The Sunday Mail
Andrew Moyo —
L-ROY is one of the biggest names on the local DJ scene, a brand carefully nurtured over the last 15 years.
Born Roy Miller, this DJ has established a firm grip in the industry of spinning records with his credentials spanning from the club scene to radio and even TV. Starting off at an early age of 16 under the tutelage of Witness Matema, L-Roy has mastered every aspect of his art over the years, dominating numerous platforms.
Throughout his career he has won numerous DJ Battles including the 2011 Miller Golden DJ Battle and the 2014 Food World DJ Battle. He is currently a brand ambassador for Ster Kinekor Zimbabwe.
However, after an emotional week where he was named best hip-hop presenter at the recently held Zim Radio Awards and was approached by new Stars Studio nightclub owners to lead their team of DJs, L-Roy could not hold back his joy.
In an unsolicited interview with The Sunday Mail Leisure on the sidelines of one of his gigs in the capital, L-Roy spoke about his formative years.
“I was still in high school when I started playing, doing school gigs, weddings, birthdays and house parties among other small events. After I finished high school I got my first contract to provide a PA System and play at Kadoma Hotel and Conference Centre for about three years.
“This is when I hooked up with other DJs including DJ Storm, Peter Johns, Kudzi Marudza, Davis Mugadza and Chaka D among others,” recounted L-Roy.
As the years went by, his stock continued to rise getting opportunities to play on bigger platforms.
“In 2004 I came second in The Sprite Turn it up to the Max DJ Battle and this was proof enough that I was a force to reckon in the industry. As time went on, my brand was growing and by 2007 I was getting regional gigs, playing in clubs like Monsoon and Club Moloko in South Africa.”
In 2009 after winning the Lion Larger Big 5 DJ Battle, he was regarded as the number one wheel spinner in the country. This was the year he would team up with another talented DJ, Dee Nosh and the two formed D&L Entertainment an entity that hosted an array of international acts including Liquid Deep, Oskido, Cindo, DJ Clock and DJ Cleo among others.
The duo, were also responsible for giving life to Stars Studio Night Club, establishing it as the best nightspot in Harare before its closure. The club reopens this weekend and L-Roy is elated that he will once again get to play there.
“When we started playing at Stars, the joint needed strong marketing and more importantly the creation of an environment that no other club was offering in terms of entertainment and class and together with Dee Nosh we delivered that to the people.
“It always feels good be back to my roots and reignite the memories of years gone by and I am humbled to be part of this project.”
He said that the place is bound to pose a serious threat to other clubs around the city as it was bringing a different vibe on the scene.
“There is no doubt that other night spots are going to feel the heat which is what I think this industry is all about. Anything new or revamped gets people talking so this is going to come down to our capability to provide for people’s needs so I am confident this joint will be a hit.”
L-Roy is involved in various areas of entertainment including being a TV and radio presenter, P.A System hire services and events consultancy among other things. Currently he is on rotation at various top nightclubs including News Café and Old Kebab among others.
