ou can hear DJ Soundtrax playing “A Millie” at venues like LOVE and Ultra Bar, and you can also find him around the city spinning 80s and House at venues like K Street and Caribbean Breeze. But DJ Soundtrax’s Myspace music page lists his genres as Hip Hop/ Club/ Death Metal. “I started out as a Hip Hop DJ because I’ve always loved Hip Hop, but to be well rounded, you have to know your music; you gotta be diverse.” Luckily for our ears, he wasn’t so serious about the Death Metal. You have to love a DJ with a sense of humor.

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Originally, AJ “DJ Soundtrax” DeCenzo, 26, attended Concord University on a football scholarship, but his interest in music took over and he stopped playing football to concentrate on his new passion. He liked it so much that while in college, Soundtrax would create parties just so he could DJ. “I would talk to a counselor or administrator and ask permission to rent out a ballroom on campus and basically throw the party myself.” He’d get the money the week before and students couldn’t wait to hear him crank tracks off of albums like the Chronic 2001. He also competed in DJ battles at house parties and annual competitions all around Virginia.

By 19, he was DJing downtown in D.C. Whenever he came home for the summer he would link up with his contacts, some of whom only threw one party a summer. But with talent and tenacity, he’s been able to build up his clientele. “At one point I was begging for gigs, and I never thought I’d have to turn gigs down. I always tell people keep me in the back of their mind. I’m not turning them down, I’m just booked.” He recently forayed outside of the area to do a gig in San Diego.

In addition to hitting the turntables, Soundtrax hits the studio. “I actually started producing at the same time I began DJing. Every day in the summers, [my friends and I would] mess around with the beat machines and keyboards.” Now, he does a lot more than play around. With a few of his own artists on his team, including up-and-coming rapper Sketch, The Source’s Unsigned Hype back in January. You can also hear his production company, Hits for Hire, on the "Reign of Chaos" track on Outerspace’s Blood Brothers album. If you didn’t know, Outerspace is an underground Hip Hop group signed to BabyGrande Records (home to N.O.R.E and J.R. Writer). Other than a few disclosed projects in the works, Soundtrax is currently working on Hip Hop, Reggae and mixed music CDs to give out free at his venues.

“There’s one side of me that wants to DJ around the world, then there’s another side of me that wants to sit in the studio everyday with major artists and produce records.” Then, there’s another part of him in culinary school. A DJ/Gourmet Chef with a penchant for comedy. I wonder what Chef Ramsey would have to say about that.

To book for DJ gigs or beats, contact him at Hitsforhire@gmail.com or check out his MySpace page at www.Myspace.com/DJSoundtrax.

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By Jan F. Lee Shy Magazine Staff Writer/Journalist