DJ AMIR

Amir Abdullah is a rare breed of music lover whose passion for music and understanding of the cultural and sociological context complements his deep crates of records. A self-proclaimed history buff and student of sociology, Amir applies his knowledge to the kind of music and culture that rarely receives the respect it deserves and will certainly demand for generations to come.

 

Amir is part of Hip Hop history as a sample excavator, music historian, compilation curator and DJ and is already acknowledged alongside his childhood heroes. One of the few Hip Hop veterans who is simultaneously an artist and executive, Amir Abdullah continues to excavate and celebrate the seemingly inexhaustible musical back catalogue to the benefit of sample-spotters, disco dancers, music nerds and adventurous music lovers worldwide. Amir's  first claim to fame was as one half of the legendary mix tape and DJ duo Kon & Amir. Their half-dozen “On Track” mixes, composed of a majority of Amir’s selections and skillfully mixed by Kon and Amir, perfectly isolate the insatiable hunt for magical moments buried in the grooves of yesterday’s back catalogue that helped define the musical apex of Hip Hop’s Golden Era. The duo signed to the U.K.’s BBE records and released three volumes of the “Off Track series, which dug deeper yet and presented obscure, yet essential tunes and re-edits for discerning DJs, dancers and adventurous music lovers.

 

Jazz music continues to guide Amir’s life as he started his own record label, 180-Proof in 2011, which owns the exclusive rights to release the Strata Records influential back catalogue and unreleased sessions. Running his own label is a natural extension of the other side of Amir’s multifaceted music game as one of the few music industry professionals who is both an artist and executive. Starting off in the music hustle in 1995 as an entry-level Fat Beats employee, he rose to VP status before working as A&R for Rapster/!K7, then managing sales for ABB Records and running the Wax Poetics’ record label from 2007-2010.

 

Amir Abdullah loves sharing his passion and knowledge about obscure and underappreciated music from a wide range of music whether it’s from behind the turntables or behind a lectern. Like the jazz musicians that initially inspired him, Amir keeps pushing the envelope of music into different places, shedding light on forgotten sounds and inspiring contemporary musicians.