Veteran turntablist, producer, remix artist, and open-format DJ Raphael Valentino has built a career on one simple instinct: knowing exactly what a crowd needs before they know it themselves.
From intimate private events to major venues with thousands of fans, Raphael has moved crowds from coast to coast and shared stages with some of the biggest names in music, including Pitbull, Jennifer Lopez, Enrique Iglesias, Flo Rida, Avicii, Hardwell, Laidback Luke, Dua Lipa, Paris Hilton, and many more. His style is rooted in technical turntablism, deep musical knowledge, and the rare ability to blend genres without losing the energy of the room.
Raphael’s story began while he was still a freshman in high school, when his parents gifted him a pair of turntables, a mixer, and a small stack of vinyl records. What started as a hobby quickly became a calling. By college, he was buying more equipment, booking local bars and clubs, and using DJ gigs to help pay for summer classes.
“Early on, I remember my mom and dad driving me to gigs because I wasn’t even old enough to drive,” Raphael says. “Those were fun times. I didn’t realize it then, but that was the beginning of everything.”
Music was always a global language in Raphael’s life. As the first in his family not born in Italy, he traveled to Europe often and was exposed to sounds, styles, and cultural influences long before streaming made the world feel smaller. At home, one brother introduced him to The Beatles while another immersed him in dance music. That mix of rock, pop, dance, European club culture, classics, and radio hits shaped Raphael into the open-format DJ he is today.
Raphael’s first major break came in 2008, when New York City’s legendary dance station 103.5 KTU, the beat of New York, was broadcasting live from a nightclub where he was performing. His energy, programming, and ability to connect with the room caught their attention, leading to his role as a resident DJ and remix artist. He continues to be heard on 103.5 KTU and has been featured across national and international syndicated programming.
While his original productions and remixes have earned support from DJs and radio stations across the country, Raphael still considers himself a DJ at heart.
“I love producing original tracks, but when someone asks me what I do, I tell them I’m a DJ first,” he says. “There’s nothing like feeling that reaction from a crowd. It never gets old.”
Away from the decks and studio, Raphael operates SoundSurge Entertainment, a full-service entertainment and production company trusted by major brands, corporations, venues, and private clients. His client roster has included Macy’s, W Hotels, Ford, Chevrolet, Google, and many other national and Fortune 500 accounts. Through SoundSurge, Raphael brings together music, production, lighting, photo experiences, and event technology with the same crowd-first mindset that made him successful behind the turntables.
Part artist, part technician, and part entrepreneur, Raphael has always approached entertainment with both creativity and precision. His background in engineering and technology gives him a unique edge in production, while his decades of live experience keep his work grounded in what matters most: the people in the room.
Whether he is performing for a packed venue, producing a remix, creating an original track, programming a corporate event, or building the next evolution of SoundSurge Entertainment, Raphael Valentino remains driven by the same passion that started with two turntables and a dream.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s Johnny Cash or Thomas Gold,” Raphael says. “There’s always a time and place for every song. Being able to read that moment and make it work; that’s what I take pride in.”
For Raphael Valentino, music is more than a career. It is the thread that connects his story, his family, his creativity, and his future.
“I’ll never stop doing what I love,” he says. “I love music. I can’t picture myself doing anything else.”
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