The West Coast rightfuly credits the likes of Dr. Dre, Ice Cube and Tupac for putting them on the map, but one should never forget the impact of the self-proclaimed, “America’s Most Complete Artist.”
David Marvin Blake, or DJ Quik, has gained a reputation of being one of the most influential producers of all time. His production catalog is vast, but many forget that he can hold his own with his bars. He is one of the first people to put, not only Compton, but the entire West Coast, on the map both as an MC and as a producer. His status is cemented, his legacy is untouchable, and quite flankly, he deserves to be named as one of the greatest of all time.
This has not been an overnight situation for the Compton MC, with more than 30 years in the rap game, he holds an impressive catalog that only a few could match.
His infamous Red Tape, which became Quik’s demo in 1987 is where we’ll start. Although most of the demo would later get rewritten and remade into his 1991 debut album Quik Is The Name, it rapidly gained critical and commercial success as some of the best music coming out of the west. The content easily became some of the best material since N.W.A., even with big names, like King Tee and Ice T, or Bay Area legends like E-40 and Too Short, DJ Quik held his own. But, considering it was still 1987, Quik was ahead of his time as he had already mastered production and rapping at a time when an artist would usually only do one.
Quik also showed his unique rapping style. The likes of N.W.A were still sonically similar to the likes of Schoolly D and Public Enemy, but Quik was bring something different. With silky grooves and a tone that was neither too hard or too smooth, he was an artist many partnered with in the post-Aftermath era.
Although his beat-making skills were excellent, his mic-skills were also showing how competitive he was.
When Quik Is The Name was released, it portrayed Quik as a complete artist. With his unique wit, engaging storytelling, and a charismatically-driven personality, fans were instantly hooked. And he has proven to show range, with a tough, gangster-like style on Way Too Fonky and a smooth side on Safe + Sound, Quik’s catalog is an endless journey of bops.
Fans know G-Funk was the sound back then. So, Quik managed to get big names such as Snoop Dogg and Nate Dogg to appear on his album, and has even collaborated with music veterans such as Gary Shider of the Parliament-Funkadelic collective and El DeBarge.
The man is a genius. Not only did he manage to become a complete artist in himself, he discovered the likes of AMG, Hi-C and 2nd II None, who managed to produce classic anthems we still listen to today. He produced for the likes of Tupac and Tony! Toni! Tone! showing his musical range and has even engineered Pac’s monumental, All Eyez On Me.
DJ Quik talks about engineering Tupac’s “All Eyez On Me” album!
(Interview w/ @Romeoonyoradio) #KDAYMorningShow #DJQuik #KrushGroove pic.twitter.com/wuY0blQKxk— 935 KDAY (@935KDAY) April 18, 2018
Get to know his catalog, you won’t regret it.
