DJ Nabs

DJ Nabs is an American DJ and record producer. He has been part of the Atlanta hip hop scene since the late 1980s and worked with hip hop artists such as Kris Kross, Da Brat, Bow Wow, Xscape, Speech, and Trick Daddy, hosted several radio shows, and toured with Mariah Carey, Ciara and Michael Jackson. He published his compilation album In the Lab with DJ Nabs - The Live Album in 1998. Nabs founded the MAD DJ Academy, and hosted and co-created Ultimate Mad DJ Contest, an event showcasing emerging DJs.[1][2][3]

DJ Nabs
BornDurham, North Carolina, United States
GenresHip hop
Occupation(s)
Years active1988-present
LabelsColumbia Records
Associated acts
Websitedjnabs.com

Life and career

Nabs was born in Durham, North Carolina, United States, and grew up in the Walltown Neighborhood.[4][5] He purchased the Rapper's Delight at the age of ten.[2] He spun records at parties in 10th grade and later joined the marching band at his college, North Carolina Central University. Nabs came to Atlanta in 1988,[6] when the local rap scene began to flourish. He started as a mix show DJ on WVEE and the resident DJ at Club Kaya's Old School Sundays.[5][7]

While attending Morris Brown College, Nabs worked with a trio called Secret Society. Two of the group's members, Speech and Headliner, would eventually create Arrested Development, and Nabs would remix their song Tennessee. Through their manager, Michael Mauldin, Nabs met Mauldin's son Jermaine Dupri. He became So So Def's exclusive tour DJ for Da Brat, Bow Wow, Xscape, and Dupri. Nabs was the tour DJ and music director for Dupri's protégés, Kris Kross. It was on their global tour in the 1990s, during the apex of their popularity, that he opened for Michael Jackson.[1][8][9]

After touring with Kris Kross for four years, Nabs made it to Hot 97.5 as the second afternoon drive personality in the station's history, hosting a popular show, "In The Lab With DJ Nabs". During this time, he introduced Ludacris to the music industry. He worked for Hot 97.5 (which would become Hot 107.9) in the mid-2000s as well.[1][2][10]

Nabs released In The Lab With DJ Nabs - The Live Album for Columbia Records in 1998.[10][11] It featured a then-unknown Ludacris, as well as live appearances by Big Daddy Kane, Wyclef Jean and Kurtis Blow. Nabs toured with Mariah Carey and Ciara.[5]

He produced the remix for "In The Wind" (2002) by Trick Daddy, Cee-Lo, and Big Boi. Nabs released The Product & The Power mixtape compilation (2005), which was followed by Product & The Power II (2008).[12][13] The film Diary of a Mad DJ was made in 2010 as a prelude to a documentary about Nabs' life, American DJ Story.[14]

Nabs founded the MAD DJ Academy and hosted Ultimate Mad DJ Contest, an event showcasing emerging DJs, co-created by him and Michael Mauldin.[3] He toured as a solo DJ to Taiwan, France, Turkey, Greece, and Romania.[1][5][15] In the meantime, he started working on Boom 102.9 in Atlanta.[16]

Discography

Compilation album

In the Lab with DJ Nabs - The Live Album

In the Lab with DJ Nabs - The Live Album[17]
Compilation album
ReleasedNovember 3, 1998 (1998-11-03)
RecordedAugust 1997 - April 1998
GenreHip hop
Length1:06:17
LabelColumbia Records
Producer
  • DJ Nabs
  • Carl-So-Lowe
  • Jermaine Dupri
No.TitleLength
1."Intro" (feat. Nicole Harris, Shanik Mincie)1:36
2."I Know You Got Soul" (feat. Eric B. & Rakim)2:52
3."I Ain't No Joke" (feat. Eric B. & Rakim)3:00
4."Time" (feat. Jermaine Dupri)2:31
5."Ghetto Red Hot" (feat. Super Cat)4:01
6."The Bridge" (feat. MC Shan)2:09
7."Make the Music With Your Mouth, Biz" (feat. Biz Markie)4:51
8."Nuff Respect Due/Good Times/Raw/Set It off/Got to Be Real/Warm It Up" (feat. Chic, Big Daddy Kane, Cheryl Lynn)6:10
9."Pee Wee's Dance"3:28
10."Party" (feat. MC Breed, Kris Kross)2:17
11."Nobody Beats the Biz" (feat. Biz Markie)4:15
12."Is It You" (feat. Jagged Edge & Ludacris)4:05
13."We Trying to Stay Alive/Unwind Yourself/Rapper's Delight/The Bridge Is" (feat. The Sugarhill Gang, Wyclef Jean)7:13
14."Friends" (feat. Whodini)2:52
15."I Got It Made" (feat. Special Ed)2:45
16."Check the Rhime" (feat. A Tribe Called Quest)2:16
17."Thank You"1:03
18."Intro" (feat. Kurtis Blow)3:49
19."DJ Nabs Scratch Blow" (feat. Kurtis Blow)5:04
Total length:01:06:17

Mixtapes
Year Title
2005 The Product & The Power
2008 Product & The Power II

Producer
Title Year Peak chart positions Album Artist
Hot 100 Hip Hop Rap
"Japanese Eyes"
"Billionaire Dreams"		 1997 - - - Severe Damage[18] DJ Hurricane
"In da Wind (Ride out mix)" 2002 70[19] 28[20] 16[21] Thug Holiday[22] Trick Daddy

