A laptop covered in Hebrew and Farsi stickers. One that’s of a cassette tape. Oh, and don’t forget about the weights.
Don’t be surprised if you see this at the next party you go to.
From Persian parties to bar and bat mitzvahs, bridal showers, grand openings of businesses and much more, a former Jericho High School student has found a creative path.
Aaron Mairzadeh, also known as A.J., is a Stony Brook University engineering student and a DJ. He owns and operates A&J Entertainment, a business he created in 2011 with his best friend, Elan Jadid, to share his passion with the community. Eventually, Jadid started his own business ventures and Mairzadeh runs A&J Entertainment by himself.
“I definitely want to be DJ-ing for the rest of my life,” Mairzadeh said. “In high school, people didn’t really have much faith in me. I got picked on about it a couple of times. I didn’t have any doubts.”
Since Mairzadeh created A&J Entertainment, he’s taken over northern Long Island, combining a unique mixture of Persian, Israeli and American music, along with some of his own twists.
Mairzadeh first experimented with becoming a DJ by doing smaller parties. He accumulated enough money to upgrade his equipment, eventually creating his own niche. Throughout the years, he realized this could be the perfect business opportunity while in college. He could pursue his degree and have fun on the side while people can find out who he is.
“I was 11 or 12, and my older brother had an electronic turntable, so he would do small parties with his friends,” he said. “I decided to pick it up and try to use it. After that, I fell in love with it. I got my best friend involved in learning how to use it. After a while, we both invested in our own set of turntables.”
Some of the DJ’s highlights include working with Bandier in Manhasset, Sonja Morgan of Real Housewives of New York and much more.
“I’ve done lots of events for big companies and charities,” Mairzadeh said. “One of the biggest parties was a USY [United Synagogue Youth] regional convention with 300 to 400 students.”
Overall, the experience of being a DJ, all while in the process of obtaining a college degree from a prestigious university, comes from the heart. He aims to create a unique experience for those who believe in him.
In his own unique way, Mairzadeh is giving back to the local community. He wants people to enjoy the music he plays, not just because he’s getting paid for it, but to make sure they enjoy whatever event they’re at.
Besides cultural music, he also is an electronic dance music (EDM) enthusiast, performing at proms and graduation ceremonies.
“What sets me apart from other DJs is I go above and beyond to make sure the customer is happy with my music,” he said. “I make sure I’m catering to their every need. I ask what atmosphere they want, like disco lights, a drummer and more. One of the things that I do that others don’t is I actually take requests. I want to keep everybody happy.”
Throughout the summer, the now-Old Westbury resident hopes to perform at dozens of events. The goal is to provide a personal touch to family-oriented events with a reasonable price. Thus far, the reaction to his startup business has been phenomenal.
“It started with a $100 electronic turntable in my bedroom,” he said. “I managed to scrape together enough cash to get myself into bigger parties. A lot of the parties have been word of mouth.”
A&J Entertainment can be found on Instagram @aandjentertainments. Those interested in the group’s services can contact A&J Entertainments at 516-606-1696.
