DJ Quick
| DJ Quik | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | David Marvin Blake |
| Also known as | Mr. Quik |
| Born |
January 18, 1970 Compton, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupation(s) | |
| Instruments | |
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Labels | |
| Associated acts | |
David Marvin Blake (born January 18, 1970), better known by his stage name DJ Quik, is an American rapper, DJ and record producer. According to Quik himself, his stage name reflects his ability to produce records in a short period of time.
Blake was born on January 18, 1970 in Compton, California. He was chiefly inspired by funk and soul artists, such as Roger Troutman (who even taught him the use of the talkbox, which became a trademark for Quik's sound throughout his career) and George Clinton. Out of respect for his beloved friend, Roger Troutman, he retired the talkbox. David's love for music began at 2, as his mother had an extensive record collection. By age 12 he was already playing instruments, and by the age of 21, he was a platinum-selling artist.
He began selling homemade mixtapes (notably The Red Tape, 1987) after he received a turntable for his 8th grade graduation. He then began doing shows DJing around Southern California, many of which ended in rival gang related altercations. He was a member of the Westside Tree Top Piru. In the 11th grade, Quik dropped out of high school. For a period of about three years he was homeless after his mother lost her home, due to foreclosure. He would later go on to say that after his success in the rap world many of his family members "popped up".
After gaining a buzz for himself in the streets from his self-made mix tapes, he began to gain the interest of many major labels, including Profile Records and Ruthless Records. He signed to Profile Records in the summer of 1990, reportedly as the label's first six-figure signee. Quik later went on to regret his contract with the label and was offered an advance of one million dollars by Eazy-E. This left Profile Records with no other choice. They began to send letters to Ruthless Records, asking for them to cease and desist.
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