Ruben Garcia, known professionally as DJ Cazel, has established himself as one of the leading house DJs in the San Gabriel Valley since the late 1990s. His journey into music began at a young age, inspired by a deep passion that ultimately led to a successful career in DJing.
As a child, Cazel admired his older brother, Freddy, and often spent time in his brother's lowrider truck listening to old school, oldies, and funk music. This early exposure greatly influenced Cazel's love for music. Recognizing his enthusiasm, his parents and brother gifted him a basic DJ setup, which motivated Cazel to buy his first vinyl record from a local shop, Mauricio’s Records. With these records in hand, he began honing his mixing skills.
In 1994, while practicing in his garage, Cazel was invited by local teenagers from a party crew to mix at an upcoming event. Experiencing the energy of a live audience dancing to his mixes was exhilarating. At this party, he witnessed another DJ performing scratches, which sparked his interest in mastering this technique. He became so captivated that he watched the movies "Juice" and "Wild Style" repeatedly to learn the art of scratching. Over time, Cazel refined his skills, gaining recognition within the local party scene.
In 1995, while working at Mauricio’s Records, Cazel met Alex Arce, who introduced him to DJ Juanito, a local producer. Under Juanito’s mentorship at the Groove Nation label, Cazel learned the intricacies of house music production. He later founded his own record label, "Wicked Vinyl," which focused on the Hard House genre. Through this label, Cazel released eight albums, ultimately leading to a deal with Thump Records/Universal. His first CD under this new agreement was titled "DJ Cazel’s Hard House Wicked Style." During this period, Cazel collaborated with Firme TV to create a monthly segment that showcased local parties and events.
As the house music scene began to decline, Cazel took a hiatus from music and the party scene. It was during this break that he met his wife, Tanya, and they started a family.
In 2017, inspired by local DJs on the radio, Cazel decided to return to music. He purchased a MacBook and explored the new trend of mixing with the Serato Scratch program. In early 2017, he launched an online mix show called "Wicked Wednesdays" with childhood friend Anthony Biscotti, which quickly gained popularity. As the show's audience expanded, they transitioned to broadcasting on the airwaves, and "Wicked Wednesdays" began airing on 102.3 FM, achieving notable success.
Later that year, Cazel founded his production company, "DJ Cazel Presents," and in April 2017, he hosted his first production show, the "Pegasus Car Show," which attracted an impressive attendance of 3,000 fans.
In December 2017, Cazel was signed by Bobby Dee Presents to DJ at the "Kings of the West" concert at the Microsoft Theater. Following a successful performance, he was invited to join the Bobby Dee Presents team, becoming the official DJ for all their concerts.
In January 2019, Cazel embarked on a new venture by starting a record label, "Industry Music Group," alongside his wife Tanya Garcia and friend Ruben (DJ459) Garcia. He signed his first artist, Miriah Avila, in April 2019, followed by his longtime friend Rocky Padilla.
In late September 2019, Cazel joined Old School 104.7 FM as a DJ and host for the "Saturday Night Live with Bam and DJ Cazel" show. In November 2019, he was officially signed for Snoop Dogg's "I Wanna Thank Me Tour," which was set to kick off on December 2, 2019.