LAYOUT BY RICKY RUCKUS
It takes more than two turntables and a mic to be a real d.j. It takes passion, drive and determination. A real d. j is focused and has a love affair with music that surpasses everything else. Being a d.j. is more than just a job, it is an attitude and a way of life, and for DJ Cease Fire, it is the air he breathes. Throughout the trials and tribulations of his life, Cease Fire has remained focused and has fought (and will continue to fight) to become the number one d.j. in the country.
Cease Fire was born in Brussels, Belgium on February 26.With French as his first language and being born the eldest of two African parents, his life would be enriched in a culture that many people only dream about. When Cease Fire was three, his parents moved their family to Charlotte, NC in search of a better life. However, for Cease Fire a better life would be years away. Spending nights sleeping on the streets and in emergency shelters had a huge impact on Cease Fire. The grit and harshness of being poor and living in rough neighborhoods is what began Cease Fire on his quest to be great. Cease Fire was determined to be a success and create a better life for himself and his family.
During hard times, Cease Fire escaped his problems, pains and confusion through music. Whether it was the beautiful sounds of African music, the political sounds of Reggae music, or the young sounds of Michael Jackson, Cease Fire began to associate music with a sense of normalcy. As he grew, Cease Fire took an interest in hip hop music, videos and movies such as Krush Groove and Breakin. Music became therapy for his family but would later spark the makings of a dangerous DJ.
At age eleven, Cease Fire decided that he wanted to be a rapper. In school Cease Fire was notorious for beating on tables and beboxing while peers rapped. It was not until high school, that Cease Fire would meet close friend Darien Taylor, who would help strength his love in music and music production. As an aspiring rapper it was a chance encounter with a pair of another close friends turntables that ignited a strong interest in deejaying. With that, Cease Fire invested in his dream by delivering pizzas, while also preparing for his first year at Winston Salem State University.
In August 2000 DJ Cease Fire began his collegiate career as well as his career as a DJ. At the beginning, his hard work consisted of long hours of all day practicing, with many spontaneous overnight sessions. Everything revolved around getting better even if it meant borrowing clothes from friends to save money, catching rides to gigs or going to clubs just to study the crowd and the DJ. In no time, he began getting small jobs deejaying at poetry slams, basketball games, cookouts and even got a small spot on the campus radio station. As his reputation grew Cease Fire went from deejaying in school gyms to some of the hottest and biggest clubs in the triad area. As a part of his growth, Cease Fire went from working and learning alongside some of North Carolina's top DJ's to opening for acts such as KRS-ONE, T.I., Capone-N-Noreaga, Funkmaster Flex, Big Kap, Juvenile, D-Block(Jadakiss, Styles P, Sheek Louch, J-Hood), Slim Thug, Lil Wayne, Ying Yang Twins and many others.
The presence of less fueled the fire for more. This Fire, determination, persistence, and strength are what have kept Cease Fire standing during life's hardships and blessings. This Fire is what has led DJ Cease Fire who began deejaying in his room with one turntable, 9 records and a broken stereo speaker to deejaying celebrity parties, homecoming concerts and earning a mixshow spot on a Top 40 Market radio station 102 jamz. For DJ Cease Fire success is inevitable and as he would put it, the grind and hard work does not end here, it begins here
WALLPAPER
