NYC’s DJ Beyond Talks About The Role His Family Played In Making Him A DJ

Families influence our lifestyle and career choices the most. In DJ Beyond’s case, it was in his best interest that his father was a musician in New York City and it led to him getting to see the city’s vibrant music scene up close and personal. His real name is Damian Perez Jr. but he’s better known as DJ Beyond in the nightlife of NYC. The DJ was born in Lower East Side, Manhattan on 26th May 1983.

“My father was a prominent member of many Spanish bands, the most fun I’ve ever had as a kid was to go to his shows and help the band set upstage. Even when asked to do things like load stuff into cars or lift heavy music equipment, I enjoyed it because the music was my passion,” he adds. Adolfo Perez, Damian’s father, played with many Spanish bands in the late 1900s. The family was originally from Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. DJ Beyond never forgets to pay homage to his roots and always performs at the National Puerto Rican Day and The Dominican Day Parades and events all across the globe.

Damian’s family saw his talent way before anyone else could see it. He recalls an unforgettable event that was when he was fifteen. “My dad asked me to beg my mom to give me two turntables for Christmas. When she eventually got me one, it was a turning point in my life. From that day on, I have pursued my DJ’ing career properly,” adds DJ Beyond. The DJ has proved himself not only to his family but also to the rest of the world. He won the Best Blen DJ award by Urban Mixx Awards and was also nominated for the Best Duo & Blend DJ in the Justo’s Mixtape Awards.

“There is no better feeling in the world than when I see my family proud of me. They love seeing me on TV and talk about it to all their friends and family. It’s one of the things that inspire me to become better each day,” says Damian. DJ Beyond has appeared on many television shows and events such as MTV’s Wild n Out, WE TV’s Bridezilla, BET’s Rap City, and VH1’s Love & Hip Hop.

All this has influenced DJ beyond to be the best at his game and take over the DJing scene in New York City. He has worked with well-known artists of all genres such as Ne-Yo, Ariana Grande, and Lizzo. Damian has also worked up the ladder and landed corporate deals with brands such as Pepsi, Marriott Hotels, Etiquette Restaurants, and many more. One thing that is most prominent about him is his humility and humbleness. He always tries his best to give back to his community and has worked for the betterment of his hometown’s youth.

You can follow him on Instagram at @djbeyond.