Marqus Brown (born November 2, 1981), better known by his stage name DJ Fresh (now stylised as DJ.Fresh), is an American hip hop DJ and producer based in Oakland and Los Angeles, California. Acclaim for his work includes being named to XXL magazine's 30 Best Hip-Hop Producers of 2016. In 2005, DJ.Fresh began releasing his The Tonite Show series of mixtapes, which have featured artists such as Mistah F.A.B., Raekwon, The Jacka, Yukmouth, Freddie Gibbs, Paul Wall, Jay Worthy, Mitchy Slick, Eligh, The Grouch, Nef The Pharaoh, Zion I, Rydah J Klyde, Ya Boy, Mozzy, Messy Marv, San Quinn, Shady Nate, J Stalin, Laroo T.H.H., T-Nutty, Keak Da Sneak, Beeda Weeda, Money B, The Hoodstarz, Stevie Joe, and Curren$y. He has also released a number of mixtapes and has produced albums for other artists. His 2013 collaboration with J. Stalin, Miracle & Nightmare On 10th Street (Deluxe Edition), peaked at #61 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and at #28 on the Heatseekers Albums chart.

Early life Marqus Brown was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. While an adolescent in Baltimore he became immersed in hip hop culture, and he started mixing vinyl on turntables at age nine. Among his early musical influences were soul, hip hop, and jazz artists popular in the 1970s and 1980s, including Anita Baker, Whitney Houston, and the Gap Band.

He moved with his mother and siblings to the San Francisco Bay Area in California at nine years old. The crew battled and performed around the Bay Area.

Music career Early years

DJ.Fresh's first major break was DJing at a show in San Francisco with Common at the age of 18, and shortly afterwards he Deejayed on two tours for the rapper Nas. He began producing his own music as well, creating beats with turntables and a digital audio workstation. In 1999 he was named the 3rd best DJ in the US by ITF (International Turntablist Federation).

While he initially mixed with the moniker DJ Fresh, he adopted the name The World's Freshest, and later stylised his name to DJ.Fresh to avoid confusion with DJ Fresh, the English producer of the same name.

The Tonite Show series In 2005 DJ.Fresh started "The Tonite Show" album series, where he produces albums with guest artists that have since included Freddie Gibbs, The Jacka, The Grouch, J Stalin, Yukmouth, Mitchy Slick, E-40, and Raekwon.

His 2014 The Tonite Show release with Trae Tha Truth received a positive review from RapReviews.com, who stated the album "shows glimpses of a nice little partnership brewing".

Recent production In 2006 DJ.Fresh began producing for a number of major artists, starting with the album The Real World West Oakland by J. Stalin. In the next two years he worked on albums by Shady Nate and Bicasso as well, and that later extended to artists such as Mitchy Slick. He won Best West Coast Producer in 2009–10. As of 2010 he ran the Whole Shabang production team, with producers such as Jamon Dru, Mr. Tower, Sneaky Mike, Face the Music, Mike Rimzo, Scandal Beats, & Young Gully.

Miracle & Nightmare On 10th Street (Deluxe Edition) is a double disc collaboration album between J. Stalin and DJ.Fresh, released on July 16, 2013. It peaked at #61 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and at #28 on the Heatseekers Albums chart.

He also released the album Feet Match The Paint with Mitchy Slick in 2013, and in 2014 he released his Boomin' System Mixtape, which has guest artists such as Scarface and Kendrick Lamar. The mixtape was received positively, and a review by Complex praised the variety and unpredictability of the production styles.

Style, equipment DJ.Fresh incorporates a variety of styles in his production, including hip hop, EDM, house, jazz, and R&B, though he self-identifies as more of an R&B than a hip hop producer. He uses analog equipment including turntables and vinyl, and a MIDI controller keyboard. He also uses Ableton Live and occasionally brings in live instrumentation.

