For Dawnraid Entertainment artist DJ Tikelz, DJing is not just a past-time it’s a way of life. He started DJing quite by accident, as a teenager growing up in Sydney’s south-western suburbs, Tikelz started making mixtapes for his friends. The mixtapes ended up changing hands so fast that he became somewhat of local hero. He subsequently became responsible for some of Sydney’s most legendary underground mixtapes.
Over the last six years Tikelz has firmly established himself as one the hottest commodities in the game, not only as a DJ but a gifted producer, working with some of the best artists in Australia and New Zealand, including Savage, Nesian Mystik ,6 Pound and Deceptikonz .
Not a stranger to controversy, Tikelz was a key figure in the landmark court case waged by the major record labels in Australia. The court case came about as a result of the huge popularity of his underground mixtapes. In the courtroom, the djs argued that whichever track they put on their mixes and played in the clubs, inevitably became hits months later, and were therefore promoting the music to the streets, a system that is mirrored all over the world; but the record companies would successfully argue that the tracks on the cds were not cleared, and the mixtapes not licensed. Unaffected by the court’s decision, Tikelz alongside partner-in-crime DJ Peter Gunz, went on to sign a recording contract with Dawnraid entertainment, soon after releasing their first legal mixtape under Warner Music Australia, “Street Dreams vol 1” which has since become a huge success, breaking the ARIA charts, outselling all expectations and further strengthening Tikelz and Gunz’ status as ‘Australia’s most wanted’ dj crew.
Also part of Australia’s notorious DJ crew The ClubJoint AllStars, Tikelz can currently be heard on Wednesday and Saturday nights on The Edge 961, Sydney’s most popular urban radio station, and regularly performs all over Australia to packed crowds, currently holding 8 weekly club residencies in Sydney, as well as frequently touring all over Australia and New Zealand, most recently having performed with Savage on the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards to millions of viewers around the world, having received a nomination for Best Club DJ at the 2006 UMA’s (Urban Music Awards), and landing exclusive sponsorship with Alize’ and Motorola.
DJ Tikelz is perhaps best known for his steadfast allegiance to dropping the hottest and freshest cuts in Hip-Hop & R&B, while at times crossing over to Reggae, Reggaeton and Old School Funk, his versatility landing him a spot in UB40’s concert earlier this year, playing to 35,000 people in the Pacific Islands, as well as spots supporting Sean Paul, Mobb Deep, Ne-yo and the Alkaholiks to name a few. “I just love music that much, I grew up in a musical family,” he explains. I was surrounded by it growing up. I see so many DJs who are in the game for the wrong reason, I do it purely for the pleasure of playing and creating music I love”.
For one of the most celebrated people in the local music industry, DJ Tikelz is extremely humble, after countless years of performing at nightclubs, major events, concerts, after-parties and under 18s across Australia, just a soft-spoken, unassuming DJ. His consistently booked schedule with promoters across the country speaks for itself.
