Taylor James

{{For|the fictional character|List of One Tree Hill characters#Taylor James}} {{Infobox musical artist  | name = DJ Tay James | image = DJTayJames denmark.jpeg | alt = | caption = Performing in Denmark in 2012, photo by Mike Lerner | image_size = | landscape = yes | birth_name = Taylor Austin James | alias = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1987|05|15}} | death_date =  | origin = Baltimore, Maryland | instruments = | genre = Club music, pop, electronic dance music, hip hop | occupations = DJ, MC | years_active = 2005–present | label = Unruly Records | associated_acts = Justin Bieber, K-Swift, DJ Alizay, Claxton, DJ Boogie | website = {{URL|http://weknowthedj.com/}} }}

'''Taylor Austin James''' (born May 15, 1987), better known as '''DJ Tay James''', is an American DJ and MC.<ref name="wapost"/> He was signed to Unruly Records in 2005, and after several years playing clubs in the Washington, D.C., and Baltimore area<ref name="hiphopw"/> began touring as Justin Bieber's DJ and MC in 2009. He has released a number of mixtapes, and as of 2012 is a radio DJ on WPGC-FM.<ref name="black"/> DJ Tay James was named HBCU Top 30 Under 30,<ref>{{cite web|author1=Robert K Hoggard|title=HBCU Top 30 Under 30|url=http://hbcubuzz.com/2014-hbcu-top-30-under-30-3/|website=hbcubuzz.com|date=June 2014|publisher=HBCU Buzz|accessdate=December 8, 2014 |location=Washington DC|pages=3}}</ref> in July 2014

==Early life== Taylor Austin James was born on May 15, 1987<ref name="black"/> in Baltimore, Maryland. He grew up in Columbia, Maryland, later moving to Bel Air, Harford County, Maryland.<ref name="baltimore"/> At twelve years old he saw DJ Scribble on MTV, and his father bought him a pair of turntables for Christmas.<ref name="jfourteen"/> After being taught to use them by his brother<ref name="hiphopw"/> he started to DJ parties for his sister (Morgan James) and friends.<ref name="jfourteen"/> At age 15 he began interning at Unruly Records, a club music label based in Baltimore.<ref name="baltimore"/>

At age 16 he was paid $300 for DJing a birthday party, and immediately quit his job at Burger King to focus on music.<ref name="robinson"/> After graduating Calvert Hall College High School he was signed by Unruly Records and began spinning at CD listening parties and clubs.<ref name="baltimore"/>

==Music career==

===Mixtapes, radio=== While at Unruly Records James studied under local DJs such as K-Swift and Claxton,<ref name="baltimore"/> and was mentored by DJ Alizay.<ref name="hiphopw"/><ref name="black"/> He also became associated with DTLR.<ref name="hiphopw"/> He worked for three years at Unruly before leaving to attend Hampton University in Virginia.<ref name="baltimore"/>

In college, he studied business management and continued mixing at clubs and parties. On weekends, he drove 130 miles each way to DJ at Love, a large club in Washington, D.C., that routinely held 8,000 people.<ref name="robinson"/> He played at Love for three years, where he notably DJed birthday parties for Chris Brown and Bow Wow,<ref name="robinson"/> and an afterparty for Beyoncé.<ref name="baltimore"/> He also spun at other Washington clubs including Ibiza and Park,<ref name="wapost"/> and was a guest DJ for Barack Obama's inauguration.<ref name="robinson"/> He graduated from Hampton University with a BS in business management in 2009.<ref name="wapost"/>

As of 2012 he has a live broadcast on D.C. radio station WPGC-FM<ref name="black"/> on Friday nights.<ref name="robinson"/> He continues to release mixtapes on a regular basis,<ref name="robinson"/> and as of 2012 he's released over 77, which have sold over 150,000 hard copies in the mid-Atlantic region.<ref name="black"/><ref name="livemixtapes"/>

===Justin Bieber, touring=== While getting a haircut in July 2009<ref name="baltimore"/> James got a call from former Hampton classmate DJ Boogie,<ref name="hiphopw"/> who was working in Atlanta with R&B artist Sammie.<ref name="wapost"/> Justin Bieber's management (also based in Atlanta) had asked Boogie for a DJ recommendation, and they interviewed James and flew him to Oklahoma to meet and tour with Bieber.<ref name="baltimore"/>

At the time James was hired, Bieber had only performed in public twice.<ref name="baltimore"/> James played Bieber's third performance without a tryout.<ref name="baltimore"/> They played a water park in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which they headlined after Sean Kingston dropped out. At the time, the act only had James, Bieber, and two dancers.<ref name="baltimore"/> James continued to open concerts for the act and tour while still flying to D.C. for various gigs.<ref name="wapost"/> He was a fixture both in the "My World Tour", where he opened all shows for the South American leg. He was also DJ and MC for Bieber's "Believe Tour."

