BET's ‘The Business of Hip Hop’ Explores the Journey of DJ Envy
The promotion and evolution of hip hop over the last 50 years have been chronicled and amplified by DJs in clubs and on the radio. And perhaps none have been more influential than Queens, New York native and The Breakfast Club co-host DJ Envy.
Growing up with dreams of working on Wall Street, it was a chance run-in with his neighbor, DJ Clue, that changed the trajectory of RaaShaun Casey’s life. Seeing that his friend, who was attending Queens College at the time, was driving a nice car, Envy inquired about Clue’s side hustle.
A quick study, Envy soon began booking gigs and creating mixtapes. While at Hampton University, he met kids from around the country and discovered new sounds. “I was [already] known in New York, but college opened me up,” DJ Envy said in an interview with Hampton University. “One of my roommates was from Mississippi, so he brought me Mississippi music. My other roommate was from Jersey, and he introduced that Jersey bounce to me. And then I had another roommate from Detroit. Now when I [deejayed] these parties, it’s not just New York music [being played], and I can DJ anywhere.”
DJ ENVY
Soon, he said he was making $20,000–$30,000 per mixtape. “I was making more money than my parents,” he told BET. But when the RIAA started cracking down on DJs, even arresting some, he needed to pivot. “So, I gotta transition,” he said. “The first transition is radio.” He landed a monthly midnight slot DJing for New York City’s Hot 97 radio station and hung around to fill in when other hosts called in sick.
His career took off in the early 2000’s, when DJ Envy began premiering freestyles by hip hop heavyweights like Jay-Z, 50 Cent, and the L.O.X. After signing with Sony Records in 2003, DJ Envy released his commercial debut, The Desert Storm Mixtape: Blok Party, Vol. 1. He has since gone on to release more albums and collaborate with other music icons, including Janet Jackson, Nelly, Cam'ron and DMX.
In addition to repping the culture on the nationally syndicated show The Breakfast Club (which also appears daily on BET), DJ Envy also hosts Sirius Satellite Radio’s Hip Hop Nation channel, where he plays the hottest tracks and interviews celebrities.
In 2020, DJ Envy and his Breakfast Club co-hosts, Angela Yee and Charlamagne tha God were inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame.
And while he continues to rock the crowd at events and on the radio, it’s his marriage to Gia Casey and their six children that matter most to the hip hop icon when it comes to legacy. “I want my kids to be like, ‘Damn, he was a good father, good husband.’”
To learn more about DJ Envy and other influencers of the culture, tune into BET’s Brands, Bread, and Brilliance documentary.