My Story - Once upon a Time....
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For over 3 decades, Alex Mejia has been a noteworthy contributor in music and the content-creator space where he creates multi media content for Artists, Lyric Videos, Dj Battles and more. While some of you know Alex from his work as the Mixshow Director at KMEL radio in the San Francisco Bay Area during the 80’s and 90’s, Alex’s true passion is his philanthropic work as the co-founder of Beats 4 Hope, where he brings the music community together for social good.
Alex has been recognized for his contributions to the Purple Pam Foundation, Make A Wish Foundation Greater Bay Area as well as LAVA MAE X. Alex is a huge advocate for the DJ culture and has created Let The DJs Play with Davey D and Dj Platurn and is working to create a positive relationship between DJs, the social media platforms and music companies. You can still hear Alex in the mix on Mixcloud.com with over 420 mixes that ranges from Hip Hop, R & B, House and of course the Mixes dedicated to Prince. |
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Born and raised in the Bay Area, music has always been a defining part of his life. Mejia became one of the key architects behind revolutionizing the mix‑show format on commercial radio in the 1990s at 106 KMEL. During that era, he created The All‑Star DJs, a powerhouse collective featuring: DJ Franzen Wong, DJ Latin Prince, DJ Jose Melendez, Prince Ice, Glenn Aure, DJ Dave Meyer, DJ/Producer Fredrick Nassar, DJ Billy Vidal, DJ Greg Lopez, DJ Jerry‑O, DJ Davey D, and DJ Rick Lee.
Their collective impact pushed mix shows out of late‑night slots and into full daytime rotation, breaking countless records and reshaping how stations programmed music. Today, the mix‑show format remains a core element of radio programming—from local stations to national satellite platforms—thanks in part to the groundwork laid during that era.
Mejia also played a pivotal role in bringing Sway and King Tech and The World Famous Wake Up Show to KMEL. He created the first West Side Radio shows, curating the music and hosting West Coast rappers every Friday night. Before leaving the station, he developed the concept for KMEL’s House of Soul, a program the station continues to this day.
After his Bay Area run, Mejia moved to Los Angeles and spent six years as an A&R Director at Noo Trybe/Virgin Records. During that time, he had the privilege of working with an extraordinary roster of artists, including: The Luniz, Aaliyah, Lenny Kravitz, OutKast, Janet Jackson, P. Diddy, Missy Elliott, Scritti Politti, KRS‑One, Gang Starr, Rakim, DJ Premier, The Neptunes, Snoop Dogg, Raphael Saadiq, Tank, Ideal, DJ Quik, Diane Warren, Les Nubians, Nate Dogg, The Roots, Rodney Jerkins, and Redman.
Their collective impact pushed mix shows out of late‑night slots and into full daytime rotation, breaking countless records and reshaping how stations programmed music. Today, the mix‑show format remains a core element of radio programming—from local stations to national satellite platforms—thanks in part to the groundwork laid during that era.
Mejia also played a pivotal role in bringing Sway and King Tech and The World Famous Wake Up Show to KMEL. He created the first West Side Radio shows, curating the music and hosting West Coast rappers every Friday night. Before leaving the station, he developed the concept for KMEL’s House of Soul, a program the station continues to this day.
After his Bay Area run, Mejia moved to Los Angeles and spent six years as an A&R Director at Noo Trybe/Virgin Records. During that time, he had the privilege of working with an extraordinary roster of artists, including: The Luniz, Aaliyah, Lenny Kravitz, OutKast, Janet Jackson, P. Diddy, Missy Elliott, Scritti Politti, KRS‑One, Gang Starr, Rakim, DJ Premier, The Neptunes, Snoop Dogg, Raphael Saadiq, Tank, Ideal, DJ Quik, Diane Warren, Les Nubians, Nate Dogg, The Roots, Rodney Jerkins, and Redman.
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Today, Mejia approaches the art of mixing from a whole different perspective by using his experiences with music and his rebirth as dj for mix shows. Mejia, "It’s like golf or anything for which you have a passion for. You get better as you work on your technique with time. With this in mind, I’ve decided to take full advantage of all my knowledge of music, production and live playing and give it back to the people who have given me so much.
"I truly enjoy mentoring many young artist or try to inspire them to challenge themselves so they can have a decent chance to make it in today's music business."
