DJ Maya, a best-kept secret in the hip-hop & reggae game since 1995, is one of Brooklyn’s most celebrated turntable deejays. And since good things often come in small packages, the 5 foot tall, petite, and soft-spoken diva has been known to use the element of surprise to her advantage, rocking crowds with the larger-than-life sound of her turntable music, and upstaging countless competitors, male and female alike.
This musical prodigy taught herself to master the art of turntable science at a young age. In her teens, DJ Maya was introduced to The Almighty Goldstone Sound from Brooklyn, who primarily spun reggae and who influenced her music and entrepreneurial vision. Soon after, she became a major catalyst and in the formation of one of the earliest all-female sounds, Lady Stone, as well as the main ingredient in its sound and success. Lady Stone is not only remembered as a female sound, but also as an important page in the story of how Brooklyn’s reggae turntable movement evolved from “foundation” days to now. Fans will recall Lady Stone headlining landmark clubs such as Warehouse, Culture Club, Elite Ark, Club Large, and Temptations, just to name a few. When Lady Stone parted ways a few years later, Maya, who had become a turntable veteran both artistically & business-wise, saw the opportunity to prove herself as a solo dj who could earn even greater success than before.
Recently, DJ Maya established herself as a radio icon, having dj’ed for thousands of fans on Madvibes Radio (100.7FM), Front Line Internet Radio, which is broadcasted all over the world and Red Hot Radio 102.3FM.. Maya carries the torch for females, for NY, and for hip hop/Caribbean music when she travels to other states and countries to dj.
Why is she so sought after? DJ Maya is unique and fearless. Her mixtapes and turntable catalogue are reflections of a diverse ethnic background and experience: she is of Caribbean, Indian, and Latin heritage and grew up listening to just about everything. “My music is very versatile! I might go from calypso to dancehall to hip hop to oldies to latin to chutney to culture reggae. I am not a one-genre dj. I like to make my mixtapes fun,” she says, proudly.
Unlike many established djs, Maya is still willing to take risks by searching for new, underground talent and featuring them in her catalogue and mixtapes. “I spin any type of music from an unknown artist that I think is hot without worrying about who heard of the artist or not. Basically, I like to help out upcoming artists in anyway I can, as long as they have the talent. I dont follow other djs out there who play it safe by only messing with known artists,” says Maya, passionately.
At the turntables, DJ Maya is admired for her energy, accuracy, and consistency. With an intuitive sense of the crowd, sharp timing, and competitive taste in music and mixes, she has a knack for breathing life into parties and maintaining the hype. DJ Maya believes she is a success only if her fans are dancing or caught up in the vibe of her musical journey. Not the type of dj to drown out her music with lots of talk, instead she lets her music do the talking
And you should listen.
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