ORLANDO, Fla. – Hip-hop and rap music have roots in Brooklyn and for Deejay Lyvwyr, that’s where his dream of being a successful DJ began.
Lyvwyr grew up on Nostrand Avenue above a tailor shop that rap legends would frequent to have their suits tailored. He recalls the day one of hip-hop’s pioneers, Doug E. Fresh, pulled up to the shop and his own excitement to run downstairs to see if he could get an autograph for his collection.
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“I was 10 years old and I run downstairs to get his autograph for my book and he signs it, but unlike every other celebrity I’ve ever met, he stops and talks to me,” Lyvwyr said.
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That day, the “Original Human Beatbox” gave more than just an autograph, he gave young Lyvwyr advice on how to achieve his goal of being successful in music and entertainment. A piece of the advice was to do well in school, but what the rapper didn’t realize was that he would see this boy again.
“That’s the day I knew this is what I was supposed to be doing,” Lyvwyr said.
Lyvwyr had quite a few people to motivate him along the way — like Kool DJ Red Alert, Funk Master Flex, DJ Marley Mal, Angie Martinez and Special K from The Awesome Two, who ended up being a close mentor.
Fast forward 20 years, which included eight years in the Army and a college degree, Lyvwyr meets up with Doug E. Fresh again. By this time, Lyvwyr was a seasoned DJ.
It was November 2011. Pat Nix from Frontline Promotions hired Lyvwyr to do a show with Doug E. Fresh, Slick Rick and Big Daddy Kane.
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It was classic weekend and rapper Heavy D had just passed away a little over a week prior to the show. Lyvwyr took to the stage and proceeded to play an entire set dedicated to Heavy D.
“I thought ‘Well, they’re either going to like or not,’” Lyvwyr said.
As he walked off the stage, Doug grabbed Lyvwyr’s arm and tells him he wants to talk once his set is done. Lyvwyr’s gut feeling to play the Heavy D set that night proved to be a good decision.
What he learned that night was Heavy D was like a brother to Doug and his passing had weighed heavily during the days leading up to classic weekend.
“Doug came to me after his set and said ‘What you did out there was amazing and I would like you to do something like this again with me,’” Lyvwyr said.
The two have been working together ever since, but this full-circle story is more than just about work.
“To me, it’s just like making music with my friend. That’s really what it comes down to,” Lyvwyr said.