and the since defunct Metronome now known as Strata. From there came Cheetah, Life, Show, and Centro-fly among others. Even New York wasn’t big enough to contain Rekka’s movement. Rocking parties in Miami, Toronto, London, St. Martin and Trinidad, Rekka became an international success. Whether scratching, mixing, juggling, or blending, Rekka captivated every crowd from state to state and abroad. However, a shining moment for him still exists in the Big Apple, where Diddy himself asked DJ Rekka for his mixtape after hearing him spin in the VIP Room. Diddy wasn’t the only one with great taste – Vogue Magazine, Estee Lauder, Calvin Klein, Fendi, and DKNY have all requested Rekka spin their parties.
An inevitable transition for DJ Rekka was the art of production. With his established interest in House and mash-ups, Rekka began releasing records on AV8 Records and PM Tribe – a joint venture label with Frank Delour. His current production projects dig deeper into the Hip-Hop realm, with a possible revival of his mixtape movement. But, despite his growing interest in mastering the creation of music, his heart resides in the crowd.
Turning clubs and lounges into living rooms, DJ Rekka maintains a connection with his listeners, assumedly extinct in this digital era. Perhaps his next move will involve a much larger audience over radio airwaves. A crowd that large can only bear witness to something millions have witnessed live for years. Still, remembering the valuable lessons learned and the diversity of his sets, Rekka is not only in love with music, but delivering it to the people.
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