DJ Scream is one of music’s biggest names, but his journey to the top was far from easy.
One of the biggest blessings a person can have is to craft a product or provide a service that becomes synonymous with a time period. Take, for example, producers like Quincy Jones and Dr Dre. We listen to their music and associate it with periods of time in our lives that we couldn’t forget even if we tried. With mixtape DJs, there are a few names that are in that category as well, including Atlanta’s own DJ Scream.
Ever since he came out with his brand, Hoodrich Entertainment, he’s become associated with notable names and projects from artists such as the Migos, 2 Chainz, Future, Rocko, Doe B, Rick Ross and more. Now a seasoned veteran committed to sharing his wisdom with others, reflecting on how he got here is essential.
Coming of age in East Atlanta in the early 90s, Scream heard Atlanta’s bustling music sound from early music pioneers such as Edward J and the J Team, and DJ Jelly and MC Assault, both of whom served as inspiration for Scream on his journey. “These mixtapes were the soundtracks to my middle and high school years, says Scream. A student of the game Scream studied the careers of great DJs like Jazzy Jeff, Screw, Kid Capri, and more, and after analyzing their impact on rap, diverted his attention towards DJing.
“The first time I saw a pair of turntables I felt at home. I was always drawn to the DJ, the person getting the party live. I always loved music. It was embedded in my blood.”
Inspired by the surrounding music, Scream got on his grind, devoting all of his time to developing his own signature style as a DJ. While his peers were out wandering the streets, Scream was in his own room learning how to use the turntables. Scream credits this discovery time with helping him find his personal sound. As he got into high school, Scream ran towards DJing, which caused an initial rift with his parents, who urged him to stay on a more traditional path of college and career.
To add to the complications, Scream accepted a full scholarship from Tuskegee University during his parents’ struggle with life-threatening diseases.
“When I went to college, both my parents were fighting terminal illnesses. My mother is from Montgomery, and I felt like this was a way for me to be close to my mom’s home and still be close to home too. At the same time, I wanted the challenge of seeing what it was like away from home.”
Scream’s time at Tuskegee proved to be beneficial to his career as a DJ. Being exposed to a range of musical sounds from people of different regions and cultures not only diversified his palette but also showed him to rock crowds from all places.
“When you come to an HBCU and you gotta DJ for Midwest people who want to hear house music, Caribbean people, and New York people, it strengthens you as a DJ. You gotta be on point. That’s why when people say I’m a great DJ, I credit a lot of it to my time at Tuskeegee.”
The informal education he got from his peers coupled with the education he got from DJ Caesar of the notable Hitmen Production Crew helped Scream elevate his talent to another level. Caesar’s team ran all the parties on campus, so Scream sought him out, offering to work for free. Caesar broke bread with Scream and teamed up with him, serving as a mentor as they both partnered up and began DJing parties all over the state of Alabama. The skills he got from his time at Tuskegee not only solidified his skill set but also sowed the seeds for his future collective, Hoodrich Entertainment.
After graduating from Tuskegee, Scream went back home to Atlanta to search for employment. While working at a local record store, he auditioned and later got the chance to go on tour for Montell Jordan, working as the tour DJ. The experience helped him to learn more about the music industry but didn’t solve his money problems.
Scream took a job at Guitar Center to help pay the bills, supplementing his income with money from DJing high school house parties. The high school music scene, which included acts like Crime Mob and Trillville, was bubbling on the underground, but they had yet to break through to the mainstream.
Scream’s friend and business partner, Marcus “Rip” Rippy, convinced him to work with his brand, Hoodrich, to help create mixtapes and grow a business together.
“He said let’s hustle and figure it out. I remember we started going hard with mixtapes and then I got a call that Knuck if You Buck was getting big and they wanted me to be their tour DJ,” says Scream.
Following the success of the tour, he began working with several acts including D4L, Shawty Lo, and then Rocko. Scream’s accent came amid DJ Drama’s historic run with Jeezy and T.I. and carried on the tradition by introducing a new generation of artists like Rocko, 2 Chainz, and Future to the game.
Hoodrich Entertainment grew out of Rip and Scream’s partnership, and soon they became the in-demand DJs for the city. Scream befriended and worked with 2 Chainz and Gucci while Rip worked with Rocko, Scooter, and Future. He reflected on that time, saying,
“We would get music exclusives from Scooter, Future, 2 Chainz, Waka, Shawty Lo, Gucci. I was going from studio to studio, hearing exclusives and planning projects. It was a different Atlanta. It was beautiful.”
Over time Scream became known for crafting projects like Future’s 1000 and Dirty Sprite, which celebrated its 10th year anniversary this year, along with Rocko’s Gift of Gab, Doe B’s Baby Jesus, Rick Ross’s Rich Forever, and the Migos’ YRN. Besides crafting over 1,0000 mixtapes, he’s also worked with Rick Ross’s label MMG along with working in radio for Atlanta’s Hot 107.9 rap station and I-Heart Radio’s 105.3 The Beat.
Most recently, the podcast show, Big Facts, of which Scream is a member of, is consistently rated as one of the top podcast shows in the country. The show’s subject matter, authenticity, and cast are part of the reasons why it’s successful, but to Scream, more than anything the show’s focus on introducing much-needed conversations is the biggest blessing.
“When we say Big Facts, we mean truth. Our show speaks the truth and the truth is love. It’s healing. We just want to be one of those shows doing what the people are saying it is doing. It’s therapy for some.
Wright World 