Blaqstarr | |
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| Also known as | DJ Blaqstarr, Jamal Loving |
| Born | Charles Jamal Smith (1985-09-30)September 30, 1985 (age 40) |
| Origin | Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip hop,Baltimore club,dance |
| Occupation(s) | Rapper,producer, singer, DJ |
| Years active | 2000s to present |
| Labels | N.E.E.T. Recordings, Manta Ray Records, GASS Records |
| Website | Official website |
Charles Jamal Smith (born September 30, 1985), better known asBlaqstarr orDJ Blaqstarr, is an Americanrapper, singer,producer and DJ. He is best known for his work withM.I.A.
Blaqstarr had local success in the early 2000s with the songs "Get My Gun," "Ryda Girl," "Jiggle It," "Hands Up Thumbs Down" and "Feel It In the Air," released via Starr Productions.[1][2][3] In 2005, he contributed songs such as "Tote It" to the albumOperation Playtime and the songs "Supastarr" and "So Horney" to the albumBaltimore Club 9.[4][5]
In December 2005,M.I.A. travelled to America to work with Blaqstarr on her second album, tellingThe Observer, "I arrived at 9 am and he'd been arrested at seven; he was still up from the night before. That's his studio, and it's got a washer-dryer in the back and a sofa bed, that's his whole set-up; that's why he doesn't make it out of Baltimore."[6] "Shake It to The Ground" featuredRye Rye, an affiliate of Blaqstarr's in Baltimore, and became a club hit in 2006. Blaqstarr introduced Rye Rye to M.I.A. after the singer asked for a meeting, leading to touring with the artist and collaborations on her albumKala which led to wide recognition.[1][7] His EP,Supastarr, was released, its first single being the rereleased "Shake It To the Ground" for which a music video was made,[8] and another EP, titledShake It To the Ground was also released in 2007.[9]
In January 2008, Blaqstarr released the albumKing of Roq.[10] He toured with Diplo, M.I.A., and Rye Rye, and participated in theRock the Bells tour. He also produced and recorded tracks with M.I.A.,Mos Def,Switch, and Rye Rye. In June 2008, he contributed a track to the albumHollertronix 8, along with DJ Sega.[citation needed]
In early 2009, Blaqstarr released a single in collaboration with the DJDiplo titled "Get Off".[11] M.I.A. and Blaqstarr released a song and video "Way Down in the Hole" following his signing to theN.E.E.T. Recordings record label. He also produced some tracks for the 2009K-Swift albumGreatest Hits.[12]
In 2009, Blaqstarr was chosen to perform at the People's Inaugural Ball in Washington D.C., one of theunofficial pre-inaugural events in the days leading up to theinauguration of Barack Obama.[citation needed]
Blaqstarr was on the lineup for theSXSW Festival, which took place in Austin, Texas, from March 13 to 22, 2009.[13] He released an EP entitled "The Divine" on January 25, 2011. It includes six songs: "All The World," "Rider Girl," "Oh My Darlin," "Divine," "Wonder Women" and "Turning Out".[citation needed]
Music critic Chris Richards ofThe Washington Post, in reviewing the 2008 recordingI'm Bangin' 2, wrote, "If Blaqstarr's hallucinogenic odes to sex, drugs, and Baltimore don't make him a legend in his day, they should certainly cement his cult status in some dystopian future."[14]Billboard wrote, regardingKing of Roq, "Much of the music sounds like standard hip-hop fare but sped up to Alvin & the Chipmunks speed; it's fast, furious and dirty."[15]
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