"A Fly Guy" more than just a DJ.
Local DJ goes behind the lens for some MIA Love.
"HipHop Music runs the world"
A Fly Guy
If you love to party at the best clubs in South Florida, it was probably THE FLY GUY that was the DJ that was making you move all night. Known as the GO TO GUY for nightlife parties in South Florida, Rahsaan Alexander aka The Fly Guy opens up on his DJ life, his creative side and what’s coming in the future. Let’s get up close and personal with The Fly Guy.
A. Tell us a little bit about your early years, where were you born, where did you grow up, etc.?
I was born in Georgetown, Guyana, South America. I'm the last person in my family born in our home country. My family and I left Guyana for the United States and ended up in Flatbush Brooklyn. With that area being the Caribbean capital of the U.S., we felt right at home, despite the winter weather. We only stayed in New York for years before moving to Miami where I did all my maturation and schooling, while going back to New York every Summer until I graduated high school.
B. What made you get into the music industry?
My two older brothers are the reasons I got into the music industry. Being the youngest, I wanted to follow in the footsteps of my siblings to a certain degree. One of my brother's became Editor-In-Chief of THE SOURCE magazine throughout the 1990's, the other signed a record deal at 17 as a rapper/producer. These two examples inspired and motivated me to want to get into the business since I was a teenager.
C. What was your first DJ gig?
The first time I ever DJ'd for a crowd was a New Year's Eve party in Crown Heights Brooklyn in 2007. Some of the attendees included Mario Van Peebles, Ben Chavis, Theophilus London & more. I didn't even own a laptop computer at the time so I brought my bulky desktop computer in and did the gig for free as a favor to a friend; but I loved the feeling of controlling a room full of people's energy with the music I played. I was hooked.
"Life inspires me, so does culture. Success and failures. It all inspires me to keep pushing and do more."
A Fly Guy
G. Where did the phrase "a fly guy" come from? Circa 2007 while living in Brooklyn, myself and some friends used to travel to Washington DC every weekend to promote parties. One night, we decided to dress ourselves in Half Tux's: Jacket, Shirt, bow tie, but we adjusted the traditional look by wearing denim and Yankee caps with it. A girl at the party looked at me and said that she thought I was a very "FLY" guy. I ran with it.
H. You DJ everywhere, what's one of your favorite spots to DJ, past and present? One of my favorite places to DJ that has been closed since the pandemic began is LIV on Sunday. If you know anything about what Michael
Gardner (@headlinerworld) then you know how that party has impacted nightlife culture. For me to have the opportunity to DJ there was a turning point in my career. Always grateful and appreciative for that.
Currently, my favorite place to DJ is THE URBAN. It's a large outdoor event space designed to hold all kinds of events from Comedy Shows to celebrity extravaganzas. The think I like most about it, is the fact that it's in
Overtown; a part of Miami that has had a stigma over it for years. That's all changing. The starpower as well as the community support to that historic part of miami and to have venue, makes every time I DJ there, special.
D. What was your first DJ gig?
The first time I ever DJ'd for a crowd was a New Year's Eve party in Crown Heights Brooklyn in 2007. Some of the attendees included Mario Van Peebles, Ben Chavis, Theophilus London & more. I didn't even own a laptop computer at the time so I brought my bulky desktop computer in and did the gig for free as a favor to a friend; but I loved the
feeling of controlling a room full of people's energy with the music I played. I was hooked.
E. You grew up around the Biggie & Tupac era,
how has music changed since then?
Hip-Hop music runs the world. The tradeoff for that is, the artform is at its most degrading, most toxic, point ever. The lack of diversity in creativity and sound makes much of today's music sound like cookie cutting, but there are a few "jewels" sprinkled around that still keep some hope alive of positive advancement of the industry and culture.
F. We've seen recently that you started a film
project, tell us a little bit about that.
PIVOT: A 2020 Story by Rahsaan "FLY GUY"
Alexander is my first documentary short film that chronicles my journey from teenage entrepreneur to entertainer to publishing my first book of photography in the midst of a global pandemic. I had a screening for friends & family at AMC theater in Aventura and am now in talks to get the film on a major streaming platform. It's a project
that I produced and directed and also edited, since I had so much time on my hands from a lack of DJ gigs during 2020.
I. Who's one of your biggest inspiration in life?
I'm inspired by many people throughout different times of my life. My parents, my brothers, other DJs I've spun with,
I find inspiration in conversations and observations also. Life inspires me; so does culture. Successes and failures.
It all inspires me to keep pushing and do more.
J. What artist makes you Star Struck ?
A few weeks ago I was DJing the #HeadlinerThursday party
at RACKET in Wynwood. DMX was our host for the night. I have done parties with every celebrity you can think of and have never been star struck but this night was different. DMX was one the artists that I patterned myself after when I was trying to find my voice as an MC.
K. What's next for the flyguy life?
What's next for me is expanding my photography ventures. I have a. month-long exhibit happening at the Ward Rooming House Gallery in Overtown from April 8th-May8th as part two of my TO MIAMI, WITH LOVE
series. I'm also working on my next book of photography and settling back into DJ life, now that things in Miami are a bit more relaxed as far as COVID restrictions.
L. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
10 years from now I'll be a world-renowned artist, an owner of my own nightlife lounge, deep into my philanthropy and community activism and continuing to raise my family.