DJ Kool

Last updated
DJ Kool
Birth nameJohn W. Bowman Jr.
Born (1958-03-20) March 20, 1958 (age 66)
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • DJ
  • MC
Years active1979–present
Labels

John W. Bowman Jr. (born March 20, 1958), better known by his stage name DJ Kool, is an American DJ and MC who produced several popular rap singles in the late 1980s.

Contents

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 2001 he featured on Let's Get Dirty (I Can't Get in da Club) by Redman. 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

List of albums, with selected chart positions [4]
TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positions
US
[5]
US
Heat.

[6]
US
R&B

[7]
The Music Ain't Loud Enuff
  • Released: 1990
  • Label: SOH, Creative Funk
  • Formats: CD, LP, cassette
60
20 Minute Workout
  • Released: 1994
  • Label: CLR
  • Formats: CD, LP, cassette
84
Let Me Clear My Throat 161821
Gimmie Dat Beat
  • Released: April 8, 1997
  • Label: Liaison
  • Formats: CD, LP, cassette
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart.

Singles

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References

  1. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 159. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.
  2. Marva Whitney – Unwind Yourself (Sampled By DJ Kool – Let Me Clear My Throat) Archived 2012-04-25 at the Wayback Machine
  3. "Hit The Floor [feat. DJ Kool] by Macho Man Randy Savage on Amazon Music". Amazon.com. 2016-09-03. Retrieved 2020-05-05.
  4. "DJ Kool". Discogs. Retrieved 2023-06-04.
  5. "DJ Kool – Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved May 3, 2013.
  6. "DJ Kool – Awards". AllMusic . Rovi Corporation . Retrieved May 3, 2013.
  7. "DJ Kool – Chart History: R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved May 3, 2013.