DJ Khaled (Miami, FL) Though Khaled is actually from New Orleans, he might as well have been born and raised in the country of Dade. The Palestinian DJ has taken over the MIA like Pablo Escobar in the 80’s. He not only has the number one rated night show in Miami, on WEDR 99 JAMZ, but is also the co-manager for the super producer duo The Runners, and the self-proclaimed “Number 1 DJ in the world!” Khaled’s second and most recent Koch release We The Best debuted as the #1 independent — and 10th overall — album on the Billboard Charts. DJ Nasty (Orlando, FL) Nasty Beatmakers For almost a decade Nasty has rocked on Orlando’s WJHM 102 Jamz as well as in the nightclubs. He is also a producer, known as Nasty Beatmakers along with his brother LVM, and has worked with artists like Lil Wayne and Ludacris. Along with DJ Khaled, he also manages the production duo The Runners. DJ Prostyle (New York, NY/ORLANDO, FL) Originally from Queens, NY, Prostyle prospered as the more vocal half of Orlando’s premiere DJ duo (Prostyle & Nasty) before locking down a spot on BET’s 106th and Park. He now maintains his own record label, All Pro Records, in addition to DJing on Power 95.3 in Orlando. DJ Q45 (Jacksonville, FL) Rap City DJ Q45 is the fresh new face of BET’s Rap City. In addition to being a TV personality, his skills and energetic personality are in high demand in clubs from Jacksonville to Miami and beyond. DJ Smallz (TAMPA, FL) 22 year-old DJ Smallz was born overseas, but moved to Florida at the age of 3 and fell in love with Hip Hop almost immediately. His passion for the turntables in his early teenage years spawned his nationally recognized Southern Smoke CD series; playing a monumental role in catapulting major and independent Southern artists to the attention of national and international markets. Smallz also has a weekly 2-hr show airing on Sirius Satellite Radio and DISH Network. MTV News named the Southern Smoke DJ as one of the “Top 10 DJs of 2005” and Rolling Stone Magazine named him one of the “Top 10 DJs to watch in 2006.” DJ Trauma (ATLANTA, GA) SuperFriends Trauma, originally from New York, got his start in the music industry by DJing at clubs and working for Sony Music as a college rep. Currently, he is a Mixer at Hot 107.9 WHTA in Atlanta and a founding member of the SuperFriends DJ crew. He has worked with a variety of artists including Monica, Ciara, Jermaine Dupri, and Vawn. Donna Gryn (New York, NY) Sr. Dir. of Rap Promotion & Artist Development, Polo Grounds New York native Donna Gryn began her career in music in 2001 while attending New York University. She landed an internship at Roc-A-Fella Records and earned a full time position in just three months. Since then, Donna has held down positions as Director of Promotions (Pharrell’s Star Trak label), co-management at JackMove Inc (working with DJ Cipha Sounds and Nina Sky), and Senior Director of Mixshow Promotions (Virgin Records). Donna departed Virgin 2007 to head up the rap department at Polo Grounds Music, a new joint label venture with J Records. Drumma Boy (Memphis, TN) Drumma Boy’s name has flown under the radar but his production on songs like Young Jeezy’s “Standin’ Ovation” and “The Realest” and Yo Gotti’s “That’s What’s Up” has his name buzzing in the streets as a producer to look out for. In addition to Young Jeezy and Yo Gotti, this hitmaker from Memphis, TN has produced for Gangsta Boo, Pastor Troy and Boyz N Da Hood. As the beatmaker behind USDA’s “White Girl” and Plies’ “Shawty,” the demand for Drumma Boy’s orchestral-influenced production is on the rise. Eric “E-Class” Prince (Miami, FL) Founder & CEO, Poe Boy Entertainment This entrepreneur and marketing genius is responsible for one of the fastest growing labels in Florida. Acknowledged as a leader in the South Florida movement, Poe Boy Entertainment is cur28 // OZONE MAG
rently home to Brisco (Cash Money), Flo-Rida (Atlantic), Carol City Cartel, and several other artists. Poe Boy also cultivated major label deals for Rick Ross and Jacki-O. Eric Nicks (New York, NY) Senior Vice President, A&R Universal/Motown Former positions at Violator Records, Def Jam and Sony Records paved the way for Eric Nicks’ current role as Senior VP/A&R for Universal/Motown. Nicks helped shape the careers of Foxy Brown, LL Cool J, Busta Rhymes, and Lyfe Jennings, just to name a few. He is also on the board of advisors for the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Felli Fel (Los Angeles, CA) Born in the small town of Rock Hill, South Carolina, DJ Felli Fel is now Hollywood — literally. In fact, over 1.6 million people listen to him each night, as he is the host of the #1 nighttime show in Los Angeles. Felli Fel’s show on LA’s Power 106 has held down the number 1 spot for years, garnering the highest ratings in his respective time slot. Though he was born in South Cak, and raised in Atlanta, Felli Fel has truly made his mark on the West Coast. He is now venturing off into producing and has a new single buzzing across the country. “Grouchy” Greg Watkins Co-Founder of AllHipHop.com For 9 years, AllHipHop.com has been the #1 online destination for Hip Hop news, reviews and industry insights. After joining forces in 1997, AllHipHop.com’s founders Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur & “Grouchy” Greg Watkins have since launched the Daily Hip Hop News Alerts and the annual AllHipHop Week. Jason Geter (Atlanta, GA) President, Grand Hustle Jason Geter, along with his business partner Clifford “T.I.” Harris, formed the powerhouse label Grand Hustle in 2003. With a joint venture deal through Atlantic Records, Grand Hustle has had enormous success with artists like T.I. and Young Dro, and continues to develop its roster of up-and-coming talent. JASMIJN “Jazz” RIJCKEN (PHILADELPHIA, PA) VP of Marketing, Miskeen Originals Jasmijn a.k.a. Jazz, originally from Rotterdam in the Netherlands, got her start as an unpaid intern at Miskeen. She worked her way up the ranks and is now VP of Marketing, where her job responsibilities include sponsorships, global marketing, product placement, branding, public relations, and point-of-sale promotions. Joie Manda (New York, NY) Head of A&R & Promotions, Asylum Records Asylum, billed as an “incubator” label, serves as the “umbrella” for several successful indie labels like Swishahouse and Trill Entertainment. As head of A&R, Joie is involved with projects from artists like Webbie, Lil Boosie, Cam’Ron, and many more. Kaspa The Don (Atlanta, GA) President, Hittmenn DJs “Kaspa is his name and PROMOTIONS is NADAGAME!” Los Angeles native Kaspa the Don was born and bred on the left coast, but relocated to ATL in the 90s. He started his promotional company after interning at Hot 107 in Atlanta, where he was the among the all star draft class of interns that included Chris Luva Luva, MTV’s LaLa, Coco Brother, and Marsha Meadows. In 1997 Kaspa started Dulo Marketing and Media, servicing clients such as Interscope, Violator, Coca Cola, 1-800-CALL ATT, Warner Bros, Suave House, and BME. In 2003, he started Legion Of Doom DJs, but soon linked up with Greg Street and Bigga Rankin to found the Hittmenn DJs. Latin Prince (Los Angeles, CA) President, BumSquad DJs The BumSquad DJ’s founder Latin Prince is a mogul in the making. The former TVT Records exec and LA native has been taking over all facets of the music industry for over a decade. Now with BumSquad Muzik inking a new deal with Universal, there really is no stopping this Latin Prince of Belair. Alex “Lex” Pierre-Louis (Miami, FL) National Promotions Director, Lex Promotions & Marketing Group Lex Promotions & Marketing Group boasts a client list including