David Sheats, known professionally as Mr. DJ, is an American
record producer
A record producer or music producer is a music creating project's overall supervisor whose responsibilities can involve a range of creative and technical leadership roles. Typically the job involves hands-on oversight of recording sessions; ensu ...
and
disc jockey
A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include Radio personality, radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at nightclubs or music fes ...
(DJ) from
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
, Georgia. He and
Outkast
Outkast (sometimes written as OutKast) was an American hip-hop duo formed in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1992, consisting of Big Boi (Antwan Patton) and André 3000 (André Benjamin, formerly known as Dré). Widely regarded as one of the greatest an ...
members
Big Boi
Antwan André Patton (born February 1, 1975), known professionally as Big Boi, is an American rapper and record producer. Born in Savannah, Georgia, and raised in Atlanta, he was one half of the Southern hip-hop duo Outkast along with rapper ...
and
André 3000 make up the record production trio Earthtone III.
Biography
Raised on the southside of
College Park, Georgia
College Park is a city in Fulton County, Georgia, Fulton and Clayton County, Georgia, Clayton counties, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, United States, adjacent to the southern boundary of the city of Atlanta. As of the 2020 United States census, ...
, Mr. DJ attended
Banneker High School. He entered the music industry as a
DJ for Atlanta-based
hip-hop
Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hi ...
group
Outkast
Outkast (sometimes written as OutKast) was an American hip-hop duo formed in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1992, consisting of Big Boi (Antwan Patton) and André 3000 (André Benjamin, formerly known as Dré). Widely regarded as one of the greatest an ...
. According to Sheats,
After touring with the group for a year, he began to focus more on
production rather than deejaying. By sharpening his beat making skills, Mr. DJ got the opportunity to help produce Outkast's
1996
1996 was designated as:
* International Year for the Eradication of Poverty
Events January
* January 8 – A Zairean cargo plane crashes into a crowded market in the center of the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ...
second album ''
ATLiens''.
Following his work on OutKast's "
Elevators (Me & You)" and several songs from their album ''
Aquemini
''Aquemini'' () is the third studio album by the American hip hop duo Outkast, released on September 29, 1998, by LaFace Records and Arista Records. The title is a portmanteau of the two performers' Zodiac signs: Aquarius (Big Boi) and Gemini ...
'', Mr. DJ formed Earthtone III production group with
Andre 3000 &
Big Boi
Antwan André Patton (born February 1, 1975), known professionally as Big Boi, is an American rapper and record producer. Born in Savannah, Georgia, and raised in Atlanta, he was one half of the Southern hip-hop duo Outkast along with rapper ...
. Collectively, the trio produced roughly 80% of tracks from ''
Stankonia
''Stankonia'' is the fourth studio album by the American hip hop duo Outkast, released on October 31, 2000, by LaFace Records and Arista Records. The album was recorded in the duo's recently purchased Atlanta recording facility Stankonia Studios, ...
'' to their latest album, ''
Idlewild''.
In addition, Mr. DJ continued to DJ on every OutKast album, except ''
Speakerboxxx/The Love Below'', which he mostly produced. To date, his most notable hits include "
Da Art of Storytellin'", "
B.O.B.", "
Ms. Jackson
"Ms. Jackson" is a song by the American hip-hop duo Outkast, consisting of André 3000 and Big Boi. It was released on October 24, 2000, as the second single from Outkast's fourth album, '' Stankonia''. It topped the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 ch ...
", and "
The Whole World". He is also a part of the Atlanta-based
hip hop
Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...
/
R&B/
soul
The soul is the purported Mind–body dualism, immaterial aspect or essence of a Outline of life forms, living being. It is typically believed to be Immortality, immortal and to exist apart from the material world. The three main theories that ...
musical collective
The Dungeon Family.
