NYC mixologist, DJ Soul has used his love for music to create his own movement amongst taste makers, club socialites and elite celebrities across the world.
As an extended member of the Okayplayer family, his Assorted Donuts mixtape was nominated for The 2007 Vibe Magazine x VH-1 Mixtape Of The Year Award. To date the mix has received over 100,000 downloads making it one of the most successful online mixtapes ever.
As one of the most sought after DJ’s in the industry, DJ Soul has played exclusive parties for celebrities such as Diddy, Kate Moss, Derek Jeter, Naomi Campell, Usher, Donatella Versace, 50 Cent, Patricia Fields, Duran Duran, Rachel Ray, Q-Tip, Jeff Gordon, Russell & Kimora Lee Simmons, Moby, Kelis, Mark Ecko and Raphael Saadiq. He’s also played events for companies that include Nike, Louis Vuitton, Sony, Con verse, Adidas, Reebok, Undefeated, Alife, Married To The Mob and Complex Magazine.
It all started In the summer of 1992 when his father bought him two turntables and a mixer. Inspired by Kid Capri, Red Alert and Ron G, DJ Soul taught himself how to mix and scratch and was soon selling his mixtapes out of several stores throughout Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx and Harlem. As a party DJ, he started spinning house parties for friends in Long Island and was soon being booked for college parties and clubs throughout New York City and the Tri-State area.
In the summer of 1998, DJ Soul landed a job at Rawkus Records working in the Promotions and A&R Department. During this time he began to spin downtown parties in Manhattan and developed friendships and business relationships with Mark Ronson, The Lyricist Lounge, Triple 5 Soul, Fat Beats and Jeff Staple. Through these relationships, Soul played more parties and became one of the most in demand DJ’s in New York City. His credibility and music knowledge landed him job positions as the Music Editor at Mass Appeal Magazine and later at Complex Magazine as an Editor At Large.
As Soul continued to play at events that involved music, fashion, arts and sports, it created more opportunties for him. In 2003, he was hired as the DJ for the first season of Dave Chappelle’s hit television series The Chappelle Show. A year later Diddy heard him play at Bungalow 8 and requested for him to make a mixtape for his trip to St Tropez. After hearing the mix, Diddy personally called Soul and asked him to help work on several projects which included a Zac Posen Fashion Show and the 2005 MTV Music Awards (where he was the DJ backstage). Over the last few years, DJ Soul has continuously made radio appearances on Eminem’s satellite station Shade 45 and dropped several mixtapes which have been critically acclaimed . His Big L 5/30 Tribute mix was named album of the week by Complex Magazine in June of 2009. Most recently he became the only DJ to play at several games for the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.