ABOUT
Lights, Camera…DJ Akshen
Veteran. Husband. Father. DJ. Champion of all things positive. These are just a few of the titles that define Jonathan Valdez, better known as DJ Akshen. A true Arizona talent, Akshen isn't just a party starter; he's an award-winning artist. His skills on the turntables earned him the coveted title of Phoenix Regional Red Bull 3Style DJ Champion and Phoenix NewTimes Winner "Best Turntablist" in 2015. He even brought his talents to the national stage, finishing as a top five finalist among the country's best DJs that year. But Akshen's influence extends far beyond competition. As a member of the International Furious Styles Crew, he's graced stages around the globe, from London to Barcelona, the Bahamas to Romania.
In addition to DJing, Akshen co-founded Fader Manners, a monthly event where aspiring DJs can hone their scratch skills and the annual AZ DJ Summit, a networking hub for the local DJ community. He is also an artist-educator and global Hip Hop Ambassador for the U.S. State Department's Next Level program. In 2024 DJ Akshen was asked to judge the DMC World DJ Finals in Paris, France. He is passionate about using music as a force for good and has spun for a variety of clients, including the Phoenix Symphony, Disney Cruise Lines and the Olympia (The Super Bowl Of Body Building).
Education
- Next Level, The Institute for the Arts and Humanities at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, NC
- DJ and Artist Educator for Next Level Team Romania
- Cyphers The Center for Urban Arts, Phoenix AZ
- Program Director & Instructor for DJ Classes
- Scottsdale Community College, Scottsdale AZ
- Advisor for SCC now MCC DJ & Turntablism Classes
- Academy of Radio and TV Broadcasting, Phoenix AZ
Career Highlights
- Phoenix New Times Winner “Best Turntablist”
- Red Bull Thre3Style World DJ Championship USA National Finalist (Top 5)
- Red Bull Thre3Style World DJ Championship Phoenix Regional DJ Champion
- 3 Time (’99, ’00, ’01) Arizona, Phoenix Guitar Center DJ Spin-off Champion
PHOTOS
