Videos: DJ Quik
David Martin Blake (born January 18, 1970), better known by his stage name DJ Quik, is an MC and record producer.[1] According to Quik himself, his stage name reflects his ability to produce records in short time.[2]Blake has written, produced, and remixed music for many artists including Snoop Dogg,[3] Whitney Houston,[4] Mariah Carey,[5] Talib Kweli,[6] 2nd II None,[7] Chingy,[8] Xzibit,[8] Janet Jackson,[9] Jay-Z,[10] Ludacris,[11] Suga Free,[12] Kurupt,[13] Truth Hurts,[14] Jermaine Dupri,[15] Hi-C,[16] 8Ball & MJG,[17] Eazy-E,[18] Ray J,[19] Tony! Toni! Tone!,[20] 2Pac,[21] Jay Rock,[22] Busta Rhymes,[23] Nate Dogg,[24] Bishop Lamont,[25] Shade Sheist,[26] Game,[27] Murs,[28] E-40,[29] Knoc-Turn'al,[30] Erick Sermon,[31] Luniz,[32] Adina Howard,[33] Shaquille O'Neal,[34] King Tee,[35] Yung Joc,[36] TQ,[37] Deborah Cox,[38] Twiztid,[39] Maroon 5,[40] Danny Boy,[41] Nick Cannon,[42] Bone Thugs-N-Harmony,[43] Ice Cube,[44] Jon B.[45] and many others.
He began selling homemade mixtapes (notably The Red Tape, 1987) after he received a turntable for his 9th grade graduation and then began doing shows DJing around Southern California, many of which ended in rival gang related altercations (Quik was mentored by "Tree Top Piru" gang members). He signed to Profile Records in the summer of 1990, reportedly as the label's first six figure signee.[46]
His debut album, Quik Is the Name, which was released in 1991, was led by the success of two top 20 R&B singles, "Tonite" and "Born and Raised in Compton." The album ended up reaching 10th on the album charts,[47] and being certified Platinum by the RIAA.[48] None of his successive albums reached the success of his debut, though they have been well received. He later released his second album entitled 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 album later reached the 24th spot on Chris Rocks' list of the 25 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums Ever. His third album Safe & Sound, released in 1995, made number 14 on the Billboard 200. It included the tracks "Dollaz & Sense" and "Safe & Sound" The tracks "Dollaz & Sense" and "Let You Havit" were diss tracks to Compton rapper and member of the rival Tragniew Park Compton Crips, MC Eiht. The two would make several threats and diss tracks to each other in the mid-1990s. Today, Quik is on good terms with MC Eiht.[49] In 1998 Quik released Rhythm-Al-Ism on Profile records. This record was certified Gold in 1999, and contained the singles "Hand in Hand (featuring 2nd II None and El Debarge) and You'z A Ganxta. This was Quik's most musical album and featured guest appearances by Nate Dogg, Snoop Dogg, AMG and Suga Free.
He was chiefly inspired by funk and soul artists,[50] such as Roger Troutman (who even taught him the use of the talkbox, which became a trademark for Quik's sound throughout his career) and George Clinton.
Though he is only credited for producing "Heartz of Men" on 2Pac's acclaimed All Eyez on Me (in the credits he used his real name, David Blake, because he was under contract to Profile) he also did additional production and mixed half the album. He also made an uncredited appearance on a song with 2Pac named "Thug Passion". In 2002, he produced Truth Hurts' Top 10 pop hit "Addictive". Quik used an uncleared Hindi sample on the record, and the copyright holders eventually filed a $500 million dollar lawsuit against Truth Hurts' label, Aftermath Entertainment that was amicably resolved by Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre. Quik also produced and appeared on another track on Truth Hurts' debut LP, Truthfully Speaking, entitled I'm Not Really Lookin.[51] Quik also produced the 2Pac song "Late Night" on the 2002 Better Dayz, which was originally done in the mid-1990s featuring AMG instead of the Outlawz.
Quik faced personal and professional tragedy when his close friend and protegé Darryl Cortez Reed was murdered on January 20, 1998. This was compounded by the death of his friend and rapper Mausberg (real name: Johnny Burns, III), subsequently murdered on 4 July 2000.[52]
After the lackluster sales of only 400,000 units of his fifth album, Balance & Options, released in 2000, he was dropped by Arista Records which in 1998 had bought Profile Records. In 2002 he released Under tha Influence under Ark 21 Records which also sold only 200,000 units. 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.[53] In recent years he has worked with a 74 piece orchestra during a collaboration with Marcus Miller while working on the score to the movie "Head of State".
On June 21, 2006, DJ Quik was convicted of assault of his sister and sentenced to five months in prison.[54] The incident occurred in 2003 when he allegedly "pistol-whipped" her for extorting him, according to police reports. DJ Quik was released early in October 2006 and began working on The Fixxers collaboration album (Midnight Life).
In late 2007, DJ Quik and AMG formed the group: The Fixxers. Along with the formation of the duo, he dropped the "DJ" from his name for the upcoming album and rapped as "Quik".[55] In March 2007 they had signed a single deal with Interscope Records for the release of their album "Midnight Life" and promoted it with "Can You Werk Wit Dat?"[56] However, the album was scrapped due to unauthorized actions by Hudson Melvin Baxter II also known as "Hud", who illegally put it up for sale on the internet in December 2007. The album was then spread across the internet as a bootleg. In February 2008, Quik finished up mixing and producing for Snoop Dogg's new record Ego Trippin. In the process of working with Snoop Dogg, a production group called QDT was formed. It stands for Quik-Dogg-Teddy and consists of DJ Quik, Snoop Dogg and Teddy Riley. A collaboration album with Tha Dogg Pound member, Kurupt, entitled BlaQKout was released June 9, 2009.[57]
Quik is set to release his eighth studio album "The Book of David" in early 2011, which will include appearances by multiple artists including Suga Free who is once again working with Quik.
[edit] Discography
Main articles: DJ Quik discography and DJ Quik production discographyStudio 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)
Collaboration albums
* Midnight Life (with The Fixxers) (2007)
* BlaQKout (with Kurupt) (2009)[edit] Filmography
* DJ Quik: Visualism (2003), himself
* Entourage (2005), himself in the episode "The Bat Mitzvah"
* Keeping Up with the Steins (2006), himself
* Everybody Hates Chris (2007), Hilton "Hilly Hill" Reed in the episode "Everybody Hates DJ's
* Malice n Wonderland (2010), Piano player