Disco D

by Andy KellmanAs a teenager, Disco D (born David Shayman) became one of the major contributors — along with DJ Godfather and DJ Assault — to Detroits ghetto-tech scene. A tireless DJ and a shrewd businessman, he played regularly in Detroit and his native Ann Arbor, increasing his presence with underground mixtapes that reflected his raunchy, rowdy, breakneck sets. By the end of the 90s, he was a regular presence in record bins, with 12 releases on Intuit-Solar, Bad Boy Bills Contaminated, and his own GTI label. Remixes for the likes of Eightball & MJG (Buck Bounce) and Da Brat (Boom) were something of a gateway into the rap industry; the two best examples of his production work are AZs City of Gods (off 2005s A.W.O.L.) and 50 Cents Ski Mask Way (off 2005s The Massacre), which are as nuanced and graceful as his GTI releases are brutish. More curiously, he was the producer responsible for Kevin Federlines infamous Popoz?o. In addition to his many scattered, commercially released projects, he composed for VH1s Hip Hop Honors program, Nickelodeons Kids Choice Awards, and a handful of commercials. On January 22, 2007, while staying with his mother in Washington, D.C., he took his life, ending a long battle with bipolar disorder. At the time, a DVD ary about his activities — fittingly titled Hustle Harder — was nearing completion, and he was establishing his Gringo Louco label to showcase Brazilian artists. The only officially released s of his mixing skills are 2001s Straight Out tha Trunk and 2003s A Night at the Booty Bar.