Hello everyone and welcome to another edition of DJ DC Profiles. This week we have one of the hottest and most talented DJ’s in the Washington DC area. DJ Ramzy. Incredibly talented, versatile and most importantly, he keeps the dance floor packed. He is a pure entertainer.
DJDC:
Over the past few years you have really developed a following in the Washington DC area. As you have created the “Ramzy Brand”, what was your focus, i.e., how did you want people to envision you?
DJR:
I wanted people to envision me as a generally nice guy, down to earth person who likes to have fun behind the decks. I have been told that people like my personality and it shows when I work. I love to take requests, get feedback from the crowd and answer questions that people have. I feel that early on, DJs get a bad rep from the general public because they are seen as “douchebags” or “assholes.” I like to be the nice guy; I like to show people that not all DJs are what you perceive them to be.
DJDC:
When working with promoters, what is your approach to ensure that you get what you want out of your performance and they get what they want?
DJR:
Well, performance-wise, what you get out of your performance is up to you. I don’t think it has much to do with the promoters. All in all, I think every DJ wants the promoters to pack the house with a great crowd but even if your show has 30 people, you can still have fun and have a great show. There is no way to ensure a show goes perfectly for promoters and DJs, if you’ve been in this industry long enough, you know that not every night can hit capacity but you try your best to make it happen. I guess every DJ wants the promoter to let them do what they want and work the crowd how they know how to and the promoter normally just wants you to promote a little for them to try to get your following to come out to see you.
DJDC:
What is your inspiration when you are playing at a place like Josephine’s on a Friday night? Meaning you know they are going to want it funky and hip as opposed to doing a networking or happy hour at the Roof Top in Rockville?
DJR:
Well that’s what I love about being a diverse DJ. I can make a happy hour fun and funky just like I can bump any venue in DC. Happy hours are great, you can build the atmosphere, start out with some classics, go into 80s, 90s, Motown, and as the drinks kick in, you can almost play it like a club in DC. I LOVE being able to drop songs like “Sweet Child Of Mine” into “I Wear My Sunglasses At Night” and not having everyone look at you like you’re crazy. I often forget that people don’t know classics as much as you want them to so playing for an older crowd that can appreciate the classics is really fun. Also, normally, people don’t expect a DJ to be mixing it up so much at a happy hour or networking event so the element of surprise is really fun for me. I often have people just come stare at what I do because they don’t believe the music they are hearing is coming from me.
DJDC:
You are a very versatile DJ, you are able to mix it up at all sorts of events. Bars, Lounges, Private, Weddings, etc. Do you have perspective clients that see you in one setting and immediately feel that is what you will bring to another? How do you deal?
DJR:
I’ll be honest, I have had some clients that when I do their weddings, they are a bit hesitant because they think I only do clubs but they forget I’ve been doing mobile events (weddings, mitzvahs, private parties, corporate parties) for 8 years now. I normally deal with it by giving them references, my former clients are more than happy to refer me to anyone. I’ve helped plan weddings, I’ve also walked into weddings with absolutely no info on the event and I am forced to wing it, ultimately doing a great job. Each part of the spectrum works for me, I’m comfortable in any environment.
DJDC:
What are your thoughts on the club scene in DC as opposed to Baltimore? What is the vibe and which one seems to have more choices?
DJR:
Well, I’ve honestly never been clubbing in Baltimore. I’m a DC guy (go skins, caps & nats!) so I can’t really say. I can’t imagine Baltimore has more choices than DC though. DC is PACKED with lounges/bars/clubs that each have their own feel. I love this city.
DJDC:
What is your approach to doing a wedding?
DJR:
Normally, I’ll sit down with the bride and groom and sometimes the wedding planner about a month or so before the wedding and plan out what’s going to happen at what time and what song needs to be playing and when. I’ll make sure I have the pronunciation of all the bridal party’s names correct and sometimes spell them out phonetically. I’ll often suggest something fun or different to do during the walk-in to the reception, the brides and grooms love this by the way. When the big day hits, I just do what I’ve been doing for years, play great music, get the crowd laughing during certain events and get the crowd dancing when the dance floor is open. In all my years, I’ve never had a single complaint at a wedding… I take pride in that.
