Roland Clark (DJ)

{{short description|American music producer}} {{BLP sources|date=June 2010}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Roland Clark | image = | image_size = | landscape = | alt = | caption = | background = non_vocal_instrumentalist | birth_name = | alias = DJ Roland Clark, Dark Clark, Digital Pimps, Houseboy, Jesus Jackson, South Street Player, Urban Soul | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1965|11|07}} | birth_place = [[Newark, New Jersey]], U.S. | origin = [[New York City]], [[New York (state)|New York]], U.S. | genre = [[House music|House]], [[deep house]], [[techno]], [[soul music|soul]], [[pop music|pop]] | occupation = [[disc jockey|DJ]], [[record producer|producer]], [[songwriter]] | instrument = | years_active = 1987–present | label = [[Atlantic Records]], Delete Records, Deeptown Music, [[Defected Records]], [[Skint Records]], [[Strictly Rhythm]] | associated_acts = [[Katy Perry]], [[Norman Cook|Fatboy Slim]], [[Armand Van Helden]], [[Bob Sinclar]], [[Todd Terry]], Elena Pavla, Osheen, [[Roger Sanchez]], Calvin Gaines | website = }} '''Roland Clark''' is an American [[house music]] DJ, producer, songwriter and vocalist.

==Biography== In the past, Roland Clark used the aliases Jesus Jackson, Digital Pimps, Dark Clark, South Street Player, and is also a founding member of the dance music project [[Urban Soul]].<ref name="trax">{{Cite news|url=https://news.traxsource.com/articles/999/roland-clark-qa|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140626133359/http://news.traxsource.com/articles/999/roland-clark-qa|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 26, 2014|title=Roland Clark 'Afromation Album' Exclusive Q&A|access-date=2018-10-04}}</ref> He learned how to write songs from his childhood mentor Calvin Gaines.

In 1987, he released his first track, “Why!” ([[Atlantic Records|Atlantic]] 86653)<ref>Retrieved from [https://www.discogs.com/release/206304-Roland-Clark-Why] on June 11, 2024.</ref>

One of the many projects he has been involved in is "[[Flowerz]]" by [[Armand van Helden]], from the album ''[[2 Future 4 U]]'' from 1998, as well as delivering his writing and vocal talents to the likes of [[Todd Terry]], [[Duke Dumont]] and [[Katy Perry]].<ref name="trax"/>

He was featured on two [[Fatboy Slim]] songs, "[[Star 69 (Fatboy Slim song)|Star 69]]" and "[[Song for Shelter / Ya Mama|Song for Shelter]]", both of which sample part of Clark's song "I Get Deep" and feature on Fatboy Slim's 2000 album ''[[Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars]]''.

In 2017, "I Get Deep" was once again sampled in "[[Swish Swish]]" by [[Katy Perry]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wmagazine.com/story/katy-perry-swish-swish-references-taylor-swift|title=A Breakdown of Every Reference and Sample in Katy Perry's "Swish, Swish"|last=Munzenrieder|first=Kyle|work=W Magazine|access-date=2018-10-04|language=en}}</ref>

His 2006 song "Running on Sunshine", which he performed using the Jesus Jackson alias and co-recorded with Fatboy Slim,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5g_Qml71cE |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/H5g_Qml71cE |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|author=Jesus Jackson aka Roland Clark|title=Running On Sunshine|website=YouTube|publisher=|date=April 4, 2011|accessdate=}}{{cbignore}}</ref>{{better|reason=YouTube is not a reliable source|date=November 2023}} has appeared in various [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] programming such as ''[[Grey's Anatomy]]'' and ''[[Men in Trees]]''.<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0865668/soundtrack "Grey's Anatomy" I Am a Tree (TV Episode 2006)] - Soundtracks - [[Internet Movie Database|IMDb]]</ref>{{better|reason=IMDb is not a reliable source|date=November 2023}}<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0909691/soundtrack "Men in Trees" New York Fiction: Part 1 (TV Episode 2006)] - Soundtracks - [[Internet Movie Database|IMDb]]</ref>{{better|reason=IMDb is not a reliable source|date=November 2023}}

Clark is currently a resident of [[Atlanta, Georgia]]. Roland has since started a record label Delete Records, which is distributed by Label Worx Distribution.

==References== {{reflist}}

==Further reading== * [http://www.bluesandsoul.com/feature/310/roland_clark_dj_by_design Roland Clark interview by Pete Lewis], 'Blues & Soul' August 2008 * [https://news.beatport.com/en/black-history-month-roland-clark/ Black History Month: Roland Clark] - Beatport News (7 February 2011) * [https://soundcloud.com/djrolandclark/dj-roland-clark-interview Exclusive Dj Roland Clark Interview]. SoundCloud. Retrieved 3 June 2014 * {https://www.beatportal.com/news/playlist-of-the-week-roland-clark * {https://www.beatportal.com/features/artist-of-the-month-roland-clark * {https://www.beatportal.com/news/vintage-culture-fancy-inc-roland-clark-unite-on-free * {https://findyoursounds.com/david-guetta-morten-and-roland-clark-explore-the-depths-of-future-rave-with-new-single-alive-again * {https://technomood.org/interview-with-roland-clark * {https://www.15questions.net/interview/fifteen-questions-interview-roland-clark/page-1 * {http://www.bluesandsoul.com/feature/310/roland_clark_mixing_with_the_stars * {https://www.theplayground.co.uk/exclusive-interview-five-minutes-with-roland-clark * {https://soundcloud.com/djrolandclark/dj-roland-clark-interview

==External links== * [http://www.residentadvisor.net/dj/rolandclark Roland Clark] on [[Resident Advisor]]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Clark, Roland}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:1965 births]] [[Category:Record producers from New York (state)]] [[Category:Record producers from New Jersey]] [[Category:American male songwriters]] [[Category:American house musicians]] [[Category:Atlantic Records artists]] [[Category:DJs from New York City]] [[Category:Musicians from New York (state)]] [[Category:Songwriters from New York (state)]] [[Category:Songwriters from New Jersey]] [[Category:House musicians]] [[Category:American electronic dance music DJs]]