Dj Quik Biography
Like many of his West Coast gangsta peers in the early '90s, DJ Quik's career began wonderfully before slowly descending with each passing year. In 1991, when a 20-year-old Quik debuted on Priority Records, West Coast gangsta rap reigned and his label controlled the rap industry. These factors, coupled with Quik's production abilities, resulted in a very successful debut album, Quik Is the Name. The album did well on the charts and won favor on the streets. Quik had become one of the rap industry's most promising talents. Like Dr. Dre, he embodied everything that characterized West Coast gangsta rap and he could both write, rap, and produce his own albums.
By the late-'90s though, when gangsta rap fell out of favor and Quik's albums began to sound increasingly predictable, many tagged the artist as a has-been, something that had happened to most early-'90s gangsta rappers. Rather than retire, Quik turned to production and reclaimed some of the glory he had experienced in the early '90s. He produced songs for such artists as Kurupt ("Can't Go Wrong"), Xzibit ("Sorry I'm Away So Much"), Eightball & MJG ("Buck Bounce"), and Truth Hurts ("Addictive"), with several songs being sizable hits.
While practically still a teenager, Quik began his rap career at the dawn of the '90s in Compton, CA, where he was born and raised alongside Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Eazy-E, MC Eiht, Above the Law, and numerous other Los Angeles rap artists. Like many of these peers, he recorded for Priority Records. His debut, Quik Is the Name (1991), launched his career well, spawning two sizable hit singles: "Born and Raised in Compton" and "Tonight." The two songs charted Top 20 on Billboard's R&B chart, the latter even charting pop. The hits drove his album into the Top Ten on the album chart and Quik suddenly rose to the top of the rap industry at a very young age.
Unfortunately, his success went downhill from there. Quik released several successive albums throughout the '90s, but none of them came close to matching the success of his debut. By the early 2000s, most of his initial fans had long abandoned him and his releases became increasingly rare. Many criticized him for being formulaic, while others for lightening his style. Arista finally dropped him following the lukewarm reception given to his Balance & Options album (2000).
Despite these struggles, Quik excelled as a producer. Songs like "Buck Bounce" (Eightball & MJG, 2001) and "Addictive" (Truth Hurts featuring Rakim, 2002) became huge hits and Quik reclaimed much of the success that had long evaded him in the late '90s. He furthered his solo career -- with 2002's Under tha Influence and 2005's Trauma -- and worked with a variety of collaborators, most notably Dr. Dre. Furthermore, he abandoned his longtime West Coast style for a more unique sound that was very much his own. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide
Popular Biographies:
Sylver Biography: Belgian electronica duo Sylver (formerly known as Liquid ft. Sylvie) emerged in 2000. Their debut single, called "Turn the Tide," climbed to the top of the official local club/dance chart soon after...
His name is alive Biography: Named after history class notes on Abraham Lincoln, the Livonia, MI-based sonic manipulators His Name Is Alive formed when multi-instrumentalist/producer Warren Defever (also of shockabilly group...
Take 6 Biography: With its roots in gospel, doo wop, and the sophisticated jazz-influenced singing groups of mid-century America like the Hi-Los, the a cappella vocal group Take 6 is both a throwback to an earlier,...
Benabar Biography: Singer/songwriter Bénabar emerged at the vanguard of France's "chanson réaliste" movement, crafting uncommonly literary portraits of contemporary life informed by folk, jazz, and film. Born...
Katerine Biography: Along with perfomers like Dominique A. and Valerie LeMercier, singer/songwriter Philippe Katerine was among the leaders of the 'minimalist variete' movement in French pop during the mid-1990s....
Diesel park west Biography: The British pop band Diesel Park West was formed in Leicester, England in 1987 by singer/guitarist John Butler, guitarists Rick Willson and Rich Barton, bassist Geoff Beavan and drummer...
Cheap trick Biography: Combining a love for British guitar pop songcraft with crunching power chords and a flair for the absurd, Cheap Trick provided the necessary links between '60s pop, heavy metal, and punk. Led by...
Mindless self indulgence Biography: The New York City-based punk/industrial/hip-hop group Mindless Self Indulgence consists of singer/songwriter Little Jimmy Urine, guitarist Steve, Righ?, bassist Vanessa, and drummer Kitty. The...