DJSUPALEE

Leyland Lyken, better known as DJ Supalee, loves Busta Rhymes, Funkmaster Flex and yes, he says with a smile, any artist from Def Jam Records. Blending the music comes naturally to him, even if he doesn’t hear it.“‘Can a deaf person DJ?’” Lee asks, imitating the wide-eyed confusion he inevitably encounters from the uninitiated.His explanation is simple: The headphones act like a hearing aid, allowing him to pick up some of the music’s basic tones. For the rest, he can feel the vibrations and find his way to the different beats.“Most DJs, they can hear this,” he says, tapping out a straight rhythm with his left hand. “But a lot can’t blend it into the next.” His right hand taps out a faster, syncopated rhythm. He moves his hands together, until the left hand adopts the beat of the right. “For some DJs, there’s a skip.” He demonstrates as one beat overtakes the other—but with a trip, a conspicuous second of silence.When DJ Supalee spins, he says, he never skips a beat.Lee lost his hearing when he nearly drowned at age 9. He began DJing at 16, when, in a fit of maternal anxiety, his mother tried to cool his passion for boxing by encouraging him to spend more time with his father, a professional DJ.Now, 15 years later, the 31-year-old has expanded his job title from DJ to promoter to deaf icon. Through his organization, Deaf United Entertainment, Lee is helping to expand nightlife for “deafies” in New York and Washington D.C. He regularly headlines and sponsors events that showcase deaf DJs, rappers, and dancers. Lee has even promoted top-notch emerging talent like DJ Star Baby, the first female deaf DJ.As Deaf United Entertainment grows, Lee has more shows to plan, talent to discover, and nightclubs to commandeer for deaf parties. But even for the self-described “hottest deaf DJ in America,” there is always room for improvement. “I don’t have real emcee skills,” says Lee. “There just isn’t a deaf emcee out yet. I’m working on that.” BY PAIGE FERRARI You should create your own MySpace Layouts like me by using nUCLEArcENTURy .COM's MySpace Profile Editor !