| A world-famous DJ with active memberships in Dilated Peoples and Beat Junkies among his most notable accomplishments, DJ Babu has made a noteworthy evolution. The Los Angeles-based turntablist also stands as one of underground rap’s fastest-rising producers. Amazingly superior in the battle circuit, Babu made a name for himself as a turntablist. He captured titles in all three major DJ Competitions held annually throughout the world, becoming one of the most recognizable faces in the worldwide DJ community. Yet even as Dilated became one of hip-hop’s most popular groups, Babu wasn’t content to stay behind the turntables.
The critically acclaimed Duck Season series was one of the first mediums through which Babu began to showcase his production. In 2006, he released The Beat Tape Vol.1, an instrumental compilation of the beatsmith’s soulful yet hard hitting compositions. By the time The Beat Tape Vol. 2 arrived in 2010, Babu had become an in-demand producer, working with the likes of Sean Price, M.O.P., MF DOOM, and Chali 2na of Jurassic 5. As Babu demonstrates, the vine between the DJ and producer is clearly still deep rooted. “A lot of the DJs that I looked up to became great producers, from Dr. Dre to DJ Premier to Pete Rock,” he explains. “In a lot of ways, I’m trying to carry that same torch, where hip-hop is still rooted within DJing and records.” |
