DJ Quik
DJ Quik | |
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Born | David Marvin Blake[1] January 18, 1970 Compton, California, U.S. |
Other names |
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Occupations |
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Years active | 1987–present |
Spouse |
Alicia Hill (m. 2005) |
Children | 3[2] |
Musical career | |
Genres | |
Labels | |
Member of | |
David Marvin Blake (born January 18, 1970),
Early life
Blake was born on January 18, 1970, in
Blake began selling homemade mixtapes (notably The Red Tape, 1987) after he received a turntable for his 8th grade promotion. He began doing shows DJing around Southern California, many of which ended in rival gang-related altercations. He joined the Tree Top Piru Bloods, which he later regretted, stating that joining the gang "was the dumbest shit."[7]
At age 16 in 1986, Quik dropped out of high school, and his mother lost her home due to foreclosure. While she moved to Louisiana, Quik stayed in Compton and was homeless for a period of three years. He would later go on to say that after his success in the rap world, many of his family members "popped up."[8]
Career
Quik Is the Name
After gaining a mixtape following, Blake earned the interest of labels, including Profile Records and Ruthless Records. He signed to Profile Records in the summer of 1990, reportedly as the label's first six-figure signee.[9] Blake later regretted his contract, and was offered an advance of one million dollars by Eazy-E.[10] Profile Records sent cease-and-desist letters to Ruthless Records.
His debut album, Quik Is the Name, was released in 1991. The album was led by the success of his two top 20 R&B singles, "Tonite" and "Born and Raised in Compton." The album ended up being number 10 on the album charts,[11] and was Platinum by the RIAA.[12] None of his successive albums reached the success of his debut, though they have been well received. He went on to produce 2nd II None.
Way 2 Fonky
He released his second album, titled Way 2 Fonky in 1992. It was certified Gold by October 9. It included the successful singles "Way 2 Fonky" and "Jus Lyke Compton." The year 1992 would also see him produce (along with Eazy-E) on Paid the Cost, the debut album by rap duo Penthouse Players Clique.
Safe + Sound
Before recording Safe + Sound, DJ Quik had previously scrapped an album, which he said was so horrible that he had to smash the masters.[13]
As DJ Quik began to work on his third album, he started working with Suge Knight again. Their relationship dates back to 1988, before he sought refuge with a major label. He was signed to Suge's independent label, Funky Enough Records, in 1988.[14][15][16] The arrangement proved to be short lived. They linked up again in 1993 for another short-lived arrangement.
His third album Safe + Sound, released in 1995, reached number 14 on the Billboard 200. It featured friends 2nd II None, Kam, Playa Hamm and Hi-C. The album features the singles "Dollaz & Sense" and "Safe + Sound." During the process of the album, Quik was feuding with rapper MC Eiht from Compton's Most Wanted and long time friend AMG. Today, he is on good terms with MC Eiht.
Suge Knight is credited as the executive producer of Safe + Sound. His relationship with Suge led him to produce tracks on Above the Rim, Murder Was the Case, All Eyez on Me, Until the End of Time, Better Dayz and It's About Time and was on Death Row Records for a short period but never released an album while on the label. He also produced a 2nd II None album for Death Row Records, which never released.
Quik played a part on the
Rhythm-al-ism and Beyond
In 1996, Quik produced a track on House of Music, by Tony! Toni! Toné! The success of the Quik-produced single "Let's Get Down" prompted House of Music to sell over 1 million copies. He also worked with Shaquille O'Neal on his You Can't Stop the Reign album. DJ Quik later discovered Suga Free, a pimp turned rapper in 1997.[citation needed] Their relationship saw Quik serving as the producer on his debut album, Street Gospel. It reached number 27 on the Billboard R&B albums chart.[17][18][19] The album fell short of commercial expectations, but was praised by many underground rap fans in California, and is seen as a "street classic" by many of them. The DJ Quik production on this album was considered to be refreshing compared to the stereotypical West Coast G-Funk sound that had dominated most of the early 1990s, as he incorporated elements of jazz, funk, rhythm and blues, and even rock and roll to create instrumentals that caught the ears of many listeners. It was recorded in a record of 28 days.
