A FLY GUY… Literally
Guyanese native from Brooklyn, New York now living in Miami, A Fly Guy, was born ready to take over the world with his ambition and drive to make a name for himself. Of course “A Fly Guy” isn’t on his birth certificate; however he carries the nickname well. You could say his lofty taste in shoes, clothes and overall appearance is mostly the reason, but he does have quite the flirtatious personality with the ladies. In his line of business- entertainment- that’s a good thing and a bad thing.
There was a group of us named ‘G4,’ where we would dress according to the scene of the parties known as ‘Fahsion Monsters.’ Once we went to a party, dressed to match the scene or whatever and this girl who worked the door was like, ‘You’re really a fly guy,’ and it just stuck with me. From then on I attached ‘A Fly Guy’ to everything, – A Fly Guy
So what makes a man fly? In my eyes, it’s all about confidence, leadership, ambition, Godly- ness, sex appeal and a well tailored suit. Nothing says “fly” to me better than a good looking man in a nice suit. A Fly Guy has a taste all his own including his obsession with sneakers. And I’m not talking about the most marketed pair of shoes everybody seems to fight over on early Saturday mornings. I’m talking about the sneakers your friends don’t even know about- sneakers that fit his personality and style. But his personal love for fashion goes a bit deeper than just sneakers and simply being known for setting trends.
Whether it’s me wearing a bow tie & boat shoes to a club, or DJing in a suit, or just dressing casually in apparel not commonly worn by most others, these are reasons why I am A Fly Guy™, and a trendsetter. – A Fly Guy
There is definitely more to this man than his fly-ness. An entrepreneur at heart, A Fly Guy has always seen himself successful in business. As a teen, he engaged in business classes learning the proper ways of starting a business. He actually started his first business in the ninth grade and another while attending college at Florida Agriculture and Mechanical University (FAMU). His fashion sense kicked in and during 2004-2005 he was designing clothing for Mecca. That serious love for sneakers I mentioned earlier came in handy. It was in 2009 that he got his “ah-ha” moment as he begin to focus on starting another business.
In 2009 I was managing a sneaker store in Miami and my boss at the time tried to reprimand me in front of customers. So by July 4th, I had my own. – A Fly Guy
As he started spinning as a DJ in South Beach, he had truly begun to brand himself, so with his knowledge of building a business, his eye for fashion and ambitious personality, he went for it; opening Stock X Change in Hollywood, FL. He knew that by opening a sneaker store that was geared only towards true sneaker-heads would be genius.
In business, I’m meticulous about things. I’m really a control freak and I don’t believe in a buyer or stylist. Branding is similar to relationships and how it requires consistency. – A Fly Guy
The sneaker boutique, Stock X Change was created in a way to mimic the Stock Market. “Just as goods are bought, sold, & traded in the Stock Market, SXC is the place where the recession-proof consumer can exchange their currency for what’s in ‘stock….’ for the masses to indulge in the latest trends and vintage selections in sneakers, apparel, and accessories.” Neat right? Unfortunately, in 2012 A Fly Guy had to close the doors to Stock X Change. He realized that as he was growing as a DJ and becoming more and more noticeable, it was harder to do both – DJ and run a business. He admits to making a lot of mistakes, but is optimistic about reopening later. Even though it was hard to let go, he took to heart what he’d learned owning a business for future reference.
I learned not to go into paying COD (cash on delivery). You can find yourself in trouble. Oh and disregard the concept of sleep. Stay up, write a plan, plan 2-3 weeks/years ahead. – A Fly Guy
In addition to giving advice to aspiring entrepreneurs, A Fly Guy takes what he’s learned to the schools as a speaker for Career Day for eight graders encouraging them to stay in school and to become an entrepreneur.
Blame it on his “carefree, in the moment, never prepare – I like to do it in the moment,” attitude. Once the doors to his creative sneaker business were closed, A Fly Guy focused his energy more on DJing. He is now a high profile contestant on the hour long Smirnoff creation of Master of the Mix which airs on VH1 Monday nights.
I’m blessed to be on the show. The show gives access to DJ culture to all races. It’s a huge opportunity. – A Fly Guy
A huge opportunity indeed… people are paying more attention to him now more than ever. He credits his inspiration to DJ Irie (official DJ for the Miami Heat) for his diverse style, but with all the fame coming his way, he keeps a humble head.
My family- my parents and my brothers wouldn’t let my head get big. I don’t it any of this for granted. I know there’s always room for improvement and I never can be comfortable or complacent. And you know, I get a lot of love because I treat everyone equally. – A Fly Guy
In May, A Fly Guy will be celebrating his thirty-third birthday with about 17 years as a MC under his belt. His legendary mixtapes (F.U.C.), R & B slow jams, now have 12 volumes with another set to release on May 8th. Plus, he’s planning to spin for the ‘Rock the World Extravaganza’ with Tony Rock in June. With the show and plenty other responsibilities, A Fly Guy says he loves being in a relationship, however it’s hard to do so being a DJ. His main focus right now is becoming the Master of the Mix and pushing the envelope as a DJ. Check the style and remember the name, he is A Fly Guy. – LSherie
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CONTACT
Twitter/IG : @AFlyGuy
The Challenge | Speak With Your Hands – A FLY GUY
