DJ DRE is the most popular and established radio personalities in the Virgin Islands. Born Andre Gaymes in the lovely island of St Vincent, one of the jewels of the Caribbean, he is an urban trendsetter in and out of the club. With a voice as smooth as the late Barry White, a knack for good music old and new and a crazy, cheerful personality, this music-man always knows how to work a crowd, whether on the airwaves, in the club, at the beach or at a music festival.
At 28 years with more than 10 years in the business, he understands the power music has to blur all lines. “I play for all the people. A particular song can connect with a wide cross section of listeners, it does not matter who you are, what you do, what race you are, if you’re married or single, music blurs all lines. I feel good when a housewife tells me I made her smile and laugh when an office worker says he can’t wait to jam down at one of my club nights. It’s all about the music. Known for mixing it up a lot, from reggae, revival, dancehall to soca, hip hop, rhythm and blues and even a bit of house music, DJ DRE is the British Virgin Islands wakeup call on ZROD 103.7 FM, the number one local radio station.
A great ambassador for positive, conscious music, he represented the British Virgin Islands in the 2005 Heineken Green Synergy DJ Competition in St Lucia and copped the seventh spot, outplaying 17 other DJs. He remembers his first regional competition as if it were yesterday. “How can you forget standing on a stage before a crowd of more than 5,000 people and seeing them response to your mixes, cheering for you all the way. These are people who don’t even know you. Unforgettable.†For him, there’s no future career change. Unlike many people, he’s living his dream. Catch him daily from 7am to 12pm on ZROD.