DJDC:
There are many DJ’s who are specialists. Some are turntablists, some are drum and bass freaks, some are techno heads. Do you feel that just specializing in one genre or approach limits you as a DJ or do feel that helps you focus more on bringing light to that specific area of the industry?
DJR:
Well, yes and no. It limits you but it makes you really good at that specific genre. For example, when I play house, you can tell I’m not a house DJ. I do everything house DJs don’t, I mix too fast, I scratch. When a house DJ plays house, they really know what they’re doing because that’s all they know but I do feel that it limits them. You’re not gonna ask a house DJ to spin at your wedding or at your hip-hop club, are you? Of course not. What I like about being so open format and versatile is that I can play a bunch of different venues. For example, Barcode, I do international Thursday nights. I play a bunch of international music from around the globe. Friday night, I DJed the main floor of Ozio which is almost straight hip-hop and finally, Saturday night, I DJed Ultrabar, Chroma. It’s mash-up, top 40, house, hip-hop and international music all night. It’s fun to go through all the genres in a week, keeps you on your toes.
DJDC:
What are your favorite spots in DC to perform and why?
· Barcode (17th & L) – Great environment, crowd, atmosphere. It’s a great bar, great restaurant and great lounge, it’s everything you want in a venue. www.barcodedc.com
· Ultrabar (911 F St.) – Straight club atmosphere, rated #1 in DC for dance floor action. Nothing is going on there but drinking and dancing, you know what to expect and the crowd is always fun. www.ultrabardc.com
· Lima (14th & K) – INSANE sound system with a killer dancefloor and great light system. I’ve only DJed at Lima a couple times but I loved it. www.limaloungedc.com
DJDC:
Have you had an opportunity to do any festivals, large outdoor events and if so, where and what was the energy like?
DJR:
Only one event, it was the Rock the House Festival at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds in Gaithersburg, MD. I DJed for Pitbull, Ludacris, EPMD, Methodman, Redman, the WuTang Clan, Baby Bash and more. It was really cool to be behind the scene and hop up on stage to DJ when needed. My favorite part of the event was when I did a live remix on stage and the emcee (Wood from the WuTang Clan) and the crowd were like “WHOA!” The reaction was awesome. When I did go into the crowd, people were noticing me and saying how I did a good job, it was fun. I did learn what to play and what not to play before a big artist comes on stage, so it was a learning experience as well.
DJDC:
Who are some of the DJ’s and artists that have influenced you, your style and your desires to entertain?
DJR:
Well, I’ll be honest and chronological here. When I started, my uncle who trained me to DJ was a big influence, he taught me the basics of DJing, music selection, how to mix, when to mix, how to keep a beat. Once I got that down, I listened a lot to Power 96 (Miami radio station) because their DJs really mixed their asses off every day haha. As I grew older and was out on the road late at night, I would listen to Chris Styles on Hot 99.5 on my way home from mobile events and listened to him, getting a feel for DC nightlife. As I grew and really appreciated DJing for what it was, DJ Enferno was (and still is) my idol. He took DJing to an entirely new level and opened my eyes (and ears) to a new world. Locally, DJ Saam (nohomo) is my favorite; he gives his shows 110% every time and really has dedication and appreciation for his craft. I look up to him not only as a DJ but as a person and I honestly study the crap out of him at every show. Just when you think you’ve seen him at his best, he blows you away at the next show.
DJDC:
What is your definition of a true DJ and why?
DJR:
This is a tough and simple question to answer at the same time. Personally (and I hope no one takes offense) I think a true DJ is one that can look at a crowd and know what to play and how to mix the tracks to keep the people going crazy all night. Anybody can put on an iTunes playlist or take requests or put together a set at home and just press play, but a DJ will mix tracks live, read the crowd and interact with the crowd and share their excitement with the crowd through their music and style.
I want to thank you Ramzy for keeping the mindset tight as well as keeping a professional approach to the industry. Continue to prosper and hopefully we will get another chance to sit down with you soon before the holiday season kicks in as we truly want to know where you will be playing for New Year’s Eve!
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