Frei

Original Gangster, Soulful Entertainer, Relentless Hustler

“How would I describe my personal brand? Somebody who is invested and soaked in his beliefs. I’ve yet to do something half-assed.”

“I remember I was in primary school, and I had a bunch of clay on the table, and my teacher asked me if I liked Marvel. I said ‘I love comic books.’ My teacher took the green clay and created the Incredible Hulk. He was defined and on point. It was magic. That was the first time I got some sort of understanding of the concept of working with art. The second time was when I saw The Motown special 25th anniversary when Michael Jackson did the moonwalk. I wanted to be part of that. Not necessarily be Michael Jackson, but I knew I wanted to entertain and incorporate music.”

“Your surroundings will tell you ‘Just give up and get a regular job.’ But New York doesn’t give you that because you watch the impossible become possible here. No matter how hard it is, you always need to push forward. Do it until you bleed out. I know it sounds raw, but it’s the truth. What else do you have in life, but to go after the things you want?”

“I’m here because of the consistency and the time that I put into my craft. That’s the thing about it, being in New York, you embrace those things that other places make you give up.”

“My father was afraid of failure. He grew up in a time when playing with arts and photography was less acknowledged than today. After he passed, it made me understand that I can’t live like that. My thing is to give it my all. I feel like I’ve already had some successes that wasn’t meant for me to have. I did it on my own.”

“Some people know me as DJ Frei even though I don’t call myself a DJ. Other people know me as a model because they’ve seen me in photos. Some people just know me as O.G. (original gangster) Frei. They see the evolution of me, as I’ve grown and become the person I am today.”

“When I DJ, I am looking at the crowds. I am looking at people hopefully celebrating life, and my job is to give the score to their lives. It’s a movie on mute until I play some music. I complement the looks, the vibe, the outfits. Whatever is going on in the room, I try to match that.”

“My parents are from third world countries. Telling them what I wanted to pursue, after hearing them say how hard of a struggle life was for them, was not an option, because they would tell me I was wasting my time. Even when I was in high school pursuing music, and I ended up in magazines and on radio shows, I didn’t tell my parents. They found out when I got signed with a producer. My mom was like ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ They were proud of me when they found out, even when they didn’t actually know what it all meant.”

“I am born and raised in Brooklyn. The last ten years I’ve seen this heavy influx of people who are not original New Yorkers. The mixture of different races and ethnicities is a lot more prominent now than when I was younger. They come here, settle in, and now are New Yorkers. They have been here long enough to be indoctrinated into the culture and the environment. They left behind their old way of living to take on this lifestyle.”

“There is a rhythm to New York that changes depending on how you conduct yourself. Your memory and mind adapts to this city. You learn how to think, perceive and move as a New Yorker.”

Q&A

What neighborhood do you live in? I live in Flatbush, Brooklyn.

Best thing about living there? Best thing would be my backyard during the summer. It’s the perfect getaway.

Favorite neighborhood? Bed-Stuy is the first thing that comes to mind, but for me it’s mostly because that’s where the family, meaning my homies and loved ones live.

Favorite restaurant? Roti House on Nostrand Avenue for the best roti. I’ve been going to them for years.

“What attracts me to New York is the people. You got the slick talker, you got the foreigner, the hustler, the pretty girl trying to make it, the guy that thinks he’s gonna make it. The sex appeal of New York City is definitely the people.”

Favorite bar? Ode to Babel is one of my favorite bars in Brooklyn owned by two sisters in Crown Heights. A great atmosphere, good drinks and small plates serving until late.

Hidden gem? Canarsie Piers. Perfect little spot for date night in the summertime by the water. Either a bike or a drive up, park and check out the view by the water.

How to be(come) a New Yorker? Being a New Yorker is about exploring your surroundings. Introduce yourself to other cultures and ways of living. Be social with your local people.

Your New York soundtrack? Eric B and Rakim Know The Ledge from the Juice Soundtrack.

5 Things that Tell a Story about Frei

NEEDLE “This is used to play records. Music is everything to me. Without music I would not be where I am right now. My first experience with music came from a turning table. I grew up around a bunch of DJs and they made me understand the power of music.”

HAT “I love it because orange is a strong color and it’s very recognizable. My scully is my scully. I’m dark complexion and I would always wear dark clothes. My mother would always say to me ‘Why are you hiding?’ One day I went shopping, and I bought something colorful, and I got so many compliments, I started thinking that I wanted to keep that going, and that’s what I did.”

BRACELET “I got this from my ex-girlfriend. She brought this back for me after her first visit to Ghana. It was designed for me. We are not together anymore, but I still wear it every day.”

RING 1 “I was hanging out with this girl, and I borrowed this ring. At the end of the day I wanted to give it back to her but she said ‘No, you keep the ring. It’s your ring.’ and I‘ve worn it ever since. I feel like we could have been more than friends, but we never pursued it. I haven’t been in touch with her in a long time. I don’t know where she is.”

RING 2 “I was doing this event, and one of the vendors had all this jewelry. I was looking at these pieces and he had a ring there. I told him it was amazing, and he goes ‘Take it. It’s yours.’ without hesitation. Since then we have been friends.”