RaaShaun Casey (born September 3, 1977), known professionally as DJ Envy, is an American disc jockey (DJ), record producer, and radio personality.[1][2] He is one of the three hosts of the syndicated radio show The Breakfast Club, alongside Charlamagne tha God, on Power 105.1.
DJ Envy | |
|---|---|
 DJ Envy in 2014 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | September 3, 1977 New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip hop, R&B |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Labels | |
Education
editCasey graduated from Hampton University in 1999 with a degree in business management.[3]
Career
editThis article contains promotional content. (April 2016) |
A native of Queens, New York City, DJ Envy, then called DJ Shrimp, was tutored and mentored by neighborhood acquaintance DJ Clue,[4] who introduced him to the mixtape circuit in the mid-1990s. DJ Clue took him under his wing to assist in his success as a disc jockey. By the early 2000s, he was hosting commercials and exclusives for other established artists that include Hahflamez, Jay-Z, 50 Cent, and The Lox. He then was signed to DJ Clue's record label Desert Storm. In 2003, he released his debut studio album entitled The Desert Storm Mixtape: Blok Party, Vol. 1.
DJ Envy began mixing once a month for Hot 97 show, "Takin' it to the Streets", hosted by Angie Martinez from 12 am to 4 am, but later filled in when Martinez became pregnant.[5] He then co-hosted Hot 97's morning show with Miss Jones from 6 am to 10 am daily. His run on the morning show ended in July 2008 when Miss Jones moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. DJ Envy spun on his own mix shows on Hot 97 called "The People's Mix" on Saturdays from 12 pm to 2 pm and "The People's Choice Hit List" on Sundays from 5 pm to 8 pm. He had a segment on Hot 97 titled "New at 2", where he played the newest hits from 2 pm to 2:30 pm. He previously hosted his own midday show on Power 105, before joining Charlamagne tha God and Angela Yee as co-hosts of The Breakfast Club.[6] He currently hosts a weekly show on Sirius XM Radio's Hip-Hop Nation.[6]
On Monday, December 6, 2010, DJ Envy, Angela Yee, and Charlamagne tha God began hosting the morning show on Power 105 as The Breakfast Club. In September 2016, he voiced support for stop-and-frisk and later apologized after constant criticism.[7][8][9][10]
DJ Envy has made appearances on Juelz Santana's and Lloyd Banks's music video "Beamer Benz or Bentley" and various television shows, such as 106 & Park, Entourage, and Tha Corner, which he hosts on the Music Choice channel.[5] He was featured in the 2006 film Blood of a Champion, credited as Shadow's enemy friend.[11] He also appeared in documentary, The Raw Report: Gucci Mane.[12] On March 21, 2010, DJ Envy took over as VJ of MTV2's Sucker Free Countdown.
In early 2015, DJ Envy released single "Still A Fan", featuring recording artist, songwriter, and producer "Rico Love." In early 2017, DJ Envy and his wife, Gia Casey, began hosting a podcast named The Casey Crew that "explores the good, bad, ugly, and beauty of relationships and family".[13][14]
DJ Envy and his wife, Gia Casey, released a book, titled Real Life, Real Love: Life Lessons on Joy, Pain, and the Magic That Holds Us Together on April 19, 2022[15]
A car enthusiast, DJ Envy is the founder and curator of the Drive your Dreams Car Show auto show, which was first held on November 3, 2018, at Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, New Jersey. The second annual event took place on September 7, 2019, at the same venue. Both were sponsored by Lincoln Tech.[16] After the COVID-19 pandemic canceled events in 2020, the show returned in 2021, traveling to Atlantic City, New Jersey, Atlanta, Georgia, and Detroit, Michigan. Approximately 5,000 people showed up at the TCF Center to witness luxurious cars, souped-up cars, and designer cars owned by celebrities and Detroit residents.
Prior to naming the show the Drive your Dreams Car Show, DJ Envy dubbed his car show as "Carchella".[17] Following a legal notice from Coachella threatening a lawsuit, and a preliminary injunction and restraining order approved by the presiding judge, DJ Envy ceased using the name "Charchella" and reintroduced his car show under its name.[18]
"I try to take the car shows to markets I'm already successful in, so we started in the New York/New Jersey area, then we went out to Atlanta, we went to Atlantic City, Philly. … Now we're in Detroit, and next month (December 2021) is a holiday show in Miami, Florida". Autos owned by other celebrities are also featured in the exhibition, including cars courtesy of 50 Cent, Fabolous, Icewear Vezzo, 42 Dugg, and Detroit's Royce da 5'9" and Richard Wershe Jr.(White Boy Rick).[19]
Awards and recognition
editOn January 24, 2020, Mayor Marty Small of Atlantic City, New Jersey, officially declared January 23 as "Breakfast Club Day" in Atlantic City.[20] DJ Envy was separately presented with an official Key to the City of Atlantic City for his "outstanding efforts to market and promote Atlantic City."[20]
In August 2020, DJ Envy and his Breakfast Club co-hosts, Angela Yee and Charlamagne tha God were inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame.[21]
Real Estate Fraud Controversy
editIn October 2023, the US District Attorney's office in New Jersey filed a criminal fraud complaint against Cesar Pina, a business associate of DJ Envy.[22] The charging document makes reference to a 'radio personality' connected to the criminal enterprise that helped garner publicity for Pina to a broader audience.
