DJ of the Month – DJ Chuck T (June 2016)

He has proclaimed himself the “Carolina King” and the “Lord and Savior of Southern Mixtapes.” His avid self-promotion tactics and brash statements have been known to ruffle a few feathers. Yes, DJ Chuck T holds himself in very high regards, and has no problem proclaiming his opinion to the world. But what’s more important is that every word he says of himself is supported by his hard work and the respect of those whose lives and careers he’s touched and influenced. Less than six years after abandoning the mic for a set of Technics, DJ Chuck T had already become a force to reckon with in the world of Southern Entertainment. His success was attained by a fairly simple formula, really. The passion he possesses for music itself is a given: even when he chose to let go of his very attainable rap dreams, he could not bring himself to walk away from the game. Add to that passion a work ethic matched only by some of the greatest business minds in history, and you’d already have the story of a champion. But what sets Chuck T apart is his dedication to the people, a determination to help others attain their dreams. That was the original reason for Chuck T’s 2004 career change. While he grew restless as an artist, he found a way to help other up and coming artists benefit from his experience. Knowing that exposure is the name of the game, he rapidly created several avenues by which artists in the Carolinas could expand their reach. First it was his radio show in Charleston. Even before he entered the world of Radio, he noticed that the three urban radio stations in his hometown provided no variety for the listeners, and no opportunities for the city’s talent. His weekend radio show “The Kings Court” On Hot 98.9 (WWBZ) did both: not only did Chuck T provide listeners with the hottest new music from their favorite artists, but he also peppered his playlist with the music of the most promising underground artists he could find. His employers and competitors may not have liked his approach, but record labels, artists and listeners alike loved it! By the time Chuck T left radio in 2002, his new mixtape series Ghetto Gangstas, had been deemed a great promotional tool for new and established artists alike. Chuck T presented fans with a product that perfectly balanced the familiar with the new, and the CDs were flying off shelves across the Southeast. Despite several opportunities to become part of the corporate Entertainment machine in a larger sense, Chuck T stayed the course, remembering that he was on a mission that was about much more than his own success. After releasing close to fifty mixtapes in 2004 alone and contributing to major distribution deals for six underground artists, Chuck T proceeded to diversify and solidify his brand. He rechristened Ghetto Gangstas as Down South Slangin’, a series which rapidly became one of the premier Southern mixtape series, spawning the more specialized “Freestyle,” “Instrumentals,” Battle for Supremacy,” and “Carolina Kingz” editions. Chuck T has seen just as much success and garnered as much praise with his Sexxxplicit R&B series. DJ Chuck T has undeniably positioned himself as an industry power player. His mixtapes have helped make household names of artists like Boyz N Da Hood; Slick Pulla and BloodRaw of USDA; Kinfolk Kia Shine, Flo-Rida, Trey Songz and Rich Boy, to name a few. And his hard work has not gone unnoticed. Since 2005, DJ Chuck T has been nominated for over 60 awards, including an award for “Best New Mixtape DJ” at the 10 th Annual Justo’s Mixtape Awards. With consecutive wins in multiple categories since 2006, he’s also won a record 9 Southern Entertainment Awards. The press has also embraced Chuck T, with MTV naming him one of the Top 5 Mixtape DJs of 2007, as well as countless features in The Source, MTV’s Mixtape Mondays, Scratch Magazine and Ozone Magazine, to name a few. He has even contributed to Ozone Magazine, Down Magazine and The Foundation Magazine as a writer, with his experiences making him even more qualified than most burgeoning journalists. With his name solidified as a brand, DJ Chuck T now finds himself in position to bring his dream to fruition. In 2008, he launched Publicity Stunt, LLC – a marketing, management, and consulting firm – and the United Carolina Record Pool. Both organizations are dedicated to educating Carolina entertainers and helping catapult their careers to the next level.

Accomplishments & Achievements

•  9-Time Southern Entertainment Award Winner Best Mixtape Artwork (2006), Best Exclusives On A Mixtape (2006), Best Street Team (2006), Best Rap Mixtape Of The Year (2007), Impact DJ Of The Year (2007), Mixtape DJ Of The Year (2008), Best Host On A Mixtape (2008), Best Mixtape Series (2009)
• Ranked As #4 On MTV.COM’s “Top 5 DJs Of 2007”
• 4-Time South Carolina Music Award Winner Best Mixtape DJ Of the Year (2008), Best Mixtape DJ Of The Year (2009), Crossfade DJ Of The Year (2009), SC Impact Person Of the Year (2010)
• 2-Time SMES Award Winner Street/Mixtape DJ Of The Year (2008), Street/Mixtape DJ Of the Year (2009)
• 2008 Recipient of The Core DJs “Jam Master Jay” DJ Award
• Winner of The “Best New Mixtape DJ” Award at the 10 th Annual Justo Mixtape Awards
• “Heart Of The City” Mixtape Charts #97 of Billboard “Hot Hip-Hop and R&B Albums” Feb. 14 th 2009
• Official Spokesperson and Instructor for the “With These Hands Mix” DJ Academy. The South East’s ONLY DJ Academy
• 2-Time Queen City Music Award Winner Best Mixtape DJ (2008), Best Mixtape DJ (2009)
• Get ‘Em Magazine Award For “Grinder Of The Year” renamed to “The DJ Chuck T Award” in 2007
• Featured On The Cover of Ozone Magazine’s 2008 “Myrtle Beach Bike Week” Issue
• Featured On The Cover of The Niche Carolina Magazine’s Sept.-Oct. 2009 Issue
• Featured On The Cover Of Geechee One Magazine’s “Hip-Hop & Politics” Issue Feb. 2009
• Featured On The Cover Of SXP Online Magazine June 2008
• Winner Of the “I Am Nothing Without The DJ Award” at the 3 rd Quarter Gainesville Music Summit (2007)
• Winner Of the “Mixtape Master” Award At the 2 nd Quarter Gainesville Music Summit (2008)
• 3-Time Ozone Award Nominee Mixtape DJ of The Year (1 st Annual Ozone Awards), Hustler Of the Year (1 st Annual Ozone Awards), Mixtape DJ Of The Year (2 nd Annual Ozone Awards)
• South Carolina Mixed CD DJ OF the Year (2008)
• Featured As Ozone Magazine’s “Mix Of The Month” 17 Times
• Featured In Down Magazine’s “Mix Down” Section 9 Times
• Featured On MTV’s Mixtape Mondays 14 Times
• Featured In Hip-Hop Weekly’s “Mixtape Kings” Section 9 Times
• (4) Mixtapes Topping MixUnit.Com’s Top Selling Mixtapes of 2008 at the same time.
• Winner of the 2006 “Break Through DJ” Award At the SC Quarterly Explosion Record Pool Celebration
• Featured On MTV News’ 2008 “Hip-Hop and Barack” TV Special
• Over 30 mixtapes appearing in MixtapeKings.Com & “Top 7 Selling Mixtapes Of The Week” & since Jan. 2009 (recent as of Oct. 2010)
• Winner Of “Best Hip-Hop Mixtape Series” at the 2011 Southern Entertainment Awards
• Winner of “DJ Of The Year” at the 2011 South Carolina DJ Awards
• Featured on the Cover of Play Magazines Spring 2011 Issue