Composer
Title Year Album Artist
"D.J. Nabs Break" 1993 Da Bomb[23] Kris Kross
"Koochie Kuters" 1996 So So Def Bass All-Stars[24] various
"Japanese Eyes"
"Billionaire Dreams"		 1997 Severe Damage[25] DJ Hurricane
"Last of a Dying Breed"
"I Do It For Hip Hop"
(as Youtha Fowler)		 2008 Theater of the Mind[26] Ludacris

Remixes
Title Year Artist
"Tennessee (Back to The Roots Remix)"[27] 1992 Arrested Development
"Everyday Thang In Da Hood (DJ Nabs Remix)"[28] 1994 Ghetto Mafia
"Ice Box (DJ Nabs Remix)"[29] 2006 Omarion

Turntables
Year Song Album Artist
1994 "Funkdafied (DJ Club Mix - Rated R)"[30] - Da Brat
1995 "Stop to Think"
"Reality"		 Wild Seed--Wild Flower[31] Dionne Farris
1996 "Hopelessly" Speech[32] Speech
2000 "Get Um Crunk" Dirty South[33] Rasheeda
2006 "Ultimate Satisfaction" Release Therapy[34] Ludacris
2010 "I Do It All Night" Battle Of The Sexes[35] Ludacris

Guest appearances
Year Artist Title Album
1996 Speech Hopelessly Heart & Soul

Recognition

DJ Nabs was honored at "Respect the DJ", an Atlanta event that showcased DJ's of various genres from Hip Hop to Top 40.[36]

He was featured as a notable pioneer in southern rap music in the 2014 "VH1 Rock Docs ATL: The Untold Story of Atlantab's Rise in the Rap Game."[2]

Personal life

Nabs married in 2009. He participates in amateur boxing tournaments for charity.[1][6]

References
  1. Rodney Carmichael (30 April 2015). "Atlanta radio goes three times dope". Creative Loafing. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  2. Rodney Ho (23 February 2015). "Former Hot jock DJ Nabs joins afternoons on Boom 102.9 Feb. 23". AJC. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  3. "Scream Nation Hosts Ultimate Mad DJ Contest Finale Today". Broadway World. 19 June 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  4. "DJ Nabs @ CINEBOWL & GRILLE". Bandsintown.com. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  5. "DJ Nabs gives inside scoop on career, producers and top artists". Rolling Out. 14 March 2016. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  6. Adams, Ken (5 March 2016). "Old Skool Pugilist". The A-List. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  7. "The A-Team". Spin. August 1998. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  8. "Kris Krossb DJ Nabs Discusses the Life & Death of Chris Kelly [EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW]". Hot 107.9. 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  9. Tamara Palmer (29 September 2014). "Outkast's #ATLast Hometown Blowout Brings Erykah Badu, Bun B and More to Atlanta". Billboard. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  10. Jake Paine (2 May 2013). "DJ Nabs Believes Chris "Daddy Mac" Smith Will Not React Publicly To Death Of Chris "Mac Daddy" Kelly". HipHopDX. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  11. Wilbekin, Emil (February 1999). "Last night a DJ saved my life!". Vibe. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  12. "DJ Nabs - Interview". The Bee Shine. 31 December 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  13. "Product & The Power II". Dat Piff. 19 January 2008. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  14. maddjtv (27 January 2013). "DJ Nabs - Diary of a Mad DJ (2010)". YouTube. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  15. Jonell Whitt (29 February 2016). "DJ Nabs hosts birthday bash for Ed Lover in Atlanta". Rolling Out. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  16. Rodney Ho (22 June 2015). "20 years of Hot: Emperor Searcy a steady, likable presence". AJC. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  17. "DJ Nabs, In the Lab with DJ Nabs - The Live Album". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  18. "DJ Hurricane, Severe Damage". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  19. "Trick Daddy - Chart History". Billboard Hot 100. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  20. "Trick Daddy - Chart History". Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  21. "Trick Daddy - Chart History". Billboard Hot Rap Songs. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  22. "Trick Daddy, Thug Holiday". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  23. "Kris Kross, Da Bomb". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  24. "Various Artists, So So Def Bass All-Stars". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  25. "DJ Hurricane, Severe Damage". Discogs. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  26. "Ludacris, Theater of the Mind". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  27. "Arrested Development – Tennessee (Remixes)". Discogs. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  28. "Ghetto Mafia – Everyday Thang In Da Hood". Discogs. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  29. "Ice Box (DJ Nabs Remix) - Single". iTunes. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  30. "Da Brat with DJ Nabs Warmup Scratch Workout at Club Masquerade in Turkey". YouTube. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  31. "Dionne Farris – Wild Seed - Wild Flower". Discogs. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  32. "Speech - Hopelessly feat. DJ Nabs - Heart & Soul". YouTube. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  33. "Rasheeda – Dirty South". Discogs. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  34. "Ludacris – Release Therapy". Discogs. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  35. "Ludacris – Battle Of The Sexes". Discogs. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  36. Kev Ross (20 February 2015). "DJ Nabs Takes on Afternoons on Boom 102.9 FM". Radio Facts. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
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