DJ Abilities

Last updated
DJ Abilities
Djabilities.png
DJ Abilities performing in 2009
Background information
Birth nameGregory Joseph Keltgen [1]
Born (1979-10-22) October 22, 1979 (age 45)
OriginAlbuquerque, New Mexico United States
Genres Alternative hip hop
Occupation(s) Producer, DJ
Instrument(s) Turntables MPC, Synths
Years active1997–present
Labels Rhymesayers Entertainment
Formerly of Eyedea & Abilities
Website djabilities.com

Gregory Joseph Keltgen, better known by his stage name DJ Abilities, is an American underground hip hop producer and DJ signed to Rhymesayers Entertainment who is based in Minneapolis. [2] [3] He is a founding member of Eyedea & Abilities alongside Eyedea, and Semi.Official alongside I Self Devine. [4] [5] DJ Abilities is a member of 1200 Hobos and was also a member of Atmosphere at one point. He has won two regional DJ championships for the Midwest region.

Contents

Career

DJ Abilities released First Born , a debut album with the rapper Eyedea as Eyedea & Abilities, in 2001. [6] He handled the turntable work on El-P's 2002 solo debut album Fantastic Damage . [7] Two more collaborative albums with Eyedea, E&A (2004) and By the Throat (2009), were both released on Rhymesayers Entertainment. [8] [9] [10]

Eyedea & Abilities' star on the outside mural of the Minneapolis nightclub First Avenue Eyedea & Abilities - First Avenue Star.jpg
Eyedea & Abilities' star on the outside mural of the Minneapolis nightclub First Avenue

Eyedea & Abilities has been honored with a star on the outside mural of the Minneapolis nightclub First Avenue, [11] recognizing performers that have played sold-out shows or have otherwise demonstrated a major contribution to the culture at the iconic venue. [12] Receiving a star "might be the most prestigious public honor an artist can receive in Minneapolis," according to journalist Steve Marsh. [13]

DJ Abilities won the Midwest regionals in the 1999 and 2001 DMC World DJ Championships. City Pages noted that he and Eyedea for their ability to interact in live on stage performances, as well as on record. [14]

Discography

DJ mixes

Productions

Guest appearances

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atmosphere (music group)</span> American hip hop duo from Minneapolis

Atmosphere is an American hip-hop duo from Minneapolis, Minnesota, consisting of rapper Slug and DJ/producer Ant. Since its formation in 1996, the group has released thirteen studio albums and ten extended plays.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eyedea</span> American rapper

Micheal David Larsen, better known by his stage name Eyedea, was an American musician, rapper, and poet. He was a freestyle battle champion and songwriter from Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Eyedea & Abilities was an American hip hop duo from Saint Paul, Minnesota, consisting of rapper Eyedea and DJ Abilities. The duo was founded in 1999 and became a prominent figure of the underground hip hop scene, becoming known for Eyedea's philosophical and socially conscious lyrics, along with DJ Abilities' dynamic experimental fusion of stylistic elements from both rap and rock, as well as electronic music. The group was active until Eyedea's death in October 2010.

<i>First Born</i> (Eyedea & Abilities album) 2001 studio album by Eyedea & Abilities

First Born is the first studio album by American hip hop duo Eyedea & Abilities. It was released on Rhymesayers Entertainment on October 1, 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doomtree</span> American hip hop band

Doomtree is an American hip hop collective and record label based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The collective has seven members: Dessa, Cecil Otter, P.O.S, Sims, Mike Mictlan, Paper Tiger, and Lazerbeak. The collective is known for incorporating a wide range of musical influences into their work with lyrical complexity and wordplay, and their annual "Doomtree Blowout" events held in Minneapolis venues to showcase their group performances and the Twin Cities music scene.

Jason Heinrichs, also known by his stage name Anomaly was a Canadian-born musician and producer from Minneapolis. He worked primarily in dance music and hip-hop, and was notable for producing some of the earliest works by prominent Twin Cities rappers Atmosphere, Eyedea, P.O.S., and Oddjobs, as well as his own work with house-music duo Roomsa and solo efforts. He also played in Brother Sun Sister Moon, a side project of Information Society's Paul Robb.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slug (rapper)</span> American rapper

Sean Michael Daley, better known by his stage name Slug, is an American rapper from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Slug is best known as one-half of the hip-hop group Atmosphere, which he founded with Derek Turner (Spawn). Turner has since left and Anthony Davis (Ant) produces Atmosphere with Slug. In 1995, Slug, in collaboration with Anthony Davis, Musab Saad, and Brent Sayers founded the Minneapolis-based independent hip hop record label Rhymesayers Entertainment.

<i>E&A</i> 2004 studio album by Eyedea & Abilities

E&A is the second studio album by American hip hop duo Eyedea & Abilities. It was released on Epitaph Records and Rhymesayers Entertainment on March 23, 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oddjobs</span> American alternative hip hop band from Minnesota

Oddjobs was an alternative hip hop group from Minnesota formed in 1995. The band released three studio albums and several EPs including 2003's critically praised Drums; it broke up in 2004 and the members re-formed as Kill the Vultures and Power Struggle.

