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Ahmed Shawi (D.J. Uptown) was born in the Kingdom of Bahrain in 1987. By the age of 12, Uptown took it upon himself to learn the art of turntablism. He began spinning at various events at his middle school (yes, middle school), and was quickly recruited by surrounding Bahrain schools. At 15 years old, Uptown was considered a musical prodigy and landed a permanent residency at Club Edge in Bahrain, one of the largest nightclubs in the kingdom. During his high school years, Uptown toured the Middle East and Europe, performing at the largest nightclubs and events in Dubai, Cairo, Istanbul, London, and Amsterdam. Influenced by the many cultures, languages, and musical genres he came across during his tours, DJ Uptown had the opportunity to develop a completely unique “international” style that set him apart from his peers; all before graduating high school.

In 2005, DJ Uptown moved to the United States to attend college and further develop as an artist. While living in Boston, MA, Uptown immediately broke into the local nightclub scene with the influence of Boston legends DJ Hevan, and DJ Big. Recognizing Uptown’s skills and taking an interest in his unique international sound and nicknaming him “The Arabian Scratch Master”, these well-established nightclub DJ’s began mentoring him, making his transition to the American scene smooth and natural. Within a few months, Uptown was recruited for residencies at some of Boston’s biggest nightclubs, including Clubs Aria, Mantra, and Venu. Taking a special interest in their Arabian protege, Uptown joined their extensive Boston-based DJ crew, “Team All-Star DJ’s.” His maturity, professionalism, and international experience were so impressive that by the age of 19, Uptown was appointed “Director of Business Affairs” and began managing events and marketing for the crew.

Today, DJ Uptown is one of the most highly recruited DJ’s out of Boston. His ability to ignite any crowd with Vocal House, Electro House, Hip Hop, Top 40 and Mashups makes him a club favorite, while his sophisticated turntablism and mixing skills make him a “DJ’s DJ.” He is associated with The Blaq List and Top Shelf Entertainment, two of the largest nightlife companies in Boston, New York, Miami, and more. Uptown makes guest appearances at some of the nation’s largest clubs including Pure (Vegas), Pacha (NYC), Le Passage (Chicago), Suite (Miami) and Pearl (Providence). DJ Uptown shares his global experience on his quest to “Uptownize” a nation, displaying all that he has learned and absorbed through each performance. He greatly appreciates all of his fans and explains in one sentence how he has been able to draw a following from people of all backgrounds, cultures, and nations:

“There is only one international language. Music.” - DJ Uptown

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Alexander Yee

Seen also in Collections: Artists

Seen also in Set: Deejay Uptown

Web: www.djuptown.com

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