Fifteen years ago, who knew that one of the country's most influential
DJs could be found in Decatur - Atlanta's infamous East Side? But
that is exactly where DJ Scream was - in his hometown, honing his
skills as he plotted to takeover Southern Hip-Hop.
Armed with a pair of used Pioneer turntables, a crate and the
fundamentals of turntablism he picked up from a litany of local DJs, he
practiced day and night until he found his own unique spinning style -
a technique which remains unmatched in the game today.
While earning a degree in Engineering at Tuskegee University, DJ Scream
helped revolutionize the small college town's club scene. The
reputation Scream slowly built from his club and mixtape exploits
created opportunities in radio - starting with college radio stations
at Georgia State University and Auburn Univeristy. These quickly led to
Mixshow appearances on Atlanta's Hot 107.9 (WHTA-FM). Ever the
overachiever, Scream parlayed the name he created for himself into
affiliations with Hitmen Productions (later the Hittmen DJs) and a
successful run as the tour DJ for R&B superstar Montell Jordan.
He soon became a household name on the Southern Mixtape circuit. DJ
Scream has released line-after-line of successful Mixtape series
including the classic In The Club, the sultry So Seductive, the popular
Hoodrich Radio and the iconic Only The Crunk Survive. However the most
influential DJ Scream Mixtape, as well as the one that put him on the
national radar, is the hugely successful Heavy In The Streets.
This groundbreaking series is considered the gold standard of Southern
Hip-Hop Mixtapes. Fans recognize Heavy In The Streets THE source for
exclusive songs and the hottest tracks from some of the biggest and
hottest names in the Dirty.
While both fans and peers alike recognize Scream's skills, his many
artist commissioned mixtapes have cemented his status as a heavy hitter
in the Hip-Hop game. He has worked with the likes of mixtape
heavyweights such as Shawty Lo, Soulja Boi, Outkast, The Game, Yung
Ralph, Plies, Rocko Da Don, Pimp C, Project Pat and many more. These
incredible releases have helped land Scream features and reviews in
nearly every major Hip-Hop publication, including XXL, The Source, Ozone
Magazine, Fader, Scratch Magazine and Down Magazine.
Many may look at Scream's accomplishments and be satisfied to rest on
their laurels. As proud as Decatur's Finest is of his achievements,
he is not content to settle. He strives to maintain his reputation as
one of the hardest working DJs in the industry. His goal? To be well
rounded. "Some people focus on just turntablism or battling or
mixtapes or radio or parties. But I'm the type of DJ who does a
little of everything,"says Scream humbly.
Despite being over 15 years deep in the game, Scream is grinding now as
hard as ever. In addition to releasing at least one mixtape per week,
hosting his own XM Radio show (XM 66 Raw) and appearing on The Raw
Report DVD series, he also has become one of the most sought after
tour/performance DJs for independent and major recording artists in the
South. Scream has toured with the likes of D4L, Crime Mob, Plies and
Shawty Lo. This has led to opportunities ranging from appearances on
MTV, BET, Soul Train as well as headlining international shows in
Germany, Austria and beyond.
In addition to all the work Scream puts in as a DJ, he also pulls double
duty as both artist and executive with Hoodrich Entertainment, the
Marketing and Management Company he co-founded with his manager Marcus
Rippy in 2004. "We're working hard to achieve our goal. Which is
to be in a better position to help others attain theirs,"he said.
2007 has proven to be the biggest of Scream's career, earning him
accolades such as a Top-5 DJ ranking in the Source Magazine for 2007 and
he's looking to carry that momentum with him into 2008.
