Today we’d like to introduce you to DJ Kawon.
DJ Kawon, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
While growing up in Queens, NY I’ve always been a fan of the classic Hiphop Radio shows hosted by DJ Red Alert, Stretch & Bobbito, Funkmaster Flex and the mixtape DJ scene of exclusive music like DJ Clue, DJ Kayslay, DJ Screw, & Ron G just to name a few. I’ve always wanted to create a platform combining those elements into a show of my own which birthed The Mixtape Show which I started in 2011. The show today is a 2-hour show that broadcasts live every Wednesday at 8pm Central night on DJ Kawon Radio & NGI Radio which is an Atlanta based streaming radio station. We are also syndicated in other markets outside of Dallas such as Houston, New York City, Atlanta and have a reach of 15-20k listeners monthly.
We showcase the hottest up and coming unsigned Hiphop and R&B artist in the world and here locally in Dallas. The foundation of the show is the music. We play organic artists and use the platform to connect all of the talent and give them a weekly stage to showcase their talent. I also have had the honor to interview Hiphop legends like Positive K, Rampage (Flip Mode Squad), Billy Danze (M.O.P), PM Dawn, DoItAll (Lords of the Underground), Speech from Grammy Winning group Arrested Development, and more. I try to leverage those connections to connect the dots with other artists who are dope enough to go to the next level. The goal was and currently is to be the “Go to” place to break records and we are succeeding.
Has it been a smooth road?
The road hasn’t been smooth but it’s been a learning experience. There were times where I had no listeners for broadcast. I’ve had people tell me that no one listens to that traditional “Boom Bap” Hiphop so I’m wasting my time. I just had to keep pushing every week and be consistent while believing in my brand. There were times where I had to broadcast in a Garage while living with family, adjusting to a newborn baby, dealing with life stuff, but I still had the goal of doing the weekly show and with that we have done over 100 weeks straight of live shows.
Please tell us about DJ Kawon Radio & The Mixtape Show.
Outside of the radio station and the show my business partners and myself are in the middle of launching our entertainment company called Tha Group Music! We will be doing songwriting, production, mentoring, live events, PR work and pretty much anything related to cultivating organic music from the Dallas music scene and beyond. We use the tag line of #Wemovedifferent because the foundation will be great songs and doing everything the right way for the artist so they can have a long career and music catalog that will afford them to travel and perform the songs in any city. For example, we have an artist by the name of TekForce who is deep into the Cosplay, comics, video game world that is a dope Emcee. His material is based off of those subject matters and he has a big following. He has performed at several comic-con events and is not showing any signs of slowing down. What sets us apart is we are looking to work with cutting edge people. I utilize my resources from what I’ve built with the show outside of Dallas and connect them with local talent.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I feel like Dallas is perfect because it’s between the New York & California Markets. We can help build a certain buzz, then those major markets will be calling.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.djkawon.com
- Email: legacymusicproductions79@gmail.com
-
Facebook: DJ Kawon
-
Instagram: Kawonj
-
Twitter: @Kawonjenkins1
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
