DJ Green Lantern
Encyclopedia
James D'Agostino better known by his stage name DJ Green Lantern, is an American-Italian-Puerto Rican DJ and hip hop music producer from Rochester, New York. In 2002, D'Agostino was signed by Eminem
to become the official DJ for Shady Records
after DJ Head
stepped down for undisclosed reasons. D'Agostino left the label in 2005 due to a dispute with Shady Records
rapper 50 Cent
.
series, the first set of officially sponsored mixtapes from Eminem's Shady Records
. On the series, spanning three mixtapes (later to be spun off into the Armageddon series), the DJ broke several diss records, furthering the issues between Eminem and Benzino
/The Source
as well as the entire Shady camp and Ja Rule
/Murder Inc.
He is also recognized as a producer
, featuring on his own mixtapes several "Green Remixes," including, most notably, a remix of the Nas and Tupac Shakur
collaboration, "Thugz Mansion." He also produced D-Block's "2 Guns Up", an acclaimed street single, which originated as a freestyle rap
on his Hot 97 radio show, "In the Lab" (the most memorable of which has also appeared as a mixtape, "The Best of In the Lab"). "In the Lab" is formatted as a one-hour (with commercials) mix show, in which DJ Green Lantern blends a cappella
and instrumental tracks from various artists, as well as breaking new and underground music (such as the Ghostface Killah
and El-Producto
collaboration "HideYaFace").
' "Number One Spot," the second single off of his album
The Red Light District
, and Immortal Technique
's "Bin Laden" single, which blames the Reagan Doctrine
(under which the U.S. aided the mujahideen
in Afghanistan
) and U.S. President George W. Bush
for the September 11, 2001 attacks
.
channel, Shade 45
, along with an accompanying mixtape released in the fall
of 2004. As Eminem's DJ, D'Agostino was responsible for touring
with him and spinning
at shows such as the Shady National Convention and The Game's
album release party. D'Agostino's much anticipated album Armageddon was set to be released under Shady Records, but controversy and an eventual parting would put the release in limbo.
on the Hip-Hop Nation
channel. He hosts a show called The Invasion.
and Statik Selektah
who hosted and mixed Royce's first Bar Exam Mixtape. The Bar Exam 2 was pushed back several times because of Green Lantern's inability to mix the tape due to his touring. After several stated released dates, Bar Exam 2 was finally released on September 15 as a free download on HipHipDX.com. Due to the high anticipation of the mixtape, Royce gave the mixtape the slogan "Happy Bar Exam 2, It's a Holiday" prior to its release.
on their latest album, Pulse of the People: Turn Off The Radio, Vol. 3, released in June 2009
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
to become the official DJ for Shady Records
Shady Records
Shady Records is an American record label specializing in hip hop music. Eminem and his manager Paul Rosenberg founded the label in 1999 after the release of The Slim Shady LP.Since the formation, the label has signed nine acts...
after DJ Head
DJ Head
DJ Head AKA DJ Manho is a Grammy Award Winning hip-hop producer and DJ from Detroit, Michigan. He is known for producing and co-producing songs for Eminem. DJ Head was raised in Detroit. He is a graduate from Shrine Catholic High School in Royal Oak, Michigan , and Michigan State University Alumni...
stepped down for undisclosed reasons. D'Agostino left the label in 2005 due to a dispute with Shady Records
Shady Records
Shady Records is an American record label specializing in hip hop music. Eminem and his manager Paul Rosenberg founded the label in 1999 after the release of The Slim Shady LP.Since the formation, the label has signed nine acts...
rapper 50 Cent
50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III , better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin and The Massacre . Get Rich or Die Tryin has been certified eight times platinum by...
.
Rise to fame
DJ Green Lantern came to prominence with his "Invasion" mixtapeMixtape
A Mix Tape or Mixed Tape is a compilation of songs recorded in a specific order, traditionally onto an audio Compact Cassette.A Mix Tape, which usually reflects the musical tastes of its compiler, can range from a casually selected list of favorite songs, to a conceptual mix of songs linked by a...
series, the first set of officially sponsored mixtapes from Eminem's Shady Records
Shady Records
Shady Records is an American record label specializing in hip hop music. Eminem and his manager Paul Rosenberg founded the label in 1999 after the release of The Slim Shady LP.Since the formation, the label has signed nine acts...