In 1998 Quik released
After the lackluster sales of only 400,000 units of his fifth album, he was dropped by Arista Records, which had bought Profile Records. He produced for Kurupt, Big Syke, Janet Jackson, and Won G. He produced on Made (soundtrack) in 2001. That year also saw Suge Knight try to get Quik as the in-house producer for Death Row Records. In 2002, he released Under tha Influence under Ark 21 Records which sold only 200,000 units. He also produced Truth Hurts' only Top 10 pop hit "Addictive" that year. However, he had sampled a Hindi song by the name "Thoda Resham Lagta Hai" originally sung by the legendary Hindi singing prodigy Lata Mangeshkar on the record, and the copyright holders Saregama Music eventually filed a $500 million lawsuit against Truth Hurts' label, Aftermath Entertainment, that was amicably resolved by Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre. The song instrumental was sample in the Jamaican dancehall beat "Bollywood Riddim." DJ Quik also produced and appeared on another track on Truth Hurts' debut LP, Truthfully Speaking, titled "I'm Not Really Lookin."[20] He worked with Talib Kweli, Will Smith and Shade Sheist that year.
Record problems and a plethora of others almost prompted Quik to retire. The album The Best of DJ Quik: Da Finale was originally going to be his last release. He later stated:
I just couldn't escape that contract. Basic contracts are supposed to be like 6 or 7 years, or 1 year with like maybe 6 options. The contract I was in was like a 10- or 11-year contract. I wasn't getting paid and I wasn't happy at all. And plus I was going through a bunch of shit.[21]
He later decided to come back. In 2003,
Ludacris got DJ Quik to produce on The Red Light District in 2004. He was also commissioned for a remix on the 2Pac album Loyal to the Game. He also worked with Knoc-turn'al and Suga Free that year.
Mad Science Recordings
In September 2005, DJ Quik released his first independent album on his own new label, Mad Science Recordings. The album is titled Trauma and reflects the turmoil in the producer's "musical" life over the past few years. It was considered an independent success and has sold over 100,000 copies.[22] In recent years he has worked with a 74-piece orchestra while working on the score to the movie "Head of State" with Marcus Miller.
On June 21, 2006, DJ Quik was convicted of assault on his sister and sentenced to five months in prison.[23] The incident occurred in 2003, when he allegedly "pistol-whipped" her for extorting him, according to police reports. He was released early in October 2006. He went on to say that prison sentence gave him time to reflect on his life, and he later began getting rid of extra baggage.
In late 2007, DJ Quik and
The Book of David (2011–present)
DJ Quik released his eighth studio album
Kurupt confirmed in a 2011 interview with HipHopDx.com that "next year, we will be working on our next album together, DJ Quik and Kurupt. Every year me and DJ Quik are gonna drop us one of these slizzappers!"[31]
Snoop Dogg joined forces with DJ Quik,
Rosecrans EP, and later album
In April 2016 Quik released a collaboration EP with fellow Compton rapper
Feud with Compton's Most Wanted
DJ Quik got involved in a long tumultuous rivalry with fellow Compton rapper MC Eiht and his group Compton's Most Wanted that lasted for six years. The feud traces back to a track on DJ Quik's debut mixtape The Red Tape, in a line by Quik that was seen as indirectly disparaging N.W.A and directly disparaging Compton's Most Wanted.
To the Top of the Tree/ For CMW to see
During that time, Quik was a member to the
Discography
Studio albums
- Quik Is the Name (1991)
- Way 2 Fonky (1992)
- Safe + Sound (1995)
- Rhythm-al-ism (1998)
- Balance & Options (2000)
- Under tha Influence (2002)
- Trauma (2005)
- The Book of David (2011)
- The Midnight Life (2014)
Collaboration albums
- Blaqkout with Kurupt (2009)
- Rosecrans with Problem (2017)
Filmography
Year | Film | Character | Notes |
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2003 | Visualism: The Art of Sound into Vision | Himself | Main Role |
2006 | Keeping Up with the Steins | Himself | Cameo |
2010 | Malice n Wonderland | Piano player |
Year | TV shows | Character | Notes |
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2004 | Method & Red | Himself | Episode: "Something About Brenda" |
2005 | Entourage
|
Himself | Episode: "The Bat Mitzvah" |
2007 | Everybody Hates Chris | Hilton "Hilly Hill" Reed | Episode: "Everybody Hates DJ's" |
Awards and nominations
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
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1992 | DJ Quik | Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Artist
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Nominated |
Awards
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
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2012 | DJ Quik | Biggest Celebrity DJ | Won |
References
- ^ a b Arnold, Paul W. (April 21, 2011) DJ Quik: Against All Odds | Rappers Talk Hip Hop Beef & Old School Hip Hop Archived April 14, 2015, at the Wayback Machine. HipHop DX. Retrieved on 2012-03-11.
