An artist probably not even old enough to buy a Pitbull CD just confirmed to open his show. Regardless, DJ BeatBoy (known as Alex Gutierrez to his mom, dad, and middle school) will drop some beats at Jacobs Pavilion on July 29. Gutierrez earned the gig after a booking executive heard him perform at the Rib Cook-off.
And Cleveland’s 11-year-old mixmaster plays clean music—an unlikely match for one of hip-hop’s raunchiest. But he’s sticking to his guns. “If I did play something with swear words, I don’t think I’d have as many fans. I’m 11. Why would I be playing inappropriate stuff?”
Gutierrez knows his sh … I mean, stuff. When asked about his favorite artists, he dropped names like Skrillex, Deadmau5, and even up-and-coming dubstepper Zed. With talent and knowledge of the industry, he’s basically a mini EV. His dad even calls him that. It’s no surprise then that Gutierrez counts EV and DJ Steph Floss from Z107.9 among his mentors.
“I’m really just trying to use current hip-hop and also mix in some pop. I want to attract as big of an audience as possible,” Gutierrez says. And he’s doing all the mixing on equipment he bought himself. (Surprising, since he’s too young for even a part-time job).
Gutierrez did ask for his parents to help make a name for himself though—in more ways than one. Not only do his parents manage his website and book his shows, his dad dreamed up his stage name.
“B-Boy is a style of dance. And I do B-Boy dancing but also play music. It makes sense,” Gutierrez says. Gutierrez actually started out as a dancer and still has a spot on the 96.5 Kiss FM’s K Crew.
Like most kids, Gutierrez just wants international fame. The difference between him and other tweens? This little dude just might get it.
This article appears in Jun 27 – Jul 3, 2012.
How can you write an entire article not his kid, even claiming he “earned” the gig after a previous show, without actually mentioning who his father is? DJ BeatBoy is the son of Bo Matthews, programming director for 100.7 WMMS and 96.5 KISS-FM. Anyone unfortunate enough to not have satellite radio yet (myself) has had DJ BB shoved down their throats constantly over the past few months.
Haha! Not one mention of how this twerp REALLY gets these gigs? His dad is Bomo, program director is KISS-FM and WMMS-FM. All those people that supposedly just saw him and booked him – they’re all friends of Bomo, who pimps this kid like he’s a miniature $5 crack whore.
I remember the first time my dad forced someone to pretend to like me