DJ Kool
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DJ Kool | |
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Birth name | John W. Bowman Jr. |
Born | Washington, D.C., U.S. | March 20, 1958
Genres | |
Occupation(s) |
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Years active | 1979–present |
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Associated acts |
John W. Bowman Jr. (born March 20, 1958), better known by his stage name DJ Kool, is an American DJ and rapper who produced several popular rap singles in the late 1980s.
Career[]
Raised in Washington, D.C., his influence from years of working the go-go and rap circuits became apparent in his music.
In 1996, he released the single "Let Me Clear My Throat" on American Recordings, which charted around the world including the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 and top 10 in the UK and Netherlands in March 1997.[1] The song prominently features a sample of "The 900 Number" by the 45 King (which itself features a sample from Marva Whitney's "Unwind Yourself",[2] repeated over a breakbeat for six minutes). The song also began by sampling "Hollywood Swinging" by Kool & the Gang. The song is a recognizable dance floor-filler, and the track remains popular to this day.
In 2003, DJ Kool contributed to the song "Hit the Floor" from the "Macho Man" Randy Savage studio album, Be a Man.[3]
Discography[]
Albums[]
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||||||||||
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US [4] |
US Heat. [5] |
US R&B [6] | |||||||||||
The Music Ain't Loud Enuff | — | — | 60 | ||||||||||
20 Minute Workout |
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— | — | 84 | |||||||||
Let Me Clear My Throat |
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161 | 8 | 21 | |||||||||
Gimmie Dat Beat |
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— | — | — | |||||||||
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart. |
Singles[]
- "The Music Ain't Loud Enuff" (1988)
- "What the Hell You Come in Here For" (1989)
- "Raggae Dance" (1990)
- "I Can Make You Dance" (1992)
- "20 Minute Workout" (1994)
- "I Got Dat Feelin'" (1995)
- "Let Me Clear My Throat" (1996)
References[]
- ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 159. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ Marva Whitney – Unwind Yourself (Sampled By DJ Kool – Let Me Clear My Throat) Archived 2012-04-25 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Hit The Floor [feat. DJ Kool] by Macho Man Randy Savage on Amazon Music". Amazon.com. 2016-09-03. Retrieved 2020-05-05.
- ^ "DJ Kool – Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
- ^ "DJ Kool – Awards". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
- ^ "DJ Kool – Chart History: R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
External links[]
- Yahoo Biography
- Musicmatch guide
- Fansite
- DJ Kool Video interview with Money Train & Thenkman on YouTube
- DJ Kool Video interview with DJ Tutor on YouTube
- 1958 births
- Living people
- American hip hop DJs
- Rappers from Washington, D.C.
- Go-go musicians
- African-American musicians
- 21st-century American rappers
- American DJ stubs