Xavier Capdepon is known for his upbeat dance tempos and humble beginnings. Xavier was born in the capital of the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo. His mother was originally born in Jamaica and his father was a native of the Dominican Republic. They met in Santo Domingo and had seven children. Xavier was the middle child. His father and mother worked long hours at the factory, so the siblings were left to take care of themselves for the majority of the time. His parents couldn’t afford schooling, so the siblings spent a lot of time together. They bonded over music.
His mother and father were passionate about music, but did not peruse it enough to make a career out of it. They had plenty of old instruments and a record player in the house that the kids would play with. They would sit around the record player and dance the night away or engage in melodious harmonies that would sometimes cause their neighbors to come listen. Xavier and a couple of his siblings would play around their neighborhood from time to time as their musical reputation grew. They would also occasionally play in the city squares so they could help their parents pay for family dinners.
Xavier was the sociable one out of the seven. He made a lot of friends in the area including some big time DJs who played at some of the biggest clubs in Santo Domingo. Xavier was playing sets at the young age of 14. Coming from a Jamaican background, Xavier implemented a lot of Jamaican dancehall music along with electro house and other club hits in his sets. Xavier was part of a group of DJs who called themselves “Los Perros Locos” (the crazy dogs). They became well known in the Dominican Republic and even played a few gigs and even a couple of festivals in the Bahamas and Jamaica.
His two older brothers, older sister, and one younger sister also entered the music an entertainment industry. His two older brothers became part of a merengue band that would play at the local dance clubs and bars around town. His two sisters became singing and dance instructors and eventually were able to open up their own shop.
Xavier Capdepon in NYC
Xavier Capdepon decided that his career as a producer and DJ had a lot more headroom in the United States, so he moved to New York City when he was 21 years old. Xavier’s aunt lived in the Queens, and offered to take him in for a little bit as Xavier got himself on his feet. He occasionally helps out at his aunt’s restaurant for extra money. Today, Xavier plays local gigs at small venues around the city, but he is still working on production and mastering in his spare time.
