The Unknown DJ

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The Unknown DJ
Birth nameAndre Manuel
Born
Detroit, Michigan, United States
OriginCompton, California, United States
Genres
Years active1984–present
LabelsTechno Hop Records

Andre Manuel,

West Coast rap, he worked with rapper Ice-T in the early 1980s, then with Alonzo "Grandmaster Lonzo" Williams,[2] and with MC Eiht's group Compton's Most Wanted in the early 1990s.[3]

Music career

Manuel started in the music industry through Alonzo Williams, a DJ and party promoter in the Los Angeles area.[1] Since his start in 1974, Williams, working under his brand name Disco Construction, earned the title "Grandmaster Lonzo."[2] In 1979, Lonzo took over The Eve After Dark nightclub, about a quarter mile outside of Compton.[2]

Lonzo mentored Manuel, and they began working together.[1] In 1984, Lonzo formed the Wreckin' Cru, a social group of his nightclub's resident DJs.[2] While working with the Cru, Manuel took on a DJ name, The Unknown DJ.[1] The Wreckin' Cru, which included DJ Yella and Dr. Dre, soon gained a rapper, CLI-nTEL, and began recording the electro rap.[2]

After taking classes at

King Tee
.

The Unknown DJ also figures, if tangentially, into the story of

Morgan Creek Entertainment Group.[6] In July 1991, Unknown sold the rights to Dre's team, including Suge Knight at the forming label's helm. However, the team chose, by 1992, to name the label more bluntly.[7]

Discography

Album cover for the single "Let's Jam"
Album cover for the single "Basstronic"

Albums

  • Unknown's House (Techno Kut, 1990)

Singles

  • "808 Beats" (Techno Hop, 1984)
  • "Beatronic," with DJ Three D (Techno Hop, 1984)
  • "Let's Jam" (Techno Hop, 1985)
  • "Break-Down (Dance Your Pants Off!)" (Techno Kut, 1988)
  • "X-Men," with DJ Slip (Kru-Cut/Techno Kut, 1988)
  • "Revenge of the X-Men," with DJ Slip (Techno Kut, 1988)
  • "Basstronic" (Techno Kut, 1988)
  • "This Is Electro" (Techno Hop, 2008)

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 9781101445822
    .
  2. ^
    ISBN 9780313343216
    .
  3. ISBN 9780879309169
    .
  4. ^ Corcoran, Michael (1996-01-25). "Dead man rapping". Dallas Observer. Dallas Observer, LP. Retrieved 2017-10-26. "I'm the one who told Dre to change the name to Death Row," Curry says.
  5. ^ Westhoff, Ben (2012-11-19). "The Making of The Chronic". LA Weekly. LA Weekly, LP. Retrieved 2017-10-26. The name Death Row came from my partner, Unknown [DJ]. Initially, it was supposed to be Def Row, as in Def Jam. D-E-F. And Dre bought the name Def Row and changed the name.
  6. ^ West Coast Pioneers (2008). "Interview unknown dj west coast pioneers 11 2008 part two". www.westcoastpioneers.com (Podcast). SoundCloud. Event occurs at 40:00. Retrieved 2017-11-15.
  7. ^ Morris, Chris (1996-01-20). "Death Row Is Target of Suit By Former Partner, Rapper". Billboard. New York: Billboard Music Group. p. 94. Retrieved 2017-10-26.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Unknown DJ.
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