DJ Guelas was born in Lisbon, Portugal on the 21st of December, 1974. Luis Miguel S. Monteiro (aka DJ Guelas) has become one of the most sought after DJ’s in the native Afro-Capeverdean community residing in the United States. DJ Guelas’ passion for music began at an early age as he listened to his parents’ favorite albums from Cape Verde, Brasil, and United States, which included Morna, Coladera, Samba, Rhythm & Blues and Jazz. At the age of 18 Guelas moved to the United States as he aspired to do at a tender age.
Guelas’ interest in becoming a DJ began in the winter of 1997, after frequenting the local Capeverdean clubs in Providence, RI and also in Portugal. He played alongside his colleague and good friend DJ Colazouk. His DJ debut was in May 1998, at a local club in Downtown Providence where he became a resident DJ. Since then his career has taken of to exciting heights. In 2002, Guelas released Incognito, his first mixed album. It received rave reviews from the community at large.
Guelas has remained a prominent DJ in the local club scene and the Afro-Capeverdean community. He has played in several cities including Providence, Boston, Waterbury, Atlanta, San Diego, Washington DC, Sao Vicente, Paris, and New York at club Kilimanjaro, the Mecca of African music. Guelas became the first Capeverdean DJ to feature at the National Black Arts Festival in Atlanta in the summer of 2003. In addition, Guelas participated in the “Connecting the Global Caboverdiano Nation” held in Washington DC in April of 2005. Guelas was part of a distinguished panel that discussed the distribution of lusophone music and he also performed at a dinner attended by personalities such as the President of the Republic of Cabo Verde. Guelas continues to play at private parties and other festive occasions, including concerts such as Splash, Beto Dias, Susana, Kino, Kaysha, Tina, Etc.
In July 2004 Cabostation.com, a radio station online, was created by DJ Guelas in partnership with zoukstation.com with the mission to promote and expose the world to diverse genres of African music, concentrating on lusophone Africa and Antillean music. Once tuned in to cabostation.com, listeners can enjoy music from Cape Verde, Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, St. Tome and Principe, and the Antilles.
Guelas’ future projects include producing artists as well as owning his own Afro-Capeverdean cub. He is involved with MNG productions, Music for the new generation, an up and coming music company launched in partnership with high school buddy Claudio Martins and brother Luis Martins. Currently Guelas resides in Atlanta, GA. He graduated from Georgia State University with a degree in Urban Policy Studies with concentration in Aviation Management.
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