DJ LIFE caught up with DJ Trayze (aka Matt Alexander) to fill in the blanks since our frenzied week in Phoenix a decade ago.
We met Trayze in Phoenix, Ariz., while covering the Red Bull 3Style USA National Final back in 2015. As the Washington, D.C., champ, Trayze qualified to compete with America’s other regional titlists and, after an impressive opening-night heat performance, he qualified for the final on the DJ competition’s last evening.
As 3Style battles insisted on their DJs playing at least a trio of musical genres to go with their turntable tricks, Trayze was all over it. His two routines included a LeBron-like chalk clap to begin, then an array of hip-hop beats, TV theme songs, driving hard rock, a touch of reggae, country, disco, and (in a nod to the locals) a bit of Glen Campbell’s “By the Time I Get to Phoenix.” Certainly got my attention.
Trayze didn’t take the U.S. title that night – NoCal’s J. Espinosa did – but he’d win it the following year and, when it was all done, he’d be a two-time World Championship finalist. Since then, he’s continued to perform in nightclubs, festivals, and (the newfound craze) listening bars.
But his biggest moves have been in the studio. As a member of DJcity’s “official remixer/editor team,” Trayze has been cranking out regular work for the popular digital record pool since 2018. Additionally, he’s been working on a new artist project with a collaborator he’s never met in-person – even after four years of making tracks.
So, with all that in mind, we caught up with DJ Trayze (aka Matt Alexander) to fill in the blanks since our frenzied week in Phoenix a decade ago.
DJ LIFE: How’d you come up with Trayze for a DJ handle?
Trayze: Trayze is a combination of the words “trance” and “craze.” This was thought up by me and some friends in high school, probably age 12 or 13 when I first started DJing. I wanted an original name that nobody else had, and I liked the meaning behind those words.
DJ LIFE: Where did you grow up and how did you become attached to music?
Trayze: I grew up in the Washington, D.C., metro area. I’ve played instruments all my life – from a young kid to now… cello, piano, drums, and percussion. I’m a musician first, DJ second, but I’m most well-known for my DJ accomplishments.
DJ LIFE: What was the first musical moment – a song, a video, a performance – that blew you away?
Trayze: My oldest memory of a live performance was my parents taking me to see Bobby McFerrin live in D.C. That was pretty amazing for a young me!
DJ LIFE: What was the first DJ moment that caught your attention? Which DJs influenced you out of the gate?
Trayze: I had a real love for radio – it was my favorite source of entertainment as a kid and as a teen. I would hear live mixshows and live broadcasts from the nightclubs on D.C. radio stations like WKYS and WPGC as a kid, and those mixes inspired me to learn how to DJ. My earliest DJ influences were definitely the crew of local DJ heroes in D.C. that I grew up listening to on radio: the late Supafunk Regulata Celo, DJ Iran, DJ Quicksilver – THE QIC, DJ Xclusive. They were impressive to me because of their impeccable timing. Timing was everything – still is.
DJ LIFE: What was in your first DJ system? Where did you buy it and how long did it take you to become reasonably proficient?
Trayze: I bought a Numark DJ in a Box system from a local shop in Rockville, Md., suburban D.C. – Veneman Music. Pretty sure they are closed now – I think it turned into a Guitar Center. That was about 1996-97. I was playing records on my parents’ home set-up before that, making mixes with one record and one tape or CD, with a recording tape deck. It took me about six months to burn through the cheap fader on that beginner Numark mixer, and I eventually upgraded to a Stanton mixer and Technics 1200 turntables by 1998. I worked a job after school and on weekends to pay for records and gear myself.
DJ LIFE: What was your first gigs like?
Trayze: They were high-school house parties in my teens. They went great! Being a peer to your audience is an easy fit because you know what music all your friends and classmates like. You can also drop in some of your own personal favorites, too. There was very little judgement or requests happening. I played a lot of popular and current – for the time – hip hop, R&B, and D.C. go-go.
DJ LIFE: Was there a DJ-battle scene where you grew up? How did you get involved in it?
Trayze: Yes! The DMC was the most well-known, most prestigious of the battles. We had a DMC regional in D.C. every year that I can remember. I entered one year but never got past local prelims… maybe 1999? I was pretty new, but I wanted to try my luck, I guess. Those are the years Craze/A-Trak were winning, so we all know the outcomes there! We had other battles, too – Kool cigarettes and other big drink/smoking companies would put on DJ battles.