Twin Cities hip hop, also referred to as Minneapolis hip hop, is sub-genre of rap music that originates from the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Minnesota.

Mr. Dibbs is an American DJ and hip hop producer. He is the Founder of 1200 HOBOS [dj/graff collective]. He was also one of the founders of Scribble Jam.

Face Candy was an American improvisational jazz rap group by led rapper Eyedea in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The group released one album, This Is Where We Were, in 2006. The initial lineup on the album consisted of Eyedea, Kristoff Krane, J.T. Bates, and Casey O'Brien until Eyedea's sudden death in 2010. The group released a second album in 2011, Waste Age Teenland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Self Devine</span> American rapper

Chaka Mkali, better known by his stage name I Self Devine, is an American hip hop musician based in Minneapolis. He has been a member of groups such as The Dynospectrum, Micranots, and Semi.Official. In 2012, City Pages described him as "one of the most influential voices in Minnesota hip hop."

Micranots is an American hip hop duo, consisting of I Self Devine and DJ Kool Akiem from Atlanta, Georgia, but currently reside in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In 2013, the group was described by City Pages as "the pioneering rap group that left an immense footprint on the local hip-hop scene".

<i>By the Throat</i> (Eyedea & Abilities album) 2009 studio album by Eyedea & Abilities

By the Throat is the third and final studio album by American hip hop duo Eyedea & Abilities. It was released on Rhymesayers Entertainment on July 21, 2009.

Soundset Music Festival was a hip-hop music festival held yearly in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area over Memorial Day weekend. Since Soundset began in the Metrodome parking lot in 2008, attendance has grown from 12,000 to over 30,000 consistently since 2014. Over 280,000 fans have traveled from fifty U.S. states, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Africa, Europe, Asia, South America, Australia and New Zealand to experience Soundset in Minnesota.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhymesayers Entertainment</span> American independent hip-hop record label based in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Rhymesayers Entertainment is an American independent hip-hop record label based in Minneapolis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orikal Uno</span> American rapper

Antonio Lorenzo Rosario, better known as Orikal Uno, is an American rapper and mix DJ / host of "The Check In w/ Orikal Uno" radio show on 98.9 FM KRSM (Minneapolis) "featuring nothing but the best in Twin Cities Hip-Hop, Rap, R&B and Soul music" from Saint Paul, Minnesota. Orikal Uno is also known as a visual artist; painting and shipping custom canvases and skateboards for people via multiple platforms on the internet. He is also a notable music producer and audio engineer.

<i>The Anti-Album</i> 2003 studio album by Semi.Official

The Anti-Album is the only studio album by American hip hop duo Semi.Official, consisting of rapper I Self Devine, a member of Micranots, and DJ Abilities, a member of Eyedea & Abilities. It was released September 16, 2003 on Rhymesayers Entertainment.

Kevin Beacham, also known as 7x3=21 is an American rapper, producer, DJ, and archivist. He is known for organizing the Scribble Jam battle Hip-Hop event.

References

  1. "BIG SHOTS". ASCAP. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  2. Scholtes, Peter S. (September 12, 2001). "What's the Big Eyedea?". City Pages . Archived from the original on October 23, 2010. Retrieved December 20, 2008.
  3. Schell, Justin (2010). "From St. Paul to Minneapolis, All the Hands Clap for This: Hip Hop in the Twin Cities". In Hess, Mickey (ed.). Hip Hop in America: A Regional Guide . Greenwood Publishing Group. pp.  378–379.
  4. Scholtes, Peter S. (September 7, 2009). "Abilities talks turntablism's bright future". The A.V. Club .
  5. Crusah (January 1, 2004). "Semi.Official - The Anti Album". HipHopDX .
  6. Wolfman (December 14, 2006). "Eyedea and Abilities - E&A". Tiny Mix Tapes .
  7. Youssef, Sobhi (January 12, 2009). "Review: El-P - Fantastic Damage". Sputnikmusic.
  8. Kricke, Dan (January 11, 2005). "Eyedea & Abilities - E&A". Stylus Magazine . Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
  9. Dameron, Emerson (August 27, 2009). "Eyedea & Abilities - By the Throat". Dusted Magazine.
  10. Li, Christina (August 8, 2012). "DJ Q&A: DJ Abilities". SF Station . Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  11. "The Stars". First Avenue & 7th Street Entry. Archived from the original on 2020-04-18. Retrieved 2020-05-10.
  12. Bream, Jon (2019-05-03). "10 things you'll learn about First Avenue in new Minnesota History Center show". Star Tribune . Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota. Retrieved 2020-05-10.
  13. Marsh, Steve (2019-05-13). "First Avenue's Star Wall". Mpls.St.Paul Magazine. Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota. Retrieved 2020-05-10.
  14. Matos, Michaelangelo (January 6, 2009). "Ready, Willing, and Able: Ego trippin' with the hardest-working hip-hop DJ in town". City Pages . Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved April 8, 2010.