The 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, Alizay's parents relocated the family to the metropolitan area with hopes that Maryland would be a better environment for their two sons. Growing up, Alizay was different. His Jamaican mother and American father encouraged creativity and allowed him to practice graffiti on the walls of his childhood home.
While Alizay was always fascinated with the art of DJing, his dreams were materialized at the age of 13 when he started taking the craft seriously. He got the moniker "Alizay" from a friend, and despite his evident talent, he didn't tell his peers that he could spin, as he didn't think he'd reached a level good enough to disclose his hidden gift. The self-proclaimed "Hip Hop Head", Alizay 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 getting tons of first-hand experience, which proved to be the 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 got him a spot on Howard University's Campus Radio Show. That gig was then followed by a regular spot on the University of Maryland's 88.1 radio station.
As Alizay's arsenal of music grew, he became the premiere DJ of the area and was selected to spin at clubs 2K9 and DC Live. However, when the 20 year old secured the Friday night spot at Dream Nightclub (now called "Love The Club"), a 21 and over venue, and the Saturday night party at the H2O Nightclub, he proved that he could rock a party like no other. Despite his accomplishments, he stayed humble and always gave credit to those in the game who came before him like the world renowned, Kidd Capri and FunkMaster Flex, and local stars like 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 station 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 placed him within hearing reach of those who'd never heard him spin at local parties or on radio shows. While Alizay's goal never was to play radio, he excelled at it tremendously and that medium allowed him to secure an even larger fan base.
Driven by spontaneity, Alizay learned early on that the turntables didn't have to be his only source of fulfillment… or income. He began dabbling in production and A&R, and started managing D.C. 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 connections, 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.
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 and will not rock a crowd matched with his careful selection process keeps him as a 1 DJ choice for a broad range of events and clients.
Now a nationally recognized disc jockey, Alizay receives over 50 emails a day from record label's A&R reps., each asking him to add their artists' music to his play list. He's successfully turned a genuine love of music into a lucrative career and he doesn't plan ping anytime soon. Alizay wants to work as an A&R representative, finding talent for major record labels, and plans to continue on the entrepreneurial path by eventually opening his own Smoothie King restaurant. But don't think he'll change. He proclaims that no matter how much fame her receives, he'll "always be 'Isaiah' first!” Yes, DJ Alizay has done much more than kept our parties hype; he's provided soundtracks to some of our most memorable moments. He's undoubtedly the BOSS!
-Patrice K. Bynum
