DJ Scream: Inside the DJ Booth

If there's one thing that can be said about the Maybach Music Group, each member is solidly self-assured, including their in-house DJ Scream, and with good reason. The native of Decatur, Ga., has been rocking turntables since his youth. In three months, he learned how to spin using three records from Nas, Outkast and Wu-Tang Clan.

"I just had an infatuation with making people move and dance and actually react to what I was doing," he tells The BoomBox. "It wasn't in my character to be a rapper. I didn't really have an interest in being a rapper, so I just kinda gravitated towards being a DJ."

He started working right away, spinning at house parties and creating mixtapes before he was even old enough to drive.

By the time Scream got to Tuskegee University, he was already prepped in how to further his career. He was making money from his mixtapes and house parties while there, but the goal was never solely about getting money. Scream was interested in the various avenues he could take while doing what he loved, so he moved into college radio. His career has been anchored by three elements: mixtapes, parties and radio. He'd mastered each before even garnering national attention.

After college, Scream and a partner started their entertainment company, HoodRich, with the intention of making it a bona fide brand. He also continued hosting mixtapes and soon became the go-to DJ for up-and-coming artists out of the south. Mixtapes ended up being his calling card, lifting him to the next level.

In 2006, Sirius Satellite recognized Scream's growing pull south of the Mason-Dixon line and was the first to stand behind him, granting the young DJ his first radio show, HoodRich Radio, after college. After the national co-sign from Sirius, Atlanta's Hot 107.9 finally recognized Scream as a local tastemaker and gave him an evening slot.

The DJ says that he can recall a time when Atlanta radio played no hip-hop at all.

"You could only hear R&B, then finally late at night, people like DJ Nabbs would play what we call Miami bass music," he says. "Like, 2 Live Crew and Poison Clan and all that type of stuff, so when you grow up under that -- I think that's what a lot of people don't get -- some of the dopest DJs, when it comes to like, making people dance and shit like that, come from the south, because Atlanta is very dance-oriented."

Evidently, fellow southerner Rick Ross could relate, and in 2011, he invited Scream to join the MMG camp. The HoodRich DJ gladly accepted the offer. Scream seamlessly joined the hip-hop empire and exponentially increased his visibility. But with instant fame comes a price. He doesn't nearly have the time to shop as much as he'd like. Scream's love for sneakers, watches, hats and cars takes a backseat to business trips and constant meetings. If he does get a minute or two at home, he just enjoys kicking back.

"I read, cook seafood, watch movies," he shares. "It ain't no one thing. I try and do normal things."

"In this industry you move so much and travel so much that you miss the simple things," he adds. "I'm big on family, so whenever I can be around the family ... I was on tour on so much at one point, I didn't even notice some of my little cousins. I remember when they were born, and the next time I see them, they're like, walking and talking. I missed the whole in-between."

Even though his work schedule is demanding, and he barely has a moment to himself, Scream is dedicated to his craft. He's actually doing what he's always wanted to do, but he's also looking ahead, as successful businessmen do. He's interested in starting a non-profit or partnering with other businesses.

"Everybody knows the music business is similar to sports," he says with a pause. "It's something that you can do until the day you die but a lot of people have to venture out into other things. Even the most successful people, like if you look at Puffy -- he's a 500 millionaire, but that $500 million didn't come from music, you know what I'm saying? It came from the brand that was created by music but now he's into the clothes and liquor and a lot of other endeavors."

Top Five Songs of the Moment

1. "Cashin Out," Cash Out

2. "No Lie," 2 Chainz

3. "Bag of Money," Maybach Music Group

4. "No Lie," Chief Keef

5. "I Need That," Nipsey Hussle feat. Dom Kennedy & Kendrick Lamar

Top Five Songs to Rock a Party

1. "Knuck If You Buck," Crime Mob

2. "99 Problems," Jay-Z

3. "Dey Know," Shawty Lo

4. "I Got 5 On It," Luniz

5. "One More Chance," Notorious B.I.G.

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