DJ Quik

David Marvin Blake, better known by his stage name DJ Quik, is an American rapper, DJ, record producer and actor. According to Quik himself, his stage name reflects his ability to produce records in a short period of time.

He began selling homemade mixtapes (notably The Red Tape, 1987) after he received a turntable for his 8th grade graduation. He then began doing shows DJing around Southern California, many of which ended in rival gang related altercations. He was a member of the Westside Tree Top Piru Bloods. In the 11th grade, Quik dropped out of high school. For a period of about three years he was homeless after his mother lost her home, due to foreclosure.

After gaining a buzz for himself in the streets from his self-made mix tapes, he began to get the interest of many major labels, including Profile Records and Ruthless Records. He signed to Profile Records in the summer of 1990, reportedly as the label's first six-figure signee. Quik later went on to regret his contract with the label and was offered an advance of one million dollars by Eazy E. This left Profile Records with no other choice. They began to send letters to Ruthless Records, asking for them to cease and desist.

His debut album, "Quik Is the Name," was released in 1991. The album was led by the success of his two top 20 R&B singles, "Tonite" and "Born and Raised in Compton." The album ended up being number 10 on the album charts, and was Platinum by the RIAA. None of his successive albums reached the success of his debut, though they have been well received. He went on to produce 2nd II None.

He went on to produce the following studio albums: Way 2 Fonky (1992), Safe + Sound (1995), Rhythm-al-ism (1998), Balance & Options (2000), Under tha Influence (2002), Trauma (2005), The Book of David (2011), and The Midnight Life (2014).