Mr. DJ has won two Grammy Awards, one in
2002
The effects of the September 11 attacks of the previous year had a significant impact on the affairs of 2002. The war on terror was a major political focus. Without settled international law, several nations engaged in anti-terror operation ...
for
Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for "
Ms. Jackson
"Ms. Jackson" is a song by the American hip-hop duo Outkast, consisting of André 3000 and Big Boi. It was released on October 24, 2000, as the second single from Outkast's fourth album, '' Stankonia''. It topped the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 ch ...
", and another in
2004
2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO).
Events January
* January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...
for
Rap Album of the Year for his work on Outkast's ''
Speakerboxxx/The Love Below''. In 2008, he started his own
record label
"Big Three" music labels
A record label or record company is a brand or trademark of Sound recording and reproduction, music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a Music publisher, ...
, Camp David Records, with several new artists including Jeff B., Chinkie Brown, and
Shawty Redd. Public Relations Associate Keith Kemp was quoted as saying:
Mr. DJ recently worked with
Mos Def
Yasiin Bey ( ; born Dante Terrell Smith; December 11, 1973), formerly known as Mos Def ( ), is an American rapper, singer, and actor. A prominent figure in conscious hip hop, he is recognized for his use of wordplay and commentary on social an ...
on his album ''
The Ecstatic'', producing four tracks on
Common's 2008
2008 was designated as:
*International Year of Languages
*International Year of Planet Earth
*International Year of the Potato
*International Year of Sanitation
The Great Recession, a worldwide recession which began in 2007, continued throu ...
album, ''
Universal Mind Control''.
In addition to
Outkast
Outkast (sometimes written as OutKast) was an American hip-hop duo formed in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1992, consisting of Big Boi (Antwan Patton) and André 3000 (André Benjamin, formerly known as Dré). Widely regarded as one of the greatest an ...
, Mr. DJ has worked with
Lenny Kravitz
Leonard Albert Kravitz (born May 26, 1964) is an American singer, musician, songwriter, record producer, and actor. His debut album ''Let Love Rule (Lenny Kravitz album), Let Love Rule'' (1989) was characterized by a blend of Rock music, rock ...
,
Bubba Sparxxx
Warren Anderson Mathis (born March 6, 1977), better known by his stage name Bubba Sparxxx, is an American rapper. His 2001 single, " Ugly" (featuring Timbaland) peaked at number 15 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and led him to sign with Timbaland ...
,
Goodie Mob,
Killer Mike,
Field Mob
Field Mob is an American hip hop music, hip hop duo from Albany, Georgia, composed of artists Darion "Smoke" Crawford and Shawn Timothy "Shawn Jay" Johnson.
History Formation
Darion and Shawn grew up on the outskirts of Albany, Georgia, Albany ...
,
Rich Boy, and
8Ball & MJG
8Ball & MJG is an American hip hop music, hip hop duo from Orange Mound, Memphis, Orange Mound, Memphis, Tennessee. They met at Ridgeway Middle School (Memphis, Tennessee), Ridgeway Middle School in 1984. In 1993, the duo released their debut al ...
.
Production (with OutKast as Earthtone III)
Production (solo)
Awards and nominations
!
, -
, rowspan="2",
2002
The effects of the September 11 attacks of the previous year had a significant impact on the affairs of 2002. The war on terror was a major political focus. Without settled international law, several nations engaged in anti-terror operation ...
, rowspan="2", ''
Stankonia
''Stankonia'' is the fourth studio album by the American hip hop duo Outkast, released on October 31, 2000, by LaFace Records and Arista Records. The album was recorded in the duo's recently purchased Atlanta recording facility Stankonia Studios, ...
''
,
Grammy Award for Album of the Year
The Grammy Award for Album of the Year is an award presented by the The Recording Academy, National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the r ...
,
, rowspan="2",
, -
,
Grammy Award for Best Rap Album
,
, -
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mr. Dj
Musicians from Atlanta
Dungeon Family members
American hip-hop DJs
African-American musicians
Grammy Award winners for rap music
American hip-hop record producers
Living people
LaFace Records artists
Year of birth missing (living people)