DJ Reflex has quickly became one of the most
recognizable dj names in the hip hop industry within the last
few years. Credited for helping break such artists as 50 cent,
Kanye West, and others, Reflex has proven to have an ear for what's
hot in the street. He says "I'm a fan of music and I listen
to the streets. The streets are where you can find a real artist
before they are a mainstream success because talent, genuine talent
is undeniable!"
Born Anthony Jaramillo, he grew up
in the small town of Barstow, California about an hour and a half
out of Los Angeles. "The worst thing growing up there was
no radio! Whenever my parents drove to LA I would come along just
to listen to the radio. Whenever we stayed the night I would bring
a boombox and record my favorite djs so i could study their style
when I was home. On vacation my parents would get mad because
all I wanted to do was stay in the room and record mixes on my
tapes. I would go home and listen to Eman, The Baka Boyz, DJ Melo-D,
and pray that I could be just half as good as them."
Reflex, 23, practiced everyday for hours and
when he graduated in 1999 he went straight to Power 106 that summer
to intern with Jeff Garcia. Soon after, the Goodfellas started
inviting him to dj with them at clubs where he would soon be discovered
by DJ E-Man. "Just having E-Man ask me for a demo was huge
for me. I knew that I had to show him that my hustle was like
that of no other dj he had seen."
Just 2 years later he was nominated
for Rookie DJ of the year at the Mixshow Power Summit in Puerto
Rico. Since then he has toured with artists, performed on numerous
television shows, and started his own record label, My Block Records.
"My focus right now is developing and breaking westcoast
artists into the spotlight. It's a shame that the west hasn't
had a huge artist since like 1997. Some of the biggest hip hop
stars right now are doing what we were doing out here in '95!
I believe it's truly our turn, the country is waiting on us to
step to the plate. I'm going to make sure that My Block Records
represents the best of what we do out here. We work with every
genre of music. One day you can find me workin' with WC, The Roots,
or Kanye, and the next day I'm with Ruben Studdard and Mary Mary.
I love my job, I do what I love for a living and I thank God everyday
for his blessings!
|
|