. On the series, spanning three mixtapes (later to be spun off into the Armageddon series), the DJ broke several diss records, furthering the issues between Eminem and Benzino
Benzino
Raymond Scott from Boston Massachusetts, better known by hisstage name Benzino is an American hip hop media executive, and record producer....
/The Source
The Source (magazine)
The Source is a United States-based, monthly full-color magazine covering hip-hop music, politics, and culture, founded in 1988. It is the world's second longest running rap periodical, behind United Kingdom-based publication Hip Hop Connection. The Source was founded as a newsletter in 1988...
as well as the entire Shady camp and Ja Rule
Ja Rule
Jeffrey Atkins , better known by his stage name Ja Rule, is an American rapper, singer, and actor.Born in Hollis, Queens, he began his career in the group Cash Money Click and debuted in 1999 with Venni Vetti Vecci and its single "Holla Holla"...
/Murder Inc.
The Inc. Records
The Inc. Records , is an American record label, owned by Irv Gotti.In 1999, Murder Inc. released its first album, Venni Vetti Vecci by Ja Rule. The album featured the hit single "Holla Holla". The album was executively produced by Irv Gotti and moved on to go platinum, which rose Ja Rule and...
He is also recognized as a producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, featuring on his own mixtapes several "Green Remixes," including, most notably, a remix of the Nas and Tupac Shakur
Tupac Shakur
Tupac Amaru Shakur , known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. Shakur has sold over 75 million albums worldwide as of 2007, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world...
collaboration, "Thugz Mansion." He also produced D-Block's "2 Guns Up", an acclaimed street single, which originated as a freestyle rap
Freestyle rap
Freestyle rap commonly refers to rap lyrics which are improvised through a acapella or with instrumental beats, i.e. performed with no previously composed lyrics, or "off the top of the head"...
on his Hot 97 radio show, "In the Lab" (the most memorable of which has also appeared as a mixtape, "The Best of In the Lab"). "In the Lab" is formatted as a one-hour (with commercials) mix show, in which DJ Green Lantern blends a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
and instrumental tracks from various artists, as well as breaking new and underground music (such as the Ghostface Killah
Ghostface Killah
Dennis Coles , better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and prominent member of the Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of Enter the Wu-Tang , the members went on to pursue solo careers to varying levels of success...
and El-Producto
El-Producto
El-P is an American hip hop artist and entrepreneur from Brooklyn, New York City. Originally a member of Company Flow, El-P has been a major driving force in alternative hip hop for over a decade. He is the co-founder, owner and CEO of the Definitive Jux record label...
collaboration "HideYaFace").
"Bin Laden"
D'Agostino also produced LudacrisLudacris
Christopher Brian Bridges , better known by his stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. Along with his manager, Chaka Zulu, Ludacris is the co-founder of Disturbing tha Peace, an imprint distributed by Def Jam Recordings...
' "Number One Spot," the second single off of his album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
The Red Light District
The Red Light District
The Red Light District is the fourth studio album from Def Jam recording artist Ludacris. The album was released on December 7, 2004 and was eventually certified double platinum by the RIAA. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 album chart with 322,000 copies sold in its first week...
, and Immortal Technique
Immortal Technique
Felipe Andres Coronel , better known by the stage name Immortal Technique, is an American rapper of Afro-Peruvian descent as well as an urban activist. He was born in Lima, Peru and raised in Harlem, New York. Most of his lyrics focus on controversial issues in global politics...
's "Bin Laden" single, which blames the Reagan Doctrine
Reagan Doctrine
The Reagan Doctrine was a strategy orchestrated and implemented by the United States under the Reagan Administration to oppose the global influence of the Soviet Union during the final years of the Cold War...
(under which the U.S. aided the mujahideen
Mujahideen
Mujahideen are Muslims who struggle in the path of God. The word is from the same Arabic triliteral as jihad .Mujahideen is also transliterated from Arabic as mujahedin, mujahedeen, mudžahedin, mudžahidin, mujahidīn, mujaheddīn and more.-Origin of the concept:The beginnings of Jihad are traced...
in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
) and U.S. President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
for the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
.
