DJ Magic Mike
Genre: Rap/Hip-hop
Origin: United States
As a chart-topper since 1988, DJ Magic Mike is far from a newcomer, but one who has always managed to remain a bit more underground. The Orlando, Florida native is even noted as “The Best Platinum Artist You Never Heard Of” in Vibe magazine. Beginning in 1989, the initial goal of the DJ and his comrades was to simply sell twenty to thirty thousand copies in hopes of seeing their names on the Billboard charts. So the crew released DJ MAGIC MIKE AND THE ROYAL POSSE. “Although we knew we were hot, we never really took time out to count the rising sales. However, one day one of our employees brought it to our attention after counting the numbers that the album had sold over 500,000 copies completely shocked us. I was having fun anyway, and it didn’t really hit me until the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) came down and present us with gold plaques at an Orlando concert, that’s when everything became real,” explains Mike. Selling over a million copies, the album skyrocketed to Platinum status.
A year later, Mike made history with the release of BASS IS THE NAME OF THE GAME. The LP marked the first time a completely instrumental LP reached gold status. Soon after, in collaboration with the group Vicious Bass, DJ Magic Mike spawned yet another gold hit with the single “It’s Automatic.” The following albums, AIN’T NO DOUBT ABOUT IT and BASS: THE FINAL FRONTIER both received gold plaques as well. By consistently presenting top-notch efforts to his fans, the famed Boy Wonder could do no wrong. DJ Magic Mike monopolized the airwaves with club anthems such as “Drop”, “Magic Mike Cutz The Record” and “Feel the Bass.” In all, Mike has sold in excess of 5 million records worldwide with 1 Platinum and 6 gold LP’s to his credit.
As the years progressed, the scratch master became a visual legend, as one of the trio DJ’s for Coca-Cola, an impressive coup in television commercials. Mike was so captivating that others soon came knocking. Pioneer Electronics offered Mike a lucrative deal including national advertising in every mainstream magazine. That deal led to a current endorsement deal with Shure Electronics. Shure signed Mike because they said he is the only DJ they knew of that can spin music in every genre. That is unheard of with most DJ’s because most of them fall within certain music types. As the untouchable DJ in Florida, Mike has played to crowds ranging from 2000-20,000, including his infamous holiday weekend shows at House Of Blues (Downtown Disney) where he has sold the venue out consistently for the past 12 years. His credibility within the music industry has led to more strategic alliances with such music notables as Sir Mix A Lot, Poison Clan, Shortkut from the Skratch Piklz, MC Shy D, 12 Gauge and countless others. DJ Magic Mike is also accredited as being the first artist of bass music achieving gold and platinum status as certified by the RIAA.
Clearly Mike is a fifteen-album veteran and one-man enterprise. “I changed the perception of what it meant to be a DJ. For many years if a person started out as a DJ and later explored other territories such as artistry, it wasn’t accepted,” says Mike. Determined, he overcame those barriers, and today is internationally respected in a variety of music circles. “I feel I single-handedly changed the role of the DJ not only through the southeast but the rest of the world. “You have heavyweights such as DJ Qbert, DJ Craze & Shortkut saying that I am the person that started them to spinning and who they got ideas from. That’s a big thing to me.”
Recently, Mike just released his first project in over 12 years titled “Beyond The Magic” and it’s been getting rave reviews from fellow artist, DJ’s and fans worldwide. The first single is titled “We On” and it went to # 2 on Beatport’s break beat singles and also cracked the top 100 on iTunes electronic singles. Beyond The Magic topped the Beatport Electronica chart at #1, cracked the top 50 on iTunes and Amazon. Mike said “Beyond The Magic is a journey into my world, my life and my atmosphere. It gives you a glimpse into my inner state and where my mind has grown since the last release 12 years ago. I figured it was time to bring you into my inner sanctum so you can see where my head is at, mentally and physically. Hence BEYOND THE MAGIC.” With Mike always on the road touring, you should keep your ears and eyes open for him to come to a city near you…