A civil suit has also been filed against DJ Envy in connection to the real estate operations associated with 'Flipping NJ', Flip2Dao and other commercial ventures involving Cesar Pina.[23]
Personal life
editCasey is married to Gia Casey, who is of Chinese-Jamaican heritage.[24]
He is a resident of Kinnelon, New Jersey.[25]
Discography
editAlbums
edit- The Desert Storm Mixtape: Blok Party, Vol. 1 (2003)[1]
- The Co-Op (with Red Café) (2007)[1]
- It's Moovin' (2009)
- Love and Envy (2011)
- One Love with the Homo's (2011)
- Audio Uprising, Vol. 1 (2011)
- Full Breach. Vol. 5 (2014)[26]
- F2D Presents Hall of Fame 2 (with DA L.E.S. & DJ D Double D) (2018)
- Just A Kid From Queens (2018)[27]
Production
edit- "Feel the Hate" – The Murderers (2000)
- "Broken Silence" – Foxy Brown (2001)
- "The Bad Guy" (featuring Pain in da Ass) – Fabolous (2001)
- "Right/Wrong" (Cradle 2 the Grave OST) – DMX (2003)
- "Getting Down" (Cradle 2 the Grave OST) – DMX, Kashmir, Bazaar Royale (2003)
- "Wait a Minute" – Joe Budden (2004)
References
edit- ^ a b c DJ Envy at Allmusic
- ^ Baker, Al (May 13, 2006) D.J. Is Arrested Over His Threat to Rival's Child. The New York Times
- ^ [1] [dead link]
- ^ DJ Envy Return of the Hustle. Xxlmag.com (July 27, 2007). Archived version dated December 1, 2007, accessed via Internet Archive on October 13, 2017.
- ^ a b DJ Envy's 5 DJ Commandments. SOHH.com
- ^ a b "About DJ Envy | New York's Power 105.1 FM". DJ Envy. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
- ^ "DJ Envy Supports Stop and Frisk, Twitter Bites Back". BET.com.
- ^ "DJ Envy, stop-and-frisk supporter, says he was recently shot at in N.J." NJ.com. September 30, 2016.
- ^ McCann, Mac (September 27, 2016). "DJ Envy Is Catching Hell for Defending Unconstitutional Stop and Frisk Policing". Complex.
- ^ "DJ Envy Condemns Stop-And-Frisk After Talk With John Legend". Vibe.com. September 29, 2016.
- ^ Blood of a Champion (2006) – Full cast and crew. IMDb.com
- ^ "Gucci Mane - 1 - The Raw Report - Vol. 3 - video Dailymotion". Dailymotion. December 4, 2007. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
- ^ "The Casey Crew on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. April 20, 2022. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
- ^ Gia Casey Talks New Book "Real Life, Real Love", Cheating Scandals, Rags To Riches + More, retrieved January 18, 2023
- ^ Gia Casey Talks New Book "Real Life, Real Love", Cheating Scandals, Rags To Riches + More, retrieved April 28, 2022
- ^ "Car Show Bernie".
- ^ DJ Envy Sued By Coachella For Using The Name "Carchella", retrieved April 28, 2022
- ^ "DJ Envy's 'Carchella' Officially Shut Down". Digital Music News. October 5, 2021. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
- ^ "200 custom and luxury vehicles due Saturday for Drive Your Dreams Car Show at TCF Center".
- ^ a b "Mayor Marty Small Proclaims 'Breakfast Club Day' In Atlantic City". YouTube. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
- ^ ""The Breakfast Club" inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame". August 17, 2020.
- ^ "District of New Jersey | New Jersey Real Estate Investor and Online Influencer Charged with Multimillion-Dollar Investment Fraud Scheme | United States Department of Justice". www.justice.gov. October 18, 2023. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
- ^ Melendez, Pilar (November 12, 2023). "Ruined Fans Point Finger at DJ Envy in House-Flipping Fraud". The Daily Beast. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
- ^ Video on YouTube
- ^ Hyman, Vicki. "DJ Envy's Kinnelon mansion on market for $2M, bedazzled bathroom and all", NJ Advance Medis for NJ.com, March 16, 2016, updated January 26, 2019. Accessed February 19, 2020. "Nationally syndicated hip-hop DJ RaaShaun Casey, who goes by DJ Envy on Power 105.1 FM's morning show The Breakfast Club and also hosts a Sirius XM show, is looking to leave his lavish Colonial on seven gated acres in Kinnelon."
- ^ "Full Breach Mixtapes". Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
- ^ "DJ ENVY PLANS TO SATISFY EVERY MOOD WITH UPCOMING ALBUM 'JUST A KID FROM QUEENS'". XXL Magazine. September 7, 2017.