With the Shady Records family
As a member of the Shady Records family, D'Agostino also hosted a show on Eminem's Sirius Satellite RadioSirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Radio.Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of...
channel, Shade 45
Shade 45
Shade 45 is Eminem's uncensored Hip-Hop/Rap-heavy urban contemporary channel. Eminem Brings On-Air show hosts. It debuted with a hip hop format in 2004, changing to its current incarnation when it was added to XM channel 66...
, along with an accompanying mixtape released in the fall
Autumn
Autumn is one of the four temperate seasons. Autumn marks the transition from summer into winter usually in September or March when the arrival of night becomes noticeably earlier....
of 2004. As Eminem's DJ, D'Agostino was responsible for touring
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
with him and spinning
Turntablism
Turntablism is the art of manipulating sounds and creating music using phonograph turntables and a DJ mixer.The word 'turntablist' was coined in 1995 by DJ Babu to describe the difference between a DJ who just plays records, and one who performs by touching and moving the records, stylus and mixer...
at shows such as the Shady National Convention and The Game's
The Game (rapper)
Jayceon Terrell Taylor , better known by his stage name Game, formerly The Game, is an American rapper and actor. As a member of G-Unit, he rose to fame in 2005 with the success of his debut album, The Documentary, which earned him two Grammy Award nominations...
album release party. D'Agostino's much anticipated album Armageddon was set to be released under Shady Records, but controversy and an eventual parting would put the release in limbo.
Hip-Hop Nation
In summer 2007, D'Agostino returned to Sirius Satellite RadioSirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Radio.Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of...
on the Hip-Hop Nation
Hip-Hop Nation
Hip-Hop Nation is a hip-hop radio station owned by Sirius XM Radio. The station broadcasts on Sirius Satellite Radio channel 44 , XM Satellite Radio channel 44 and on DISH Network channel 6040. Until February 9, 2010, it was on Direct TV channel 847, until all of Sirius XM programming was dropped...
channel. He hosts a show called The Invasion.
Bar Exam 2
D'Agostino recently put together and mixed the highly anticipated Bar Exam 2 mixtape by acclaimed underground MC Royce Da 5'9". Green took over for DJ PremierDJ Premier
Christopher Edward Martin , better known by his stage name DJ Premier , is an American record producer and DJ, and was the instrumental half of the hip hop duo Gang Starr, together with emcee Guru...
and Statik Selektah
Statik Selektah
Patrick Baril better known as Statik Selektah, is an East Coast-based DJ, Producer and CEO of Showoff Records.-Biography:...
who hosted and mixed Royce's first Bar Exam Mixtape. The Bar Exam 2 was pushed back several times because of Green Lantern's inability to mix the tape due to his touring. After several stated released dates, Bar Exam 2 was finally released on September 15 as a free download on HipHipDX.com. Due to the high anticipation of the mixtape, Royce gave the mixtape the slogan "Happy Bar Exam 2, It's a Holiday" prior to its release.
Pulse of the People
D'Agostino collaborated with Dead PrezDead Prez
Dead Prez stylized as dead prez is a hip hop duo from the United States, composed of stic.man and M-1, formed in 1996 in New York City, New York. They are known for their confrontational style, combined with socialist lyrics focused on both militant social justice and Pan-Africanism...
on their latest album, Pulse of the People: Turn Off The Radio, Vol. 3, released in June 2009
Discography
- 2005 Invasion Part II: Conspiracy Theory
- 2005 New World Order
- 2006 New York State of Mind
- 2006 Throwback Classics, Vol. 1
- 2006 You'll See
- 2006 Team Invasion: Best of DJ Green Lantern and Dipset
- 2006 Pre-Release Therapy: The Truth Shall Set U Free (with LudacrisLudacrisChristopher Brian Bridges , better known by his stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. Along with his manager, Chaka Zulu, Ludacris is the co-founder of Disturbing tha Peace, an imprint distributed by Def Jam Recordings...
