DJ Symphony

Symphony Taylor (Born August 1, 1980) is an American hip hop producer, radio personality, and official DJ for GZA of the Wu-Tang Clan. Symphony has worked with artists such as Digital Underground, Tony Touch, DJ Boogie Blind, DJ Scratch from EPMD, The Beatnuts,[1] Sean Price, P. Diddy, Nas, MF Doom, Alchemists, Mobb Deep, Portia Dee, Rick Ross, KRS-One, 2 Chainz, Busta Rhymes, Snoop Dogg, Yelawolf, Onyx, 9th Wonder, B2K's Raz-B and B-Nasty

DJ Symphony
Background information
Also known asSymphony Taylor
Born (1980-08-01) August 1, 1980
OriginNewark, New Jersey, U.S.
GenresHip hop
Occupation(s)
Instruments
Years active1989 (1989)–-present (-present)
LabelsICEH20 Records, Instant Music Group
Associated actsWu-Tang Clan, Wu-Block, Gza, Sadat X, Jeru The Damaja, Psycho Les, The Beatnuts
Websitewww.djsymphony.com

Early life

Born and raised in Newark, New Jersey, DJ Symphony started deejaying at age 9 when his older brothers requested him to be the DJ for their rap group New Poet Society.[2] He played local parties in the New Jersey area and was mentored in the craft by the late DJ Kashief, who was also a popular deejay in the New Jersey area at the time. DJ Symphony started making mixtapes by age 12, and used whatever money he made selling mixtapes to help him buy more vinyl records. DJ Symphony began his professional career in 1995 deejaying in nightclubs, restaurants, colleges and block parties in the New Jersey and New York area.

Career

Radio
DJ Symphony Performing in Chile

DJ Symphony became a radio DJ for 103.3 WPRB in Princeton, New Jersey in 1996 and ran a weekly program called Vibes and Vapours. In 1997, he also started to deejay for Rutgers University and did their Black Madness events. Although DJ Symphony devoted most of his time from 2000 and onward to tour deejaying for numerous artists, he returned to radio in 2007 and worked for 102.5 KSFM in Sacramento, California as a mix show DJ for the show Club 102 which aired from 12am-2am every weekend until 2009. In 2010, DJ Symphony became the Program Director for Radio Invasion 93.1FM a clear channel radio station.[3]

Tour DJ for the Gza of the Wu-Tang Clan
DJ Symphony with Raekwon

In 2000, DJ Symphony was introduced to the Wu-Tang Clan through Raekwon. He started doing shows as Raekwon's tour DJ and in the years to come, he became official tour DJ for Gza of the Wu-Tang Clan,[4] the other DJs being DJ Mathematics, DJ Dice and DJ Saki. DJ Symphony has toured with members of the Wu-Tang Clan on both domestic and international tours. DJ Symphony was the official DJ for Raekwon from 2006-2013 and worked with Raekwon's label ICEH2O Records from 2006-2010. DJ Symphony also worked with Ghostface Killah on his Wu-Block Tour from 2010-2013. Since 2014, DJ Symphony has worked as the official tour DJ for GZA.

Shows and tours by dates (this list is not exhaustive):

  • 2020 Liquid Swords 25th Anniversary U.S Tour
  • 2019 GZA European Tour
  • 2018 GZA European Tour
  • 2017 GZA Australian Tour[5]
  • 2017 GZA at the Beachland Ballroom, Cleveland
  • 2017 GZA at the Howard Theatre, Washington
  • 2016 GZA at the Novo in Los Angeles
  • 2016 GZA at Brighton Music Hall, Boston
  • 2016 GZA at the Observatory, San Diego
  • 2016 GZA at The Observatory North Park in San Diego
  • 2015 Wu-Tang Clan Sneaker Pimps Miami
  • 2015 GZA at Whatever Fest, Houston
  • 2015 GZA at the Untapped Festival
  • 2014 GZA concert at São Paulo, Brazil
  • 2014 Wu-Block Tour
  • 2014 GZA Agenda Music Festival – Chile
  • 2013 Wu-Tang Clan Rock the Bells Festival Tour
  • 2013 GZA at Echo Stage, Washington D.C.
  • 2013 Ghostface Killah and Sheek Louch at the Shine, Chicago
  • 2013 New Year's Eve Party with DJ LORD (of Public Enemy)[6]
  • 2012 Wu-Tang Clan Rock the Bells Festival Tour
  • 2012 Cannibus Cup Tour
  • 2012 Wu-Block Tour[7]
  • 2012 Wu Legends Tour
  • 2012 Monegros Desert Festival
  • 2011 2 Chainz, Raekwon at Rock the Bells, Philadelphia PA
  • 2011 Wu-Tang Clan Rock the Bells Festival Tour
  • 2011 Raekwonn: Shaolin Vs. Wu Tang Tour
  • 2011 Raekwon LA Shaolin Vs. Wu-Tang Tour
  • 2011 Raekwon, Ghostface Killah and Cappadonna at House of Blues, Chicago
  • 2011 Raekwon Cuban Linx 2 Tour, Dublin, Ireland
  • 2011 Wu-Block Tour with Ghostface Killah, Sheek Louch[8]
  • 2010 Raekwon, Capone N Noreaga at Filmore, Irving Plaza, New York City[9]
  • 2010 Raekwon at Sneaker Pimps, Chicago
  • 2010 Raekwon All Tomorrow's Party, New York City[10]
  • 2010 Raekwon at the Paid Dues Festival, Los Angeles
  • 2010 Raekwon at the Open Air Frauenfeld Festival
  • 2009 Raekwon House of Blues Tour

