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DJ Hapa: Epilepsy.com Superstar and Spokesperson for Epilepsy Therapy Project
HAPA was born and raised in the heart of San Francisco. Although his younger days were spent with the boy scouts and playing league sports, he was always drawn to his parent's old vinyl records. After trying to put together mixtapes using two cassette tape decks, HAPA got his first set of turntables in high school and began to develop his craft as a DJ. He didn't realize it at the time, but his mentorship and leadership role as a counselor for a church summer camp throughout high school, was his first experience in grabbing and keeping the attention of crowds with his ability to inspire.
Perhaps one of the most challenging moments in HAPA's life came shortly after being diagnosed with Epilepsy just months before he was to graduate from high school. Doctors told him that the stress of college life would not be "possible" with the condition as the on going seizures would cause brain damage, or worse. Determined not to let anything stop him from achieving any of his dreams or aspirations, HAPA accepted the offer to attend UCLA with the highly regarded Regents scholarship, and moved to Los Angeles.
Despite struggling through seizures and on top of the normal workload and stress a college student experiences, HAPA co-founded Alpha Kappa Psi, a professional business fraternity, was a member of Exquisite Sounds DJ Crew, and even started a business venture with two of his friends -- DJ City, now one of the largest online vinyl and digital music record stores. Shortly after opening REHAB Projects – a vinyl record and lifestyle clothing store in West Los Angeles – is when Hapa's DJ career really took off.
The combination of his energy and skills on the turntables and mic has allowed him to rock crowds in the hottest night clubs across the world from Club Mix at the top of THE Hotel in the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, to Edge (Hong Kong), to Plaza of Nations (Canada), and Mood (Hollywood, CA). His knowledge of all genres of music has given him the opportunity to spin at exclusive VIP and private parties for the likes of Carmello Anthony, Chamillionaire, and Bustra Rhymes; and at exclusive events like Michael Jordan's Celebrity Golf Tournament in Nassau, Bahamas, the NBA All Star Game (2005 and 2007) and at the 2007 Rose Bowl. With his love for sexy music, Hapa also has the ability to bring a chill vibe to more laid-back atmospheres, including DJing for Hidden Beach Recording's, Unwrapped jazz band. It didn’t take long after his DJ career started going upward, for a then producer of American Idol to discover HAPA. She was working on a new TV show, and he was the final missing piece to complete her vision.
Shortly thereafter, HAPA began shooting for the International Channel's XBytes. The International Channel, which later became the AZN network, quickly responded to HAPA's pitch to have a music video and culture TV show – The Bridge. The Bridge gave HAPA an opportunity to bring audiences into his home – REHAB Projects which he is still currently co-owner of.
After having a taste of being in front of the camera for both the TV shows he has hosted, and for the countless on-camera interviews he has done about DJ culture, HAPA can now be found DJing every morning on the Emmy Award Winning Los Angeles Morning News Show on KTLA Channel 5, on the CW network. HAPA's role on the show is ground-breaking, as he is the first DJ to ever DJ on the news before.
When Hapa is not on the news, or traveling all over the world, he takes pride in being the Executive Director of Scratch DJ Academy, Los Angeles. In a recent interview Hapa stated, "I am feeling so much of a need to give back. I could tour the world, and have everything that I ever wanted, but if I am not giving back, I am not touching anyone. In the entertainment industry it is hard to be different. Less than perfection is hard. And with the schedule that I keep, it is amazing that I can speak. But I am here for a reason -- to send a message, to give a message."
Hapa's mission to give back does not stop with the DJ and hip hop community. Hapa just recently took on the role as the national spokesperson for Epilepsy Therapy Project and epilepsy.com, an organization which raises money to fund research to find new therapies for people living with Epilepsy. "It is a gift to me. It means a lot to me personally. I want people to know that you can have epilepsy and you can succeed."
"There's so much more I want to do. This is really all the tip of the iceberg- and I am so thankful to even HAVE this iceberg" stated HAPA in a recent interview about the success and impact he has had on the industry and DJ community. It couldn't be truer. Now 26 years young, HAPA lives by the mottos branded on his arms, "Life's Too Short" and "Lead With Passion".