) - 2007 Alive On Arrival
- 2007 Hood Rules Apply
- 2007 R.O.C. Stars Street Leak: American Gangster
- 2007 Shady Times: Invasion Part I
- 2007 Invasion Part Three: Countdown to Armageddon
- 2007 The MySpace Invasion
- 2007 I Produced That
- 2008 Grand Theft Auto IV: Liberty City Invasion [Soundtrack]
Other releases
- DJ Green Lantern, Russell Simmons & Barack Obama: Yes We Can (The Mixtape)
- Grafh and DJ Green Lantern: The Oracle 2
- Royce da 5'9" and DJ Green Lantern: Bar Exam 2
- 07-07-08 (with Cassidy and Team Invasion)
- Dj Green Lantern and Immortal TechniqueImmortal TechniqueFelipe Andres Coronel , better known by the stage name Immortal Technique, is an American rapper of Afro-Peruvian descent as well as an urban activist. He was born in Lima, Peru and raised in Harlem, New York. Most of his lyrics focus on controversial issues in global politics...
: The 3rd WorldThe 3rd WorldThe 3rd World is an album/mixtape by rapper Immortal Technique, following a five-year absence since Revolutionary Vol. 2. It was released on June 24, 2008, on Viper Records. The 3rd World peaked at number 99 on the Billboard 200 chart. He claimed in an interview from September 2009 to have sold... - Charles Hamilton & DJ Green Lantern: Outside Looking
- NasNasNasir bin Olu Dara Jones, who performs under the name Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in hip hop and one of the most skilled and influential rappers of all-time...
& DJ Green Lantern: The Nigger Mixtape - Monster Mash Part 2
- Grow Season (with Wiz KhalifaWiz KhalifaCameron Jibril Thomaz , better known by the stage name Wiz Khalifa , is an American rapper. He released his debut album, Show and Prove, in 2006, and signed to Warner Bros. Records in 2007...
) - 07-07-07 (with Cassidy and DJ Thoro)
- The MySpace Invasion Vol. 3
- Cocaine on Steroids (with N.O.R.E.N.O.R.E.Victor Santiago, Jr., best known by his stage name N.O.R.E. or Noreaga , is an American rapper of Puerto Rican descent...
) - The MySpace Invasion Vol. 2
- Respect The Shooter (with Uncle MurdaUncle MurdaLeonard Grant, better known by his stage name, Uncle Murda, is an American rapper from the Pink Houses section of East New York.- Musical career:...
) - Monster Mash
- The Sirius Invasion
- MySpace Takeover (with Team Invasion)
- Say Uncle (with Uncle MurdaUncle MurdaLeonard Grant, better known by his stage name, Uncle Murda, is an American rapper from the Pink Houses section of East New York.- Musical career:...
) - AND 1 Streetball - The Official Video Game Mixtape
- In The Kitchen (with DJ KhaledDJ KhaledKhaled bin Abdul Khaled , better known by his stage name DJ Khaled, is an American record producer, radio personality, DJ, and record label executive. He is a radio host for the Miami-based urban music radio station WEDR and the DJ for the hip hop group Terror Squad. In 2006, Khaled released his...
and Team Invasion) - On My New York Shit (with DJ Kay Slay)
- This Ain't No Greezy Talk (with Team Invasion)
- The Internet Invasion (with Ghostface KillahGhostface KillahDennis Coles , better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and prominent member of the Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of Enter the Wu-Tang , the members went on to pursue solo careers to varying levels of success...
) - DJ Green Lantern presents Fort Minor: We Major (with Mike ShinodaMike ShinodaMichael "Mike" Kenji Shinoda is an American musician, record producer, and artist. He is best known as the rapper, principal songwriter, keyboardist, vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the rock band Linkin Park, along with his co-frontman and lead singer Chester Bennington, and as a solo rapper in...
) 2005 - Razor TagRazor TagRazor tag is a Mixtape by Styles of Beyond . It was released online on July 31, 2007 and CD released on August 10, 2007 ."Savin' L.A." and "Second 2 None" are bonus tracks...
(with Styles of BeyondStyles of BeyondStyles of Beyond is an underground rap group from the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, California. The group consists of MCs Ryan Patrick Maginn and Takbir Bashir , Colton Raisin Fisher , and producer Jason Rabinowitz . They have released two LPs, one mixtape and were heavily featured on Mike...
) - Ain't No Greezy Talk: Team Invasion Edition (with DVD / with Team Invasion)
- The Green Lantern Instrumentals (Hosted by Team Invasion)
- Team Invasion Presents: Keyshia ColeKeyshia ColeKeyshia Myeshia Cole Gibson born October 15, 1981) is an American singer–songwriter and actress. She gained nationwide acclaim when her 2005 debut album, The Way It Is went platinum. Her sophomore album Just Like You went into production shortly after that and was released in September 2007...