Alex Mejia
"I truly enjoy mentoring many young artist or try to inspire them to challenge themselves so they can have a decent chance to make it in today's music business."
Alex Mejia
Once upon a time...
Alex Mejia, began his start by deejaying in local clubs in the Bay Area while attending his music major degree. In 1986 he landed coveted internship at KMEL. He was able to mix a variety of music because of his up bringing in the rich Bay Area radio scene of Hip Hop, R & B, and Club Music. He used his experience and knowledge of the Bay Area’s music scene to drive the radio industry as KMEL's Street Music Director for 10 years.
As a music major, Mejia knew early on that the music business was his calling—and that the road ahead wouldn’t be easy. His philosophy was simple: If you push every day, your dream eventually pushes back. The harder you work, the faster it becomes real.
In 1986, he walked into KMEL as an intern and went all‑in. He studied programming, learned how to break new music, and absorbed everything he could from a team that would become one of the most legendary lineups in radio history. His goal wasn’t small—he wanted to understand every corner of the industry because he dreamed of becoming a Record Company President.
To build that foundation, he worked at Star Records, gaining firsthand knowledge of how consumers discovered and bought music. He then moved to City Hall Music Distribution, learning the business mechanics and the art of selling records—all while still grinding at KMEL. That combination gave him a rare, 360‑degree perspective on what songs could win, how to position them, and how to help artists compete in the marketplace.
That insight opened major doors. Mejia was tapped to help develop and manage Sway and King Tech, and he became KMEL’s Street Music Director, shaping the sound of the station from the ground up. As his production skills grew, he became a sought‑after Bay Area DJ remixer, with major labels calling on him to add his signature twist or creative direction to their records.
“I was lucky,” Mejia says. “KMEL’s platform put me in rooms with record company presidents and legendary artists. Some of those presidents were clearly grooming me for the next level—sometimes trying to trade favors for spins. But KMEL didn’t need that. Our Powermixes were so strong they earned airplay in markets across the country. Yes—we were that good.”
In 1986, he walked into KMEL as an intern and went all‑in. He studied programming, learned how to break new music, and absorbed everything he could from a team that would become one of the most legendary lineups in radio history. His goal wasn’t small—he wanted to understand every corner of the industry because he dreamed of becoming a Record Company President.
To build that foundation, he worked at Star Records, gaining firsthand knowledge of how consumers discovered and bought music. He then moved to City Hall Music Distribution, learning the business mechanics and the art of selling records—all while still grinding at KMEL. That combination gave him a rare, 360‑degree perspective on what songs could win, how to position them, and how to help artists compete in the marketplace.
That insight opened major doors. Mejia was tapped to help develop and manage Sway and King Tech, and he became KMEL’s Street Music Director, shaping the sound of the station from the ground up. As his production skills grew, he became a sought‑after Bay Area DJ remixer, with major labels calling on him to add his signature twist or creative direction to their records.
“I was lucky,” Mejia says. “KMEL’s platform put me in rooms with record company presidents and legendary artists. Some of those presidents were clearly grooming me for the next level—sometimes trying to trade favors for spins. But KMEL didn’t need that. Our Powermixes were so strong they earned airplay in markets across the country. Yes—we were that good.”
We’ve got to give a legendary shout‑out to “Brass Monkey” (Cameron Paul Mix‑It)—the mix that changed the game. And then there was Michael Erickson… oh my GOD. Michael could rock any party, and when he hit the turntables, his style became our style. He was funky, fearless, and one of the most influential DJs to ever touch wax.
As a mentor, Michael was just as powerful. He always made time to talk music, strategy, radio, and the craft. Every now and then he’d drop wild stories from meetings or moments in the music scene that only he could tell.
So many of us owe props to both Cameron Paul and Michael Erickson for doing it right on the airwaves—and for inspiring an entire generation of DJs to step up, get better, and push the culture forward.
As a mentor, Michael was just as powerful. He always made time to talk music, strategy, radio, and the craft. Every now and then he’d drop wild stories from meetings or moments in the music scene that only he could tell.
So many of us owe props to both Cameron Paul and Michael Erickson for doing it right on the airwaves—and for inspiring an entire generation of DJs to step up, get better, and push the culture forward.
