{{short description|American rapper (born 1958)}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = DJ Kool | image = | caption = | birth_name = John W. Bowman Jr. | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1958|3|20}} | birth_place = Washington, D.C., U.S. | genre = {{hlist|Hip-hop|go-go}} | occupation = {{hlist|Rapper|DJ|record producer}} | years_active = 1979–present | label = {{hlist|CLR|American Recordings|Warner Bros.}} | associated_acts = {{hlist|Chuck Brown|Fatman Scoop|Mýa|Rare Essence|Redman|Will Smith|Biz Markie}} | website = }}
'''John W. Bowman Jr.''' (born March 20, 1958), better known by his stage name '''DJ Kool''', is an American rapper who produced several popular rap singles in the late 1980s. As a performer, he is best known for his 1996 hit single "Let Me Clear My Throat", the title track from his 1996 album of the same name.
==Career== Raised in Washington, D.C., his influence from years of working the go-go and rap circuits became apparent in his music.
In 1996, he released the single "Let Me Clear My Throat" on American Recordings, which charted around the world including the top 40 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and top 10 in the UK and Netherlands in March 1997.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book| first= David| last= Roberts| year= 2006| title= British Hit Singles & Albums| edition= 19th| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited | location= London| isbn= 1-904994-10-5| page= 159}}</ref> The song prominently features a sample of "The 900 Number" by the 45 King (which itself features a sample from Marva Whitney's "Unwind Yourself",<ref>[http://ciarannorris.co.uk/2006/03/29/marva-whitney-unwind-yourself-as-sampled-by-dj-kool-let-me-clear-my-throat/ Marva Whitney – Unwind Yourself (Sampled By DJ Kool – Let Me Clear My Throat)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425152125/http://ciarannorris.co.uk/2006/03/29/marva-whitney-unwind-yourself-as-sampled-by-dj-kool-let-me-clear-my-throat/ |date=2012-04-25 }}</ref> repeated over a breakbeat for six minutes). The song also began by sampling "Hollywood Swinging" by Kool & the Gang. The song is a recognizable dance floor-filler, and the track remains popular {{As of|2008|alt=to this day}}.
In 2001 he featured on Let's Get Dirty (I Can't Get in da Club) by Redman. In 2003, DJ Kool contributed to the song "Hit the Floor" from the "Macho Man" Randy Savage studio album, ''Be a Man''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Hit-Floor-feat-DJ-Kool/dp/B0146RZG1K/ |title=Hit The Floor [feat. DJ Kool] by Macho Man Randy Savage on Amazon Music |publisher=Amazon.com |date=2016-09-03 |access-date=2020-05-05}}</ref>
==Discography== ===Albums=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |+ List of albums, with selected chart positions <ref>{{Cite web |title=DJ Kool |url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/14560-DJ-Kool |access-date=2023-06-04 |website=Discogs |language=en}}</ref> ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Album details ! scope="col" colspan="3" | Peak chart positions |- ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | US<br><ref name="US200">{{cite web | url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=dj kool|chart=Billboard 200}} | title=DJ Kool – Chart History: Billboard 200 | publisher=Prometheus Global Media | work=Billboard | access-date=May 3, 2013}}</ref> ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | US<br>Heat.<br><ref name="USHeat">{{cite web | url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/dj-kool-mn0000950123/awards | title=DJ Kool – Awards | publisher=Rovi Corporation | work=AllMusic | access-date=May 3, 2013}}</ref> ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | US<br>R&B<br><ref name="USR&BAl">{{cite web | url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=dj kool|chart=R&B/Hip-Hop Albums}} | title=DJ Kool – Chart History: R&B/Hip-Hop Albums | publisher=Prometheus Global Media | work=Billboard | access-date=May 3, 2013}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" | ''The Music Ain't Loud Enuff'' | * Released: 1990 * Label: SOH, Creative Funk * Formats: CD, LP, cassette | — || — || 60 |- ! scope="row" | ''20 Minute Workout'' | * Released: 1994 * Label: CLR * Formats: CD, LP, cassette | — || — || 84 |- ! scope="row" | ''Let Me Clear My Throat'' | * Released: April 23, 1996 * Label: CLR, American * Formats: CD, LP, cassette, digital download | 161 || 8 || 21 |- ! scope="row" | ''Gimmie Dat Beat'' | *Released: April 8, 1997 *Label: Liaison *Formats: CD, LP, cassette | — || — || — |- | colspan="14" style="font-size:90%" | "—" denotes a recording that did not chart. |}
===Singles=== *"Let Me Clear My Throat" (1996)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [http://music.yahoo.com/ar-272950-bio--DJ-Kool Yahoo Biography] * [http://www.mmguide.musicmatch.com/artist/artist.cgi?ARTISTID=349229 Musicmatch guide] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051020224757/http://www.mmguide.musicmatch.com/artist/artist.cgi?ARTISTID=349229 |date=2005-10-20 }} * [http://www.djkool.org Fansite] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061119133849/http://www.djkool.org/ |date=2006-11-19 }} * {{YouTube|7AeoeYgv5Wk|DJ Kool Video interview with Money Train & Thenkman}} * {{YouTube|WazcnqQl1Fs|DJ Kool Video interview with DJ Tutor}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kool, DJ}} Category:1958 births Category:Living people Category:American hip-hop DJs Category:Rappers from Washington, D.C. Category:Go-go musicians Category:21st-century American rappers Category:21st-century African-American rappers Category:20th-century African-American musicians {{US-DJ-stub}} Category:American dance musicians Category:American funk musicians