DJ Symphony


Symphony Taylor is an American hip hop producer, radio personality, and former DJ for GZA of the Wu-Tang Clan.
Symphony has worked with artists such as Digital Underground, Tony Touch, DJ Boogie Blind, DJ Scratch from EPMD, The Beatnuts, Sean Price, P. Diddy, Nas, MF Doom, Alchemists, Mobb Deep, Portia Dee, Rick Ross, KRS-One, 2 Chainz, Busta Rhymes, Snoop Dogg, Yelawolf, Onyx, 9th Wonder, B2K's Raz-B and B-Nasty

Early life

Born and raised in Newark, New Jersey, DJ Symphony started deejaying at age 9 when his older brothers requested him to be the DJ for their rap group New Poet Society. He played local parties in the New Jersey area and was mentored in the craft by the late DJ Kashief, who was also a popular deejay in the New Jersey area at the time. DJ Symphony started making mixtapes by age 12, and used whatever money he made selling mixtapes to help him buy more vinyl records. DJ Symphony began his professional career in 1995 deejaying in nightclubs, restaurants, colleges and block parties in the New Jersey and New York area.

Career

Radio

DJ Symphony became a radio DJ for 103.3 WPRB in Princeton, New Jersey in 1996 and ran a weekly program called Vibes and Vapours. In 1997, he also started to deejay for Rutgers University and did their Black Madness events. Although DJ Symphony devoted most of his time from 2000 and onward to tour deejaying for numerous artists, he returned to radio in 2007 and worked for 102.5 KSFM in Sacramento, California as a mix show DJ for the show Club 102 which aired from 12am-2am every weekend until 2009. In 2010, DJ Symphony became the program director for Radio Invasion 93.1FM a clear channel radio station.

Tour DJ for the Gza of the Wu-Tang Clan

In 2000, DJ Symphony was introduced to the Wu-Tang Clan through Raekwon. He started doing shows as Raekwon's tour DJ and in the years to come, he became official tour DJ for Gza of the Wu-Tang Clan, the other DJs being DJ Mathematics, DJ Dice and DJ Saki. DJ Symphony has toured with members of the Wu-Tang Clan on both domestic and international tours.
DJ Symphony was the official DJ for Raekwon from 2006 to 2013 and worked with Raekwon's label from 2006 to 2010. DJ Symphony also worked with Ghostface Killah on his Wu-Block Tour from 2010 to 2013. Since 2014, DJ Symphony has worked as the official tour DJ for GZA.

Educator

DJ Symphony has evolved from being a hip-hop practitioner to becoming a music teacher. His passion for education and hip-hop lead him to create the at the Solano Town Center in 2013 in Fairfield, California where he teaches deejaying, audio production, podcasting and radio arts. In 2017 he opened Scratch Course, an online DJ program.

Production credits

DJ Symphony started his professional production career in 2006 when he was signed with Raekwon's label. The label put out the song "Papito" with JD Era and opened up the door for DJ Symphony to produce for other celebrity artists. Listed below are some of the songs that DJ Symphony has produced, although the list is not exhaustive:
  1. All the way good - Capone
  2. Papito- Ceazar and Reason featuring JD Era
  3. Heart of Fire - Raekwon
  4. The Rock - Cappadonna
  5. Live Your Fantasy - Portia Dee
  6. The Water - Hanz On
  7. W.A.R - Hanz On
  8. Circle Back - B-Nasty
  9. Anti Mumble Rap featuring Sadat X & Ceazar
  10. Real Hip-Hop - Jeru the Damaja, Psycho Les & Sadat X

    Discography

DJ Symphony's most notable mixtape series was created in 2010 with Raekwon. Overall, the Certified Crack Mixtape Series has had over 1 million downloads. In total, there are 20 Mixtapes in circulation.
;Singles
  • 2019: Anti Mumble Rap
  • 2020: Real Hip-Hop
;Mixtapes
  • 2010: Certified Crack: Vial 1
  • 2011: Certified Crack: Vial 2
  • 2011: Certified Crack: Memorial Weekend
  • 2011: Messy Sheets
  • 2011: Fight For The Carter: Wayne Vs Shawn
  • 2012: 365 Takeova Series: 2-10-12
  • 2012: 365 Takeova Series: 3-16-12
  • 2012: I Love Canada
  • 2012: Dipset Vs Wu-Tang
  • 2012: I Love America
  • 2012: Certified Crack: Common Vs Drake
  • 2012: I Am Trayvon Martin
  • 2012: Certified Crack: Waka Flocka Vs Wiz Khalifa
  • 2012: Certified Crack: MMG Vs YMCMB
  • 2014: Certified Crack: The Best Of Superwoman
  • 2018: Wu-Invasion Mixtape Series: Australian Edition Volume 1
  • 2018: Wu-Invasion Mixtape Series: World Edition Volume 1
  • 2018: Wu-Invasion Mixtape Series: World Edition Volume 2
  • 2019: Wu-Invasion Mixtape Series: Valentines Day Massacre
  • 2020: Classic Throwback Mixtape Series: Volume 1
;Guest appearances
  • 2010: "The Columbian Necktie" Raekwon
  • 2010: "Dead or Alive" The Cartel
  • 2011: "Digital Money" Da Tykoon
  • 2011: "The Vault" Nino Graye

    Movie scores

DJ Symphony helped create the movie score for the film ''Omerta''