James contributed scratching to the track "Right Here" on the Justin Bieber album ''Believe'', which peaked at #1 on the US ''Billboard'' 200.<ref name="tayjames"/> He and Bieber also freestyled on the 2010 joke track "Omaha Mall," a webisode of We Know the DJ, which now has five seasons.<ref name="twit"/><ref name="weknow"/>

==Film & TV placements==

===Movie features=== *''Justin Bieber: Never Say Never'' movie (2011)

===Television appearances=== *''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'' (2011, 2012) *''The Ellen DeGeneres Show'' (2011, 2012) *''The Oprah Winfrey Show'' (2011) *''The View'' (2011, 2012) *''The Today Show'' (2011, 2012) *''All Around the World'' NBC special (2012) *''Dick Clark's New Year's Eve'' show (2011)<ref>{{cite web|last=Harvey|first=Bernard|title=Spector Bass Artist Performs with Justin Bieber and Mary J. Blige on The View|url=http://www.spectorbass.com/artists/events_media_index.html|accessdate=21 September 2012}}</ref> *''MTV Video Music Awards'' (2011) *''Teen Choice Awards'' (2011) *Disney Christmas Parade (2011) *''The David Letterman Show'' (2011, 2012)

== References == {{reflist|2| refs =

<ref name="weknow">{{cite news | title = DJ Tay James: We Know the Music Foundation | url = http://www.videocitytv.com/vcblog/dj-tay-james-talks-pic-w-jay-z-we-know-the-music-foundation-touring/ | newspaper = VideoCityTV | date = | accessdate = 2012-12-20 }}</ref>

<ref name="twit">{{cite news | title = DJ Tay James | url = https://twitter.com/DJTayJames | newspaper = Twitter | date = | accessdate = 2012-12-20 }}</ref>

<ref name="baltimore">{{cite news | title = Bel Air's DJ Tay James part of Bieber tour | first = Sam | last = Sessa | url = https://www.baltimoresun.com/2010/09/04/bel-airs-dj-tay-james-part-of-bieber-tour/ | newspaper = Baltimore Sun | date = September 4, 2010 | access-date = 2012-12-20 }}</ref>

<ref name="wapost">{{cite news | title = Be specific: DJ Tay James on what it's like to work with Justin Bieber | first = Chris | last = Richards | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/click-track/post/be-specific-dj-tay-james-on-what-its-like-to-work-with-justin-bieber/2011/07/21/gIQAxBs3RI_blog.html | newspaper = Washington Post | date = July 21, 2011 | accessdate = 2012-12-20 }}</ref>

<ref name="hiphopw">{{cite news | title = DJ Of The Week: DJ Tay James | first = Danielle | last = Canada | url = http://hiphopwired.com/2010/01/11/dj-of-the-week-dj-tay-james/ | newspaper = HipHopWired | date = January 11, 2010 | accessdate = 2012-12-20 }}</ref>

<ref name="black">{{cite news | title = Justin Bieber's DJ Tay James: The Secret of My Success | first = Amy | last = Andrieux | url = http://www.blackenterprise.com/lifestyle/justin-biebers-dj-tay-james-the-secret-of-my-success/ | newspaper = Black Enterprise | date = October 3, 2011 | accessdate = 2012-12-20 }}</ref>

<ref name="livemixtapes">{{cite news | title = Mixtapes: Tay James Discography | url = http://indy.livemixtapes.com/djs/813/dj_tay_james.html | newspaper = LiveMixtapes | date = | accessdate = 2012-12-20 }}</ref>

<ref name="jfourteen">{{cite news | title = J-14 Exclusive Interview: DJ Tay James Talks Touring With Justin Bieber | url = http://www.j-14.com/2012/06/j-14-exclusive-interview-dj-tay-james-talks-touring-with-justin-bieber.html | newspaper = J-14 | date = June 29, 2012 | accessdate = 2012-12-20 }}</ref>

<ref name="tayjames">{{cite news | title = DJ Tay James | url = http://www.discogs.com/artist/DJ+Tay+James | publisher = Discogs | date = | accessdate = 2012-12-20 }}</ref>

<ref name="robinson">{{cite news | title = DJ Tay James Becomes A Household Name | first = George | last = Robinson IV | url = http://parleteen.com/main/interviews/teen-spotlight/entertainment/95-dj-tay-james-becomes-a-household-name | newspaper = Parle Teen | date = | accessdate = 2012-12-20 }}</ref>

}}

==External links== *[http://weknowthedj.com/ WeKnowTheDJ.com]

{{DEFAULTSORT:James, Taylor}} Category:Living people Category:1987 births Category:American radio personalities Category:American remixers Category:Musicians from Baltimore Category:American club DJs Category:People from Columbia, Maryland Category:People from Bel Air, Harford County, Maryland