DJ LIFE: Tell me about your ascendancy in the battle scene… what put you on the map?
Trayze: I got involved with Red Bull 3Style battles in 2012. I was invited to compete in a D.C. regional – I placed second. I decided to post the video-recording of that set on YouTube, and it went viral, which was a big deal in 2012. That definitely put me on the map internationally, even for a local DJ battle. I went on to become a two-time World Championship finalist in Red Bull 3Style, and I won the U.S. title in 2016. I was a World Championship wild-card in 2014.
DJ LIFE: I remember meeting you at a RedBull 3Style World Championship in Phoenix in 2016 and catching your set, which was impressive. What’s it like going into an event that big with so many talented DJs as competition?
Trayze: That weekend was a lot of fun! I enjoy performing for big crowds like that and being under a lot of pressure. By the time you hit the stage for your set, a lot of the routines are already down to muscle memory, so it’s just making sure you’re up there having a good time. I wouldn’t say I get nervous around other talented and skilled DJs, but I still get butterflies in my stomach when it’s time to play. I really enjoy the scene and watching/listening to other DJs sets.
DJ LIFE: Where are you spinning now? What kinds of venues? What kinds of sets are you playing?
Trayze: I have some residencies all over the U.S. All of my DJing is traveling gigs now – I play in a different city just about every weekend. I play lots of different types of sets, which is really fun. One weekend I’ll do an all-vinyl gig at Dante’s HiFi [listening bar] in Miami, then I’ll fly up to St. Pete and play a throwback disco-pop set at Good Night John Boy [retro club], then I’ll round out the weekend doing a hip-hop and R&B day party playing on Serato in Houston. I’ll do festival sets on USBs where I play a lot of house and underground club music. I love the variety of gigs and the challenge of keeping up with different types of music that I love.
DJ LIFE: What’s your favorite kind of DJ gig?
Trayze: My favorite type of gig is where the crowd is open to hearing some throwbacks, some very new music, some samples, and some curveballs. I like to surprise people, and I enjoy crowds that are receptive to selection and skills as an art form. I like to entertain as much as I want to educate… musically, that is.
DJ LIFE: What are a few tracks that you’re always ready to play?
Trayze: “Bustin’ Loose” by Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers is a classic D.C. anthem, and it reminds me of home. “Pick ’Em Up” by Griff & Booman is a classic Baltimore Club staple. So many nights of my childhood were spent listening to B’more Club music, so I try to play some in every set, if I can. Also that track gets the party super-hype! “Like I Love You” by Justin Timberlake feat. The Clipse. I’m a huge Neptunes production fan, and this one is great for any dancefloor. Great verse from The Clipse on there too!
DJ LIFE: What’s your DJ set-up now?
Trayze: I’m comfortable playing on pretty much any type of Pioneer DJ club standard, but I prefer the Pioneer DJM-S11 mixer and Technics SL-1200 MK7 turntables. I also love playing on CDJ-3000s. My favorite software is Serato DJ – it’s what I use the most. I also play some DJ sets using USB drives and rekordbox.
DJ LIFE: Which producer/remixers do you most admire and why?
Trayze: This is insanely difficult to answer, but I admire producers and remixers that make songs that reach me on an emotional level. I’ll know right away if I love a song when I hear the chords or bassline. Some of my favorites would be The Neptunes, DJ Premier, Ryan Leslie, Teddy Riley, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis… I could go on for hours with this list.
DJ LIFE: Which DJs do you admire now?
Trayze: I think my faves right now would have to be Jazzy Jeff, A-Trak and Skratch Bastid. These guys are admirable because of their dedication to craft, their ability to push boundaries and not get boxed into genres or styles, and their consistency.
DJ LIFE: You’re doing lots work for the digital music pool DJcity and other platforms. As a DJ, what’s the aim of your remixes and edits?
Trayze: I like giving myself alternate versions of popular songs to play in my sets, especially when I can reimagine the song into a different style or genre.
DJ LIFE: What are you using in the studio?
Trayze: I’ve been using Ableton Live since Version 8 came out… that’s 2009, I think? Before that, I bounced around between Sony, Sound Forge, and Pro Tools, but I’ve been team Ableton for life for a while now. I don’t really rely on any particular set of monitors anymore, since I’m on the go a lot. I tend to just use some good headphones to get a mix close to what I like, then I’ll play it in the car, on cheap ear buds, and on my phone until it’s right. I love V-Moda headphones right now. I also have an amazing pair of Ultimate Ears Pro in-ear monitors that I use onstage and in the studio. I have to have some kind of keyboard to knock out melodic parts, so I really love my Novation LaunchKey Mini MK3 – that thing hasn’t left my bag in over a year. My favorite plug-in lately is KNOCK by DECAP – gets your drums sounding crazy!