- ^ Andre Ellington (August 27, 2023). "DJ QUIK REVEALS HE HAS A 'SECRET' THIRD CHILD: 'I HAVE MADE MISTAKES IN THE PAST'". HipHopDX. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
- ^ "DJ Quik biography". Allmusic. Retrieved September 11, 2008.
- ^ Weakest Link With Rappers Part 2. YouTube (January 27, 2007). Retrieved on 2012-03-11.
- ^ "DJ Quik". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
- ^ "Quik Is the Name – DJ Quik – Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved May 20, 2019.
- ^ "DJ Quik Speaks On Gang Life". HipHopDX. June 6, 2009. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
- ^ "DJ Quik: Trials and Tribulations of a West Coast Legend". LA Weekly. June 2, 2011. Retrieved June 11, 2011.
- ^ Hip Hop Gaming League 2 Archived May 13, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ DJ Quik : Compton Alumni on Vimeo. Vimeo.com. Retrieved on March 11, 2012.
- ^ a b "DJ Quik Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved May 20, 2019.
- ^ [1] Archived February 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ The Source Magazine April 1995 Page 61
- ^ The Source Magazine April 1995 Page 58
- ^ The Source Magazine April 1995 Page 60
- ^ "Brand New Fonk". 3.bp.blogspot.com. Retrieved July 25, 2013.
- Allmusic, retrieved January 29, 2011
- Allmusic, retrieved January 29, 2011
- Allmusic, retrieved January 29, 2011
- ^ // West Coast News Network //. Dubcnn.com. Retrieved on March 11, 2012.
- ^ "This site is temporarily unavailable". March 4, 2016. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
- ^ // West Coast News Network //. Dubcnn.com. Retrieved on March 11, 2012.
- ^ Leveque, Rod (June 27, 2006). "Rapper DJ Quik begins five-month jail sentence for assaulting sister". Inland Valley Daily Bulletin. Archived from the original (Fee required) on November 5, 2012. Retrieved May 13, 2010.
- ^ // West Coast News Network //. Dubcnn.com. Retrieved on March 11, 2012.
- ^ "HHNLive.com – News – DJ Quik and AMG AKA The Fixxers Sign With Interscope". Archived from the original on March 17, 2007.
- ^ Blog Archive » DJ Quik & Kurupt Duo Album Revealed Archived January 21, 2008, at the Wayback Machine. The G-Funk Era. Retrieved on March 11, 2012.
- ^ Jacobs, Allen. (April 27, 2011) Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 4/24/2011 | Get The Latest Hip Hop News, Rap News & Hip Hop Album Sales Archived April 27, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. HipHop DX. Retrieved on 2012-03-11.
- ^ Jacobs, Allen. (May 4, 2011) Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 5/1/2011 | Get The Latest Hip Hop News, Rap News & Hip Hop Album Sales Archived August 5, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. HipHop DX. Retrieved on 2012-03-11.
- ^ DJ Quik Smokes Out Cali Weed Shop. TMZ.com. Retrieved on March 11, 2012.
- ^ Late Night – All Videos : Newest – Videos – NBC.com. Latenightwithjimmyfallon.com. Retrieved on March 11, 2012.
- ^ Arnold, Paul W. (September 16, 2011) Kurupt Addresses "Superficial" Youngsters," And Declares "Angry Kurupt" Dead | Rappers Talk Hip Hop Beef & Old School Hip Hop. HipHop DX. Retrieved on 2012-03-11.
- ^ Vasquez, Andres. (October 25, 2011) Snoop Dogg, DJ Quik, The D.O.C. & Others Team Up For Dr. Dre's "Detox" | Get The Latest Hip Hop News, Rap News & Hip Hop Album Sales Archived August 27, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. HipHop DX. Retrieved on 2012-03-11.
- ^ "MC Eiht Reveals Origins of Feud with DJ Quik". January 14, 2016.