Source: iOne Creative Services / Radio One Digital
Houston DJ/producer/rapper DJ Chose scored charting hits both behind the decks and as the main attraction, working with rap stars like Kevin Gates, PNB Rock and Akon as well as releasing well-received solo tracks. He came into the spotlight as early as 2011 with work on Brook Gang’s Billboard-charting single “Pop That.” From there he went solo, moving clubs with songs of his own on albums like 2020’s Took Me Forever.
DJ Chose was born Norman Payne in 1990 and spent some time growing up in Youngstown, Ohio. He was exploring rapping and production in high school, and got his big break in Houston in 2009 when Swishahouse DJ O.G. Ron C. added him to his stable of Chopstar DJs. He also joined the Swishahouse group the Brook Gang, who in 2011 had a party rap hit with “Pop That.” Chose went solo in 2012 with his debut album Right Place Right Time and continued work as a producer, working on tracks for Uncle Luke, Kirko Bangz, Dorrough, and others. In 2013 he released single “Everywhere I Go,” which did so well it drew the attention of Think It’s a Game Records, which signed Chose. He released multiple mixtapes and projects over the next several years, developing a sound that was spacious and heavy on both bass and provocative lyricism. Highly prolific, Chose released solo material like 2016’s Pray They Ready and 2019 mixtape Tripolar while producing tracks for artists like Kevin Gates, Kodak Black, NBA Youngboy and many others. In 2020 he released studio album Took Me Forever, as well as the stand-alone track “THICK.” “THICK” was streamed in the tens of millions, and a remix featuring Megan Thee Stallion also hit the multi-million mark.