Educator

DJ Symphony has evolved from being a hip-hop practitioner to becoming a music teacher. His passion for education and hip-hop lead him to create the Symphony DJ Academy at the Solano Town Center in 2013 in Fairfield, California where he teaches deejaying, audio production, podcasting and radio arts. In 2017 he opened Scratch Course, an online DJ program.[11] DJ Symphony works with GZA to support the Science Genius[12] program, an innovative competition that teaches kids to increase their science literacy by writing raps about science topics.[13]

Production Credits

DJ Symphony started his professional production career in 2006 when he was signed with Raekwon's ICEH2O Records label. The label put out the song "Papito" with JD Era and opened up the door for DJ Symphony to produce for other celebrity artists. DJ Symphony is currently producing a new project with GZA called Dark Matter. Listed below are some of the songs that DJ Symphony has produced, although the list is not exhaustive:

  1. All the way good - Capone (CNN)[14]
  2. Papito[15]- Ceazar and Reason featuring JD Era
  3. Heart of Fire - Raekwon[16]
  4. The Rock - Cappadonna[17]
  5. Live Your Fantasy - Portia Dee[18]
  6. The Water - Hanz On[19]
  7. W.A.R - Hanz On[19]
  8. Circle Back - B-Nasty
  9. Anti Mumble Rap featuring Sadat X & Ceazar
  10. Real Hip-Hop - Jeru the Damaja, Psycho Les & Sadat X

Discography
Main article: DJ Symphony discography

DJ Symphony's most notable mixtape series was created in 2010 The Certified Crack Mixtape Series with Raekwon. Overall, the Certified Crack Mixtape Series has had over 1 million downloads.[20] In total, there are 20 Mixtapes in circulation.

Singles
Albums
  • TBA: It's Bigger Than Music
Mixtapes
  • 2010: Certified Crack: Vial 1 (hosted by Raekwon)[22]
  • 2011: Certified Crack: Vial 2 (hosted by Raekwon)[23]
  • 2011: Certified Crack: Memorial Weekend (hosted by Raekwon)[24]
  • 2011: Messy Sheets[25]
  • 2011: Fight For The Carter: Wayne Vs Shawn[26]
  • 2012: 365 Takeova Series: 2-10-12 (hosted by DJ Symphony & DJ Dames Nellas)
  • 2012: 365 Takeova Series: 3-16-12 (hosted by DJ Symphony & DJ Dames Nellas)
  • 2012: I Love Canada[27]
  • 2012: Dipset Vs Wu-Tang
  • 2012: I Love America[28]
  • 2012: Certified Crack: Common Vs Drake[29]
  • 2012: I Am Trayvon Martin[30]
  • 2012: Certified Crack: Waka Flocka Vs Wiz Khalifa
  • 2012: Certified Crack: MMG Vs YMCMB[31]
  • 2014: Certified Crack: The Best Of Superwoman (hosted by Lil' Mo)[32]
  • 2018: Wu-Invasion Mixtape Series: Australian Edition Volume 1 (hosted by GZA)
  • 2018: Wu-Invasion Mixtape Series: World Edition Volume 1 (hosted by Ghostface Killah)
  • 2018: Wu-Invasion Mixtape Series: World Edition Volume 2 (hosted by Ghostface Killah)
  • 2019: Wu-Invasion Mixtape Series: Valentines Day Massacre (hosted by Ghostface Killah)
  • 2020: Classic Throwback Mixtape Series: Volume 1 (hosted by Faizon Love)
Guest appearances
  • 2010: "The Columbian Necktie" Raekwon (hosted by DJ Symphony)[33]
  • 2010: "Dead or Alive" The Cartel (hosted by DJ Symphony)[34]
  • 2011: "Digital Money" Da Tykoon (hosted by DJ Symphony)[35]
  • 2011: "The Vault" Nino Graye (hosted by DJ Symphony)[36]

