Happy Birthday, Don Cannon!
Today, August 2, is the birthday of DJ, producer and industry exec Don Cannon. The hit-making beatsmith turns 39 today.
Raised in Philadelphia, Don Cannon fell in love with music when he started spinning on turntables and playing with karaoke machines as a kid. Cannon continued to foster his interest in music when he went to Atlanta for college, attending Clark Atlanta University. While in the ATL, Cannon worked hard to get his name known and become one of the city's top DJs. After college, Cannon began to spin for area radio stations and linked up with his fellow Philly native DJ Drama to put out the Gangsta Grillz mixtape series. Drama and Cannon would also team up to start their own label, Generation Now.
Don Cannon has worked with all of rap's hottest acts and has an extensive discography to his name. Everyone from OutKast, Curren$y, T.I. and Akon to Drake, Lil Wayne, J. Cole and The Game have rapped over a Cannon beat. In 2015, Don Cannon was introduced to Philly rapper Lil Uzi Vert and Drama and Cannon quickly signed the eclectic rap rocker to their Generation Now label and Atlantic Records. Uzi's monstrous sound on songs like "Money Longer," "Safe House" and "Do What I Want" is partially thanks to Don Cannon beats.
Cannon continues to dole out beats to artists he respects and has even ventured into ad campaign and theme song production. At 39, Cannon shows no signs of slowing down.
Happy Birthday, Don Cannon!
See Behind-the-Scenes Photos of Lil Uzi Vert at the 2016 XXL Freshman Shoot