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Blaqstarr
Birth nameCharles Jamal Smith
Also known asDJ Blaqstarr, Jamal Loving
Born(1985-09-30)September 30, 1985(age 39)
OriginBaltimore, Maryland,U.S.
GenresHip hop,Baltimore club,dance
Occupation(s)Rapper,producer,singer, DJ
Years active2000s to present
LabelsN.E.E.T. Recordings,Manta Ray Records, GASS Records
WebsiteOfficial website

Charles Smith(born September 30, 1985), better known asBlaqstarrorDJ Blaqstarr,is an Americanrapper,singer,producerand DJ. He is best known for his work withM.I.A.

Biography

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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 Playtimeand 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, became a club hit in 2006. Blaqstarr introduced Rye Rye to M.I.A. after the singer asked for a meeting, leading to both touring with the artist and collaborations on her albumKalawhich 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 Groundwas 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 Bellstour. He also produced and recorded tracks with M.I.A.,Mos Def,Switchand 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 DJDiplotitled "Get Off".[11]M.I.A. and Blaqstarr released a song and video "Way Down in the Hole" following him signing to theN.E.E.T. Recordingsrecord label. He also produced some of the tracks for the 2009K-SwiftalbumGreatest Hits.[12]

In 2009, Blaqstarr was chosen to perform at the People's Inaugural Ball in Washington D.C., one of theunofficial pre-inaugural eventswhich took place in the days leading up to theinauguration of Barack Obama.[citation needed]

Blaqstarr was on the lineup for theSXSWFestival, 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]

Critical reception

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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]Billboardwrote, 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]

Discography

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EPs

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  • Supastarr(2007)
  • Shake It to the Ground (feat.Rye Rye)(Mad Decent, 2007)
  • Hollertronix #8(2008)
  • The Divine EP(2011)
  • The Blaq Files (2014)
  • Trinity EP, vol 1 (2014)
  • Trinity EP, vol 1.5 (2014)
  • Moan Her Lease Her (2016)
  • M.I.A Aim. (2017)

Mixtapes

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  • Blaqstarr The Mixtape(2011)[16]

Videography

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  • 2007: "Shake It To The Ground"
  • 2009: "S.U.S. (Save Ur Souls)/Way Down In The Hole" w/M.I.A.[17]
  • 2010: "Oh My Darlin'"[18]
  • 2011: "Rider Gyrl"
  • 2011: "Never Hesitant"
  • 2014: "Dear Diamond" ft Common

References

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  1. ^abDJ BlaqstarratAllmusic
  2. ^Shipley, Al (December 13, 2006)."The Year In Local Music".Baltimore City Paper.RetrievedOctober 10,2010.
  3. ^"Best Hook: Blaqstarr" Hands Up thumbs Down "".Baltimore City Paper.September 20, 2006.RetrievedOctober 10,2010.
  4. ^"DJ Lil Jay – Operation: Playtime (CD) at Discogs".Discogs.com.RetrievedApril 17,2013.
  5. ^"Various – DJ Technics – Baltimore Club 9 (CD) at Discogs".Discogs.com.RetrievedApril 17,2013.
  6. ^Yates, Steve (September 16, 2007)."New world order".The Observer.London:Guardian Media Group.RetrievedAugust 13,2010.
  7. ^MC (January 24, 2009). "Faces to Watch".Billboard.pp. 23–25.
  8. ^"The FADER – Video:DJ Blaqstarr & Rye Rye," Shake it to the Ground "".The Fader.November 15, 2008.RetrievedSeptember 19,2008.
  9. ^"Shake it to the Ground".Allmusic.
  10. ^"King of Roq".Allmusic.
  11. ^Brandon Soderburg (January 20, 2009)."Know Your Product: Blaq Starr/Diplo," Get Off, "(Mad Decent)".Baltimore City Paper. Archived fromthe originalon January 19, 2013.
  12. ^Michael Byrne (February 2, 2009)."Know Your Product: K-Swift, Greatest Hits".Baltimore City Paper. Archived fromthe originalon January 19, 2013.
  13. ^"Crystal Method, Blaqstarr, others on board for SXSW".Live Daily. January 8, 2009. Archived fromthe originalon January 22, 2009.
  14. ^Richards, Chris (November 4, 2008). "Quick Spins: Blaqstarr: I'm Bangin' 2",The Washington Post,p. C5.
  15. ^Harding, Cortney (August 9, 2008). "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World",Billboard120(32): 44.
  16. ^"Blaqstarr (Blaqstarr) on Twitter".Blaqstarrmusic.com. Archived fromthe originalon April 17, 2011.RetrievedApril 17,2013.
  17. ^"S.U.S MIA/BLAQSTARR – Elbows Music Blog Aggregator".Elbo.ws. Archived fromthe originalon November 17, 2013.RetrievedApril 17,2013.
  18. ^"Video: Blaqstarr," Oh My Darling "« The FADER".Thefader.com. April 30, 2010.RetrievedApril 17,2013.
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