DJ LIFE: How does that process with DJcity work, in terms of getting edits/remixes to them?
Trayze: I’ve been on their official remixer/editor team for a few years now. Before that, I just built a relationship with them over the years, starting around 2014 when I made friends with a couple of the guys there, and started sending them edits consistently. Then they asked if I wanted an official position. So, that was like a seven-year process of just being consistent, nurturing that relationship, sending them good remixes and edits. It’s a great team to be on!
DJ LIFE: Tell me about your artist project…
Trayze: I’m always in the studio these days, whether at home or at friends’ places or on the road. I have some original solo music I’m hoping to get out this year. I have a collaborative project with a producer from Toronto named Lincoln Baio – together we call ourselves FaceTyme. We have actually never met in person, and we’ve been producing music together now for going on four years. We actually met through Mark at DJcity, and we just clicked.
DJ LIFE: What’s the sound and what’s your collab process?
Trayze: FaceTyme style is a mix of U.K. Garage/2Step, underground club and house music. We both use Ableton Live, and we share sessions back and forth. We both start ideas or demos and send them to each other, and then we just build from there. He’s really great at picking out samples, adding those key sounds and pieces that make the song pop. He also has a great ear for melodies. I usually handle most of the engineering, drums, bass. We collaborate on literally every minute detail. We have a single that we just signed to a label that’s coming out this year, and we are also putting out our first solo EP in a few months.
DJ LIFE: How do you sustain yourself through music? You mentioned you have a Patreon page…
Trayze: It’s a combination of live performances, DJ gigs… doing nightclubs and festivals, other events. I do tour DJing – I back up a few different artists on the road, acts like Nina Sky and Plastilina Mosh. Also, my production work, edits, remixes, DJ tools. I’m on patreon.com/trayze for exclusive remixes and DJ edits, separate from the few that I have exclusively on Djcity.com every month. I’m in the studio mostly these days working on production and editing, but I still gig out at least three times a month.
DJ LIFE: You’ve told me that it’s the best time to be an independent DJ/artist… why do you believe that?
Trayze: I think music is in a great place right now. There is so much good music being made, and the barriers to entry are so low. As a DJ, if you are building your own niche fan-base, and you can keep your core audience consistent and coming back for more, you don’t really need big streaming numbers or a big label deal to be successful. Indie is definitely the way to go. DJs are positioned to be at the forefront of this because they have such easy access to gigs and audiences. You can start your own live stream so easily on platforms like Twitch, or upload recorded sets to YouTube. A thousand or so “core fans” can sustain you better than a million streams ever will.
DJ LIFE: What advice would you give to DJs just coming up now?
Trayze: Put yourself out there, at the highest quality you can, with the most consistency you can manage. Set yourself apart with something unique, whether that be your own music, remixes, or edits, or a particular style. The most important thing is just get out there and start sharing. Upload mixes, get yourself heard.
DJ LIFE: What’s next for you?
Trayze: I’m excited to be back on the road! I’m heading back out again this month thru May. I have a bunch of nightclub dates all over the U.S. – Houston, San Francisco, Seattle, D.C., Miami. Also, I’m confirming some international dates for later this year. I have a couple of festival offers as well. Also I’m very excited to get a bunch of original music released. Still always doing my remixes and edits, too. I want to be sharing music with everyone for as long as I can, in any capacity.
Remixes/Edits: Trayze’s Top DJcity Tracks
Major Lazer feat. MØ & DJ Snake: “Lean On” (Trayze Remix). “I remixed this in an Afrobeats/Amapiano style to give the song new life with current popular trends of Afrobeats being played heavily in nightclubs around the world.”
Cardi B: “Like What” (Trayze Remix). “I made an original instrumental for this one that sampled Missy Elliott’s ‘She’s A,’ which again flipped the beat to an Afrobeats style.”
Charli XCX feat. Billie Eilish: “Guess” (Trayze “What They Say” Edit). “This one is more of a straight-up blend, I put the vocals from ‘Guess’ over Maya Jane Cole’s ‘What They Say,’ and it was a perfect fit.”