Friday, July 18, 2008

Newest Million DJ March Speaker: DJ Chuck T.

Less than five years after abandoning the mic for a set of Technics, DJ Chuck T had already become a force to reckon with in the world of Southern Entertainment. His success was attained by a fairly simple formula, really. The passion he possesses for music itself is a given: even when he chose to let go of his very attainable rap dreams, he could not bring himself to walk away from the game. Add to that passion a work ethic matched only by some of the greatest business minds in history, and you’d already have the story of a champion. But what sets Chuck T apart is his dedication to the people, a determination to help others attain their dreams. That was the original reason for Chuck T’s 2001 career change. While he grew restless as an artist, he found a way to help other up and coming artists benefit from his experience. Knowing that exposure is the name of the game, he rapidly created several avenues by which artists in the Carolinas could expand their reach. First it was his radio show in Charleston. Even before he entered the world of Radio, he noticed that the three urban radio stations in his hometown provided no variety for the listeners, and no opportunities for the city’s talent. His weekend radio show [I think it should say the name & station] did both: not only did Chuck T provide listeners with the hottest new music from their favorite artists, but he also peppered his playlist with the music of the most promising underground artists he could find. His employers and competitors may not have liked his approach, but record labels, artists and listeners alike loved it! By the time Chuck T left radio in 2002, his new mixtape series Ghetto Gangstas, had been deemed a great promotional tool for new and established artists alike. Chuck T presented fans with a product that perfectly balanced the familiar with the new, and the CDs were flying off shelves across the Southeast. Despite several opportunities to become part of the corporate Entertainment machine in a larger sense, Chuck T stayed the course, remembering that he was on a mission that was about much more than his own success. After releasing close to fifty mixtapes in 2004 alone and contributing to major distribution deals for six underground artists, Chuck T proceeded to diversify and solidify his brand. He rechristened Ghetto Gangstas as Down South Slangin’, a series which rapidly became one of the premier Southern mixtape series, spawning the more specialized “Freestyle,” “Instrumentals,” Battle for Supremacy,” and “Carolina Kingz” editions. Chuck T has seen just as much success and garnered as much praise with his Sexxxplicit R&B series.

DJ Chuck T has undeniably positioned himself as an industry power player. His mixtapes have helped make household names of artists like Boyz N Da Hood; Slick Pulla and BloodRaw of USDA; Kinfolk Kia Shine, Flo-Rida, Trey Songz and Rich Boy, to name a few. And his hard work has not gone unnoticed. Since 2005, DJ Chuck T has been nominated for over 60 awards, including an award for “Best New Mixtape DJ” at the 10th Annual Justo’s Mixtape Awards. With consecutive wins in multiple categories since [year 1st nominated], he’s also won a record [number] Southern Entertainment Awards. The press has also embraced Chuck T, with MTV naming him one of the Top 5 Mixtape DJs of 2007... from www.djchuckt.com

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