DJ Laz

{{Short description|Cuban-American rapper and DJ from Miami, Florida}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = DJ laz

| birth_name = Lazaro Mendez

| alias = The Pimp with the Limp{{cite news|last=Johnson|first=Luke|title=Obama-DJ Laz Interview: President Talks Flo Rida, Pitbull, Immigration To Miami Station|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/11/obama-dj-laz-interview_n_1874902.html|work=The Huffington Post|accessdate=12 September 2012|date=September 11, 2012}}

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1971|12|2}}

| image = DJ Laz.jpg

| caption =

| image_size =

| origin = Miami, Florida, U.S.

| family history =

| genre = {{hlist|Hip hop|merengue|Miami bass}}

| occupation = {{hlist|DJ|rapper}}

| years_active = 1990–present

| label = {{hlist|Pandisc Music Corp.|TVT Records|Collipark Music}}

| associated_acts = {{hlist|Flo Rida|Casely|Pitbull|Ying Yang Twins|2 Live Crew|Luther Campbell|Fresh Kid Ice|Mami El Negro}}

| website = {{URL|djlaz.com}}

}}

Lazaro Mendez, better known by his stage name DJ Laz (born December 2, 1971, in Hollywood, Florida{{Cite news|url=http://www.miaminewtimes.com/2012-11-29/music/dj-laz-conquered-disability-tragedy-and-miami-s-airwaves-now-he-s-aiming-higher/|title=DJ Laz Conquered Disability, Tragedy, and Miami's Airwaves; Now He's Aiming Higher|last=Alvarado|first=Francisco|date=2012-11-29|work=Miami New Times|access-date=2018-01-25|archive-date=2015-02-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150220133954/http://www.miaminewtimes.com/2012-11-29/music/dj-laz-conquered-disability-tragedy-and-miami-s-airwaves-now-he-s-aiming-higher/|url-status=dead}}) is a Cuban-American rapper and DJ from Miami, Florida. He hosted his weekday radio show in Miami on WPOW 96.5 FM, branded "Power 96", for 22 years until he left the company in April 2012. Beginning July 4, 2012, the new DJ Laz Morning Show began after arbitration on the newly reformatted WRMA DJ106.7 a Bilingual Dance/Rhythmic formatted station.

He is best known for his limp which came from his battle with polio as a child. Also known for albums DJ Laz and Category 6, which charted on U.S. Billboard album charts. He is also notable for the singles "Journey Into Bass" (1994) and "Move Shake Drop" (2008), which peaked at #56 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The DJ Laz Morning Show on LA 96.3 of Los Angeles and DJ 106.7 of Miami is known for mysteriously getting their hands on exclusive content. DJ Laz is also known for his show's prominent appearance on Fox's television show, Dish Nation.

In July 2012, when Justin Bieber made a 911 call to authorities to report paparazzi that were following him, the DJ Laz Morning Show was the first to obtain Bieber's 911 call, airing it on Los Angeles' LA 96.3.{{cite web |url=http://la963fm.com/blogs/djs/justin-biebers-911-call-dj-laz-morning-show/ |title=DJ LAZ EXCLUSIVE: Justin Bieber's 911 Call | DJ Laz Morning Show | La96.3 Blogs |access-date=2012-09-20 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120715053653/http://la963fm.com/blogs/djs/justin-biebers-911-call-dj-laz-morning-show/ |archive-date=2012-07-15 }}

On Tuesday, September 11, 2012, the DJ Laz Morning Show aired a pre-recorded interview with President Barack Obama. Many Obama critics quickly bashed Obama for making no mention to the September 11 attacks in 2001, despite the fact that the interview was pre-recorded. The White House later made it clear that the call was indeed pre-recorded and was supposed to have been played on Monday, September 10.

On May 5, 2014, DJ Laz was in command of a boat that was stuck on a sand bar in Biscayne Bay. When bystanders got out to push the boat, DJ Laz increased power to the engine and killed a 23-year-old man who had been trying to help, as he was caught by the boat's propeller. DJ Laz was never given a sobriety test and there was no further investigation.{{Cite news|url=https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/dj-laz-driving-boat-that-killed-man-who-got-caught-in-propeller-6557652|title=DJ Laz Driving Boat That Killed Man Who Got Caught in Propeller|first=Kyle|last=Munzenrieder|newspaper=Miami New Times|access-date=December 2, 2024}}

DJ Laz hosted the Morning Show for 97.3 in Miami from August, 2014 until November, 2019. He left in advance of an acquisition, and can currently be found on Sirius XM on Pitbull's Globalization Channel 13.{{Cite web|url=https://www.distractify.com/p/what-happened-to-dj-laz|title=Miami's DJ Laz Is No Longer on "Hits 97.3" — Where Did He Go?|first=Allison|last=Cacich|date=December 16, 2019|website=Distractify.com|access-date=December 2, 2024}}

In 2021, DJ Laz joined Miami's new 1990s station Totally 93.9, hosting weekday afternoons.