But then came the next generation of KMEL Power Mixers—a name brilliantly coined by Program Director Keith Naftely. That crew was Theo, Dave Moss, and myself. And let me tell you… Theo and Dave were a force. They brought a level of musical grit and imagination that could take a good record and make it unforgettable. Their production style wasn’t just unique—it was transformative.
We were blessed with late Saturday nights, and in our world, that was when the radio waves got a little sweeter. The beats hit harder. The energy shifted. It wasn’t unusual to hear a brand‑new cut from New York or something raw and underground from the Bay. We broke every rule in radio, and the production was absolutely off the hook.
Those men inspired me deeply. I was honored every time I heard their mixes. Their creativity had that “oh my GOD” factor—ideas so bold and unexpected they pushed all of us to level up. Because of them, I woke up excited about music every single day.
I’ll share their sound through YouTube later, but even without it, the legacy speaks for itself.
My first attempts in the mix‑show and remix world fell flat—I can admit that now. But I was fortunate that Keith Naftely saw something in me. He could have chosen any DJ in the Bay who mixed cleaner or faster, but he kept me in the room. For that, I’m forever grateful.
I wasn’t the best. But the combination of their belief in me, my refusal to quit, and the relentless effort we all put in made every moment at KMEL worth it. That journey shaped me. It shaped all of us.
We were blessed with late Saturday nights, and in our world, that was when the radio waves got a little sweeter. The beats hit harder. The energy shifted. It wasn’t unusual to hear a brand‑new cut from New York or something raw and underground from the Bay. We broke every rule in radio, and the production was absolutely off the hook.
Those men inspired me deeply. I was honored every time I heard their mixes. Their creativity had that “oh my GOD” factor—ideas so bold and unexpected they pushed all of us to level up. Because of them, I woke up excited about music every single day.
I’ll share their sound through YouTube later, but even without it, the legacy speaks for itself.
My first attempts in the mix‑show and remix world fell flat—I can admit that now. But I was fortunate that Keith Naftely saw something in me. He could have chosen any DJ in the Bay who mixed cleaner or faster, but he kept me in the room. For that, I’m forever grateful.
I wasn’t the best. But the combination of their belief in me, my refusal to quit, and the relentless effort we all put in made every moment at KMEL worth it. That journey shaped me. It shaped all of us.
With my experience and knowledge of songs plus my relationships with artists, my career started to turn around. I had more credibility and people in the industry wanted to know my opinion in music, The remixes became national. In 1996 my efforts lead me to become Director of A & R for Noo Trybe/Virgin Records andanother step closer to becoming a record company president. I had the pleasure of working with artists such as The Luniz, Aaliyah, Lenny Kravitz, OutKast, Janet Jackson, P. Diddy, Missy Elliot, Scritti Polliti, KRS-One, Gang Starr, Rakim, Dj Premier, The Neptunes, Snoop Dogg, Raphael Saadiq, Tank, Ideal, Dj Quik, Diane Warren, Les Nubians, Nate Dogg, The Roots, Rodney Jerkins and Redman."
Once I got into the record company business, I soon discovered it was not the place for me. It was 'Shark City' and everybody in it for themselves. The strong political nature, professional backstabbing and lack of teamwork was not the ideal culture. I road it out for six-plus years and learned so much. I truly tried to make the best of it but at the end of the day, it wasn't about the music. Perhaps it could have been because I have seen other labels do it well.
So now I am an independent where I can work long and hard on projects that mean something and make a difference.
Believing that my work as a DJ was not finished, I decided to pick up my headphones, dust off the turntables and give back as a philanthropist. Mejia says, “I’ve done so much with music and have all this knowledge. I want to share it, celebrate and give back. Beats4hope.com is now born.
Once I got into the record company business, I soon discovered it was not the place for me. It was 'Shark City' and everybody in it for themselves. The strong political nature, professional backstabbing and lack of teamwork was not the ideal culture. I road it out for six-plus years and learned so much. I truly tried to make the best of it but at the end of the day, it wasn't about the music. Perhaps it could have been because I have seen other labels do it well.
So now I am an independent where I can work long and hard on projects that mean something and make a difference.
Believing that my work as a DJ was not finished, I decided to pick up my headphones, dust off the turntables and give back as a philanthropist. Mejia says, “I’ve done so much with music and have all this knowledge. I want to share it, celebrate and give back. Beats4hope.com is now born.
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