Movie Scores

DJ Symphony helped create the movie score for the film Omerta (2012)[37]

References
  1. "Fotos de GZA de Wu Tang Clan en Chile - AgendaMusical". www.agendamusical.cl.
  2. "From Poverty To Power Moves". www.goodreads.com.
  3. "Home - Free Internet Radio - Radio Invasion". radioinvasion.com.
  4. "HHV Exclusive: DJ Symphony talks history with Raekwon, Wu-Tang Clan, and Radio Invasion". 24 August 2012.
  5. "GZA - THE GENIUS (USA) Australian Tour".
  6. "New Year's Eve With Dj Lord & Dj Symphony".
  7. "Wu-Tang Clan: Our crazy new project" – via www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk.
  8. "Wu-Block & Friends: Wild Tour Stories With DJ Symphony [Video]". 6 September 2012. Archived from the original on 29 December 2017. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  9. "Amid Tales of Thug Life, a Wu-Tang Family Reunion". The New York Times. 18 December 2009.
  10. "Raekwon Live At All Tomorrow's Parties New York 2010".
  11. "Dj Symphony Wu-Tang Clan - Get Certified, Get Recognized- Udemy". Udemy.
  12. "The Genius of Science - GZA".
  13. "Science Rap B.A.T.T.L.E.S. Bring Hip-Hop Into The Classroom".
  14. http://hiphopdx.com, HipHopDX -. "Capone - All The Way Good [prod. DJ Symphony]".
  15. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/papito-feat-ceazar-reason-jd-era-single/id475368654
  16. "Heart of Fire". HipHopDX.
  17. "The Rock [ft. Cappadonna]".
  18. "Portia Dee talks "Live Your Fantasy," DJ Symphony, and time on "Flavor of Love"". www.thisis50.com. Archived from the original on 2015-07-04. Retrieved 2017-10-23.
  19. "Hanz On - Out Of Chef's Kitchen". Discogs.
  20. "DatPiff :: The Authority in Free Mixtapes". DatPiff.
  21. "Anti Mumble Rap (feat. Sadat X & Ceazar) - Single by Dj Symphony".
  22. "DJ Symphony - Certified Crack: Vial 1". Discogs.
  23. "Release group "Certified Crack Vial 2" by DJ Symphony - MusicBrainz". musicbrainz.org.
  24. "Release group "Certified Crack: Memorial Weekend" by DJ Symphony - MusicBrainz". musicbrainz.org.
  25. "Dj Symphony - Messy Sheets Hosted by Dj Symphony". DatPiff.
  26. "DJ Symphony - Fight For The Carter: Wayne Vs Shawn". Discogs.
  27. "DJ Symphony – I Love Canada [Mixtape]". HipHopCanada.com. 5 April 2012. Archived from the original on 27 December 2017. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  28. "DJ Symphony to announce record label and release date for "I Love America"". 10 June 2012.
  29. "DJ Symphony – Drake Vs. Common [Mixtape]". HipHopCanada.com. 14 January 2012. Archived from the original on 27 December 2017. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  30. "Various Artists - I Am Trayvon Martin Hosted by Dj Symphony". DatPiff.
  31. "[MIXTAPE] MMG Vs YMCMB - Certified Crack". www.thisis50.com. Archived from the original on 2017-12-27. Retrieved 2017-12-29.
  32. "Lil' Mo to host DJ Symphony's "The Best of Superwoman" mixtape, which drops on Hip Hop Vibe on Halloween Night". 26 September 2013.
  33. "Raekwon The Chef - The Columbian Necktie Hosted by Dj Symphony". DatPiff.
  34. "Dj Symphony/The Cartel - Dead Or Alive Hosted by Hosted By Dj Symphony". DatPiff.
  35. "Da Tykoon - Digital Money Hosted by Dj Symphony". DatPiff.
  36. "F4E Presents: The Vault Hosted By DJ Symphony by Nino Graye on Apple Music". 5 November 2011.
  37. "Omerta". 1 February 2011 – via www.imdb.com.
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