Atlanta, GA. (Top40 Charts/ Atlantic Records) - Less than six months after the most catastrophic event of his career rocked the mixtape industry,
DJ Drama makes his triumphant return to feed the streets. Mr. Thanksgiving aka Barack ODrama announced today the release of Gangsta Grillz 16. Forgoing the tradition that has made the Gangsta Grillz Hip-Hop's hottest mixtape series, the upcoming release, entitled The
Streets Been Waitin', will not boast a celebrity host, with
Drama doing the honors himself. Gangsta Grillz 16 will of course pack the usual mix of exclusive new releases and unreleased remixes, including cuts by Young Jeezy, Lil' Boosie, Gucci Mane, Big Kuntry and the Aphilliates
Music Group's own Willie The Kid.
Drama's latest effort marks the first official Gangsta Grillz since he and Aphilliates co-founder DJ Don Cannon were arrested earlier this year, sending the mixtape community in an uproar. The two found themselves in a see of turmoil after their Atlanta offices were raided on the evening of January 16, 2007. While most were shocked by the RIAA sanctioned raid and many within the Hip-Hop community voiced their support, Drama feels more needs to be done to protect the important resource mixtapes have become. "All these artists and DJs who have benefited off the mixtape game and found success need to step up and take charge," says Drama. "The mixtape game is too important for us to let it go to the wayside."
Pledging to feed the streets for the rest of his life, Drama is already hard at work on the next few installments of the Gangsta Grillz series. Over the next few months, fans can to see collaborations between Drama and Fabolous, Gucci Mane, Gorilla Zoe, and Willie The Kid, to name a few. He is also completing Gangsta Grillz the Album, though a release date has not been set by his label, Atlantic Records.
DJ Drama continues to hold down his duties as T.I.'s official tour DJ. He also hosts two weekly radio programs alongside DJ Don Cannon and DJ Sense, the third founding member of The Aphilliates collective. You can catch them each Friday from 8-10pm on Streetz Is Watchin' on Sirius Satellite Radio station Shade 45. Saturday evenings, the trio hosts Gangsta Grillz Radio from 8-10pm on Atlanta's Hot 107.9 (WHAT-FM). For more information, please visit https://www.gangstagrillz.com or https://www.myspace.com/djdrama.
