If you’re not familiar with TJ Mizell’s name, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of his father. TJ is the son of the legendary DJ, Jam Master Jay, who is best-known for being a member of Run D.M.C. Sadly, Jam Master Jay was murdered in 2002 when he was just 37-years-old. TJ, who is also a DJ, has decided to follow in his father’s footsteps and he proudly carries on his legacy. TJ has had lots of success of the years, and he has also worked with several well-known people on the music industry. While some people think the culture of DJing is fading away, TJ Mizell is proof that it’s alive and well. Keep reading for 10 things you didn’t know about TJ Mizell.
1. He Was On Reality TV
For the most part, TJ likes to stay pretty low key, but he did have a stint as a reality TV star a few years ago. He was a cast member on the WE TV series, Growing Up Hip Hop. He was initially hesitant about joining the show because reality TV has a tendency to get messy, however, he was persuaded by his good friend and former co-star, Angela Simmons.
2. He’s A$AP Ferg’s Tour DJ
In the music industry, TJ is best-known for being A$AP Ferg’s tour DJ. When sharing how he and Ferg met, TJ told Billboard, “We linked up around four years ago. It was around the time A$AP Mob was popping. I was on the come up in the DJ scene in New York so I would always be at the same parties they were… At a Drake show on his Nothing Was the Same tour in Brooklyn, I ended up talking to Ferg backstage, and he asked me to be his DJ then. It was history from there.”
3. He’s A Father
Music isn’t the only thing TJ has been focusing on over the last several years. He’s also been building a family of his own. His son, Koa Mizell, was born earlier this year and he couldn’t be any more excited about being a father. Koa makes frequent appearances on TJ’s Instagram and his followers love it.
4. He’s In A Relationship
TJ’s relationship problems were something that was briefly brought up during his time on Growing Up Hip Hop, however, it was clear that he didn’t really want to share the details of his personal life. Now it seems that things have smoothed out for him in the love department and he is in a happy relationship with his son’s mother.
5. He Started A Record Label
TJ isn’t just interested in performing music. He has an entrepreneurial mind and he’s also interested in helping other people get the chance to advance their careers. As a result, he helped star a record label called Doperoots which is specifically focused on DJs and producers.
6. He Loves Fashion
Fashion has been a huge part of hip-hop culture since the very beginning, and it’s another aspect of the culture that TJ has lots of respect for. He loves fashion and being able to express himself through his clothing. However, since his primary focus has always been music he’s never put any effort into turning his love of fashion into a business venture.
7. He Loves To Skateboard
People do all sorts of things to relax. TJ’s preferred method of relaxing is skateboarding. He told Rhyme Junkie, “I skateboard a lot. That’s my form of meditation. I bring my skateboard with me if I’m leaving the house for more than three days at a time. I get separation anxiety without it lol.”
8. He Would Love To Work Blink 182
One of the things Run D.M.C was best-known for was their ability to combine different genres of music. At a time when most artists simply stayed in their lane, D.M.C created one of their own by working with the popular rock band, Aerosmith. TJ also enjoys working with different genres and would love to get the chance to work with Blink 182.
9. He Grew Up In Virginia
TJ is a New York native, but he was primarily raised in Virginia. He said, “We moved to Virginia because our dad was murdered, so there was a lot of negative energy revolving around that in New York.” During his childhood in Virginia, many of his peers were not aware of who his father was.
10. He Didn’t Learn DJing From His Dad
The fact that TJ ended up becoming a DJ is somewhat ironic since he never had a chance to learn anything about DJing from his father. TJ was only around 11-years-old when his father was killed, and as a result didn’t get to learn much about music from him. TJ began DJing as a teenager and trained at the Scratch Academy.
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