Photo-Art Jefferson
Name: DJ Mark-1
Raleigh, North Carolina/Los Angeles, CA
About: Mark-1 got his start at age 13 deejaying house parties and school dances across his home state of North Carolina. Within a short amount of time, he became one of the most requested deejays in his hometown of Raleigh. After college came more gigs behind the wheels of steel, spinning for the innovative group, Black Where We Started From, as well as a stint as the in-house DJ for Raleigh-based New York South Productions. After the breakup of Black Where We Started From, Mark-1 hooked up with that group’s talented producer Erik Rico and the two developed a cult following performing up and down the East Coast as “The Soul Brothers.” Along the way, they opened for ‘90s powerhouses like SWV, Xscape, Craig Mack and Aaliyah. Now living in Los Angeles, Mark-1’s career has continued to flourish. He connected with Poems of LA Symphony, and together they’ve toured throughout California and across the country. They recently made some heads bob at the Electric Ladyland Festival in Utah. He’s also coupled with rising star, E Reece, and together they’ve showcased their talent performing throughout Los Angeles in some of the most popular venues. Between tours, he has rocked dance floors in clubs like “The Hip Hop Café,” “The Bungalow Club,” “The Hollywood Canteen,” and “Temple Bar,” in Santa Monica, to name a few. As a producer, Mark 1 isn’t afraid to explore uncharted lands. When he does, the result is pure musical ingenuity. This mastermind creates unique rich and soulful sounding beats that gets even the dismal moving. His first love remains deejaying and seeing crowds react to his blending of all styles of music.