DJ Quik

David Marvin Blake (born January 18, 1970), better known by his stage name DJ Quik, is an American hip hop recording artist, DJ, record producer and actor. According to Quik himself, his stage name reflects his ability to produce records in a short period of time.

Early life

Blake was born on January 18, 1970 in Pomona, California. He was chiefly inspired by funk and soul artists, 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. Out of respect for his beloved friend, Roger Troutman, he retired the talkbox. David's love for music began at 2, as his mother had an extensive record collection. By age 12 he was already playing instruments, and by the age of 21, he was a platinum-selling artist.

He began selling homemade mixtapes (notably The Red Tape, 1987) after he received a turntable for his 8th grade graduation. He then began doing shows DJing around Southern California, many of which ended in rival gang related altercations. He was a member of the Westside Tree Top Piru Bloods. In the 11th grade, Quik dropped out of high school. For a period of about three years he was homeless after his mother lost her home, due to foreclosure. He would later go on to say that after his success in the rap world many of his family members "popped up".

Quik

Quik may refer to:

See also

Or Nah (Ty Dolla Sign song)

"Or Nah" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Ty Dolla $ign. The song was released on January 7, 2014, as the second single from his debut EP, Beach House EP (2014). "Or Nah" was produced by DJ Mustard and Mike Free and features a guest appearance from American rapper Wiz Khalifa. The song has since peaked at number 48 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. The official remix features The Weeknd. On April 29, 2014, it officially impacted rhythmic contemporary radio in the United States.

Critical reception

Upon its release, "Or Nah" was met with generally positive reviews from music critics. Complex described it as "slang expander that's sure to alter your day-to-day work conversations". About the song XXL magazine wrote, "The Taylor Gang affiliate enlists Wiz Khalifa to come through on the DJ Mustard-produced “Oh Nah”—a collaborative cut void of romance and love, but rather focuses on getting straight to the point—or in this case, the sheets. While DJ Mustard subtlety guides the track with the sounds of creaking bedsprings, both Ty Dolla $ign and Wiz take the time to question their potential bedmates about food and weed, making sure the femme fatale can cater to their needs."

The Weeknd

Abęl Makkonen Tesfaye (born 16 February 1990), known professionally by his stage name The Weeknd (pronounced "the weekend"), is a Canadian singer, songwriter and record producer. In late 2010, Tesfaye anonymously uploaded several songs to YouTube under the name "The Weeknd". He released three nine-track mixtapes throughout 2011: House of Balloons, Thursday and Echoes of Silence, which were critically acclaimed. The following year, he released a compilation album Trilogy, thirty tracks consisting of remastered versions of the mixtape material and three additional songs. It was released under Republic Records and his own label XO.

In 2013, he released his debut studio album Kiss Land, which was supported by the singles "Kiss Land" and "Live For". His second album, Beauty Behind the Madness, which became his first number one album on the Billboard 200, included the top-five single "Earned It" and produced the number-one singles "The Hills" and "Can't Feel My Face". The songs have simultaneously held the top three spots on the Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart, making him the first artist in history to achieve this.

MC Eiht

Aaron Tyler (born May 22, 1967), better known by his stage name MC Eiht, is an American hip hop recording artist from Compton, California. Many of his songs are based on his life in Compton. His stage name was partly inspired by the numeral in KRS-One's name. He chose Eiht for its links to "hood culture", including Olde English 800 (8 Ball) and .38 caliber firearms. He is the de facto leader of West Coast hip hop group Compton's Most Wanted, which also included fellow Compton-based rappers Boom Bam, Tha Chill, DJ Mike T, DJ Slip and Ant Capone. He is also known for his role in the 1993 film Menace II Society.

Music career

Tyler grew to fame on the West Coast as one of two MCs in the four-man crew, Compton's Most Wanted. After enjoying increasing success with the group, which peaked with 1992's Music to Driveby, Eiht took a role in the hit movie Menace II Society as well as a high-profile spot on the soundtrack. The song, "Streiht Up Menace," which chronicles the unfortunate downturn of the film's protagonist within the pathological conditions of American inner city life, is considered by many critics to be Eiht's magnum opus. The movie spurred him into a solo career, although his next two albums We Come Strapped and Death Threatz would be accredited as MC Eiht featuring Compton's Most Wanted. These albums were considered his best and took place during the most tense years of the 'beef' between Eiht and DJ Quik, Eiht's childhood friends Boom Bam and Tha Chill of N.O.T.R were heavily involved with both albums and the Quik beef, there are several explicit remarks towards Quik made on these albums by E, Bam and Chill. E was also associated with W 159th St Tragniew Park Compton Crips.