- The Best of Green Lantern and D-BlockD-blockThe d-block is the portion of the periodic table that contains the element groups 3-12. These groups correspond to the filling of the atomic d-orbital subshell, with electron configurations ranging from s2d1 to s2d10...
(Hosted by Team Invasion) - The Best of Green Lantern and Shady RecordsShady RecordsShady Records is an American record label specializing in hip hop music. Eminem and his manager Paul Rosenberg founded the label in 1999 after the release of The Slim Shady LP.Since the formation, the label has signed nine acts...
(Hosted by Team Invasion) - 5 Star General
- Shade 45: Sirius Bizness (Hosted by EminemEminemMarshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
) - Public Enemy Number One (with Beanie SigelBeanie SigelDwight Grant , also known as Beanie Sigel, is a American rapper from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,most recently he was in talks with 50 Cent to sign with G-Unit Records and is a former member/artist of Dame Dash Music Group and Roc-A-Fella Records where he had formed a close association with rappers...
) - The Oracle (with GrafhGrafhGrafh, born Philip Bernard, hails from Jamaica, Queens, New York. He made a name for himself on the mixtape circuit, where he garnered early support from influential mix-show DJ’s in New York. His skill, charisma, honesty, and determination were so obvious that he generated a buzz nationwide and...
) - The Champ Is Here (with JadakissJadakissJason Phillips , better known as Jadakiss, is an American rapper. He is a member of the group The LOX. Jadakiss is one of the three owners of the imprint known as D-Block. In early 2007, Jadakiss signed to Roc-a-Fella Records / Def Jam Records.-Early life:By the age of 16, Jadakiss was a freestyle...
/ Hosted by Big Mike) - Countdown To Armageddon 2: Back To The Lab (hosted by Dame Dash)
- The Best Of In Da Lab Vol. 1
- Rap Phenomenon II: 2Pac (with Dirty Harry and DJ Vlad)
- Invasion Part 1
- Get in Where U Fit in (with the Young GunzYoung GunzThe Young Gunz is an American rap duo from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania composed of Young Chris and Neef Buck . The group is part of Beanie Sigel's State Property collective and was signed to Roc-A-Fella Records...
) - New World Order Pt.2
- The Chosen One
- Takin' it to The Streets
- Inherited Beef Vol.1 (With Ronald)
- Just Us and The Gunz
- In Too Deep
- Rookie of the Year
- Coming of Age
- Millennium All-Stars (with DJs Tony TouchTony TouchTony Touch is an American hip hop break dancer, rapper, DJ, producer and actor of Puerto Rican descent.Tony Touch began as a B-boy during the rap music renaissance era of the early 1980s...
, Mister CeeMister CeeCalvin LeBrun better known as Mister Cee or DJ Mister Cee, is an American hip hop DJ, radio personality on New York's Hot 97 FM, and a respected record producer. LeBrun is best known as the DJ for hip hop artist Big Daddy Kane during the late 1980s and early 1990s...
, Ron G, Funkmaster FlexFunkmaster FlexAston George Taylor, Jr. better known as Funkmaster Flex is an American hip hop DJ, rapper, musician and producer on New York City's Hot 97 radio station and host of the hit MTV show Funk Flex Full Throttle....
, Doo Wop, DJ Enuff, SpinbadDJ SpinbadDJ Spinbad is a radio and club DJ, who formerly mixed on WWPR and WHTZ in New York City.-Career:DJ Spinbad was formerly heard on WHTZ in twenty-minute sets at 7:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m. on weekdays, Fridays at 5:00 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays at 7:00 p.m. He was also heard on WWPR at 10:00...
, and DJ Dale) - The Green Ghost Project (with Styles PStyles PDavid Styles better known by his stage name, Styles P, is an American rapper, author, and entrepreneur. He is prominently known as a member of Hip Hop group The LOX and is also a part of the Ruff Ryders hip-hop group, and in addition has released multiple albums and mixtapes as a solo...
) - Man vs Many (with NefewNefewNefew is a hip hop group from Windisch, Switzerland. It consists of Polemikk and PA-Double . Nefew is an acronym which stands for New Education From Every Word. Q Magazine describes Nefew as one of the most promising hop hop acts from Europe...
) - Back To School EP (With Ronald)