Discography Albums

Searching For Mr. Greene (2001) The Real World West Oakland (with J Stalin) (2006) The Tonite Show With Smigg Dirtee (with Smigg Dirtee) (2006) The Tonite Show With Okair (with Okair) (2007) The Tonite Show With Mr. Tower (with Mr. Tower) (2007) The Tonite Show Compilation (Volume 1) (with Various Artists) (2007) The Worlds Freshest Hour Radio Show (with Various Artists) (2007) The Tonite Show With J Stalin & Beeda Weeda (with J Stalin & Beeda Weeda) (2007) The Tonite Show With Chris Da 5th (with Chris Da 5th) (2007) The Tonite Show With Obnoxious (with Obnoxious) (2007) The Tonite Show With DJ.Fresh (with Various Artists) (2007) The Tonite Show (Part 2): The Sequel With Smigg Dirtee (with Smigg Dirtee) (2007) Based On A True Story (with Shady Nate) (2007) The Tonite Show Maxi Singles (with Mistah F.A.B.) (2007) The Tonite Show (Part 2) With Okair (with Okair) (2007) The Tonite Show (Part 2) With DJ.Fresh (with Various Artists) (2007) Make The Song Cry (2008) The Tonite Show (Sweat Team Edition) With Lil Al Tha Gamer (with Lil Al Tha Gamer) (2008) Rebel Musiq EP (with Bicasso) (2008) The Tonite Show With Stash Magazine (with Various Artists) (2008) My Block: Welcome To Sem City (with Philthy Rich) (2008) Beat Battle (with Eligh) (2008) The Tonite Show With Shady Nate & Jay Jonah (Da Heavy Hittaz) (with Shady Nate & Jay Jonah) (2008) The Tonite Show With Messy Marv (with Messy Marv) (2009) U Already Kno Doe EP (with D-LO) (2009) All My 2008 Beats (Happy New Years Edition) (2009) The Tonite Show (Addressing The Beef) With San Quinn (with San Quinn) (2009) We Run Shit (with DJ Maniakal) (2009) The Tonite Show (The Album) with DJ.Fresh (with Various Artists) (2009) The Real World East-West Oakland (Part 2) (with J Stalin & Mayback) (2009) Make The Song Cry (Part 2) (2009) The Tonite Show With Money B (with Money B) (2009) Rebel Musiq (with Bicasso) (2009) The Tonite Show With Pegee (with Pegee) (2009) Young Lean (with Young Lean) (2009) The Tonite With Young Gully (with Young Gully) (2009) Kiss (with Jadakiss) (2009) The Tonite Show With D-LO (with D-LO) (2009) Three Eyes Off The Time (with The Grouch) (2009) The Tonite Show (Northern Cali Gon Wild): The Soundtrack With Young Til & G The Getaway Star (with Young Til & G The Getaway Star) (2010) The King Of Beats (2010) Hella Songs: The Definitive Collection (All Freestyles) (with Mr. Tower) (2010) The Tonite Show 2011 (with Various Artists) (2010) The Tonite Show With The Hoodstarz (with The Hoodstarz) (2010) The Tonite Show (Sleep Talking) With Sleepy D (with Sleepy D) (2010) Make The Song Cry (Part 3) (2010) The Real World West Oakland (Part 3) (with J Stalin) (2010) The Tonite Show (Thuggin' & Mobbin') With Yukmouth (with Yukmouth) (2010) My Block: Welcome To Sem City (Part 2) (with Philthy Rich) (2010) The Tonite Show (Sneakacydal Returns) With Keak Da Sneak (with Keak Da Sneak) (2011) Make The Song Cry (Part 4) (2011) The Tonite Show (Get Active) With Manigga (with Manigga) (2011) The Real World West Oakland (Part 3): Instrumentals (with J Stalin) (2010) DJ.Fresh Goes Christmas (with Various Artists) (2011) The Tonite Show (Part 2) With Mr. Tower (with Mr. Tower) (2011) 1st Impression (with Lady Ile) (2011) The Tonite Show With Lil Rue (with Lil Rue) (2011) David (with Young Gully) (2011) The Tonite Show (Lights, Camera, Action) With Deltrice (with Deltrice) (2011) Thizz Nation (with DJ.Fresh & The Whole ShaBang) (2011) The Tonite Show (Channel 24th Street) With T-Nutty (with T-Nutty) (2011) Still Based On A True Story (with Shady Nate) (2011) The Tonite Show (Definition Of A Blockstar) With Young Skeam (with Young Skeam) (2011) He’s Back (with D-LO) (2011) Fresh (The Album) (with HD Of Bearfaced) (2011) Bass Rock Babies (The Leak) (with Beeda Weeda) (2011) The Tonite Show (Sneakacydal Returns Instrumentals) With Keak Da Sneak (with Keak Da Sneak) (2011) 1st Impression (Instrumentals) (with Lady Ile) (2011) Til Music Do Me Part (with Young Lean) (2011) The Tonite Show With The Jacka (with The Jacka) (2012) George’s Freche Money (Best Of DJ.Fresh) (with Various Artists) (2012) He Still Think He Raw (with Casual) (2012) The Tonite Show With Cousin Fik (with Cousin Fik) (2012) The Tonite Show With Roy Ayer’s (2012) Make The Song Cry (Part 5) (2012) The Tonite Show Sessions (with Various Artists) (2012) George’s Freche Money (DJ.Fresh Samples) (with Various Artists) (2012) The Tonite Show With Stevie Joe (with Stevie Joe) (2012) Miracle On 10th Street (with J Stalin) (2013) Nightmare On 10th Street (with J Stalin) (2013) The Morning Show With Bo Strangles (with Bo Strangles) (2013) The Tonite Show (Deluxe Edition) With The Jacka (with The Jacka) (2013) Super Cuts #1 (2013) The Tonite Show With Mozzy (with Mozzy) (2013) Make The Song Cry (Part 6) (2013) The Tonite Show Sessions (Volume 2) (with Various Artists) (2013) The Morning Show With Blast Holiday (with Blast Holiday) (2013) The Tonite Show With Raekwon (with Raekwon) (2013) Feet Match The Paint (with Mitchy Slick) (2013) Live From Jamaica (2013) Return Of The Mac (with Mac Mall) (2013) Miracle & Nightmare On 10th Street (Deluxe Edition) (with J Stalin) (2013) Feet Match The Paint (Deluxe Edition) (with Mitchy Slick) (2013) The Tonite Show With Trae Tha Truth (with Trae Tha Truth) (2014) The Morning Show With Young Liifez (with Young Liifez) (2014) Boomin’ System (2014) The Best Of The Tonite Show (with Various Artists) (2014) Lil Goofy (with Lil Goofy) (2014) The Morning Show With ST Spittin (with ST Spittin) (2014) 40 (2014) The Tonite Show With Freddie Gibbs (with Freddie Gibbs) (2014) The Defintion Of Mobbin’ (with Jay Jonah) (2014) The Tonite Show With Marley B & Cash Lansky (with Marley B & Cash Lansky) (2014) King Of The Interstate (with Shady Nate) (2014) The Real World West Oakland (Trilogy) (with J Stalin) (2014) An Instrumental Experience (with Matt Luty) (2014) The Morning Show With Armani DePaul (with Armani DePaul) (2014) Uppers & Downers (2015) Make The Song Cry (Part 7) (2015) The Tonite Show With Planet Asia (with Planet Asia) (2015) L.A. Sessions (with Mr. Tower) (2015) Overdue Feelings (with Lady Ile) (2015) The Berlin Sessions (2015) Therapy (8 Hour Session) (with Deltrice) (2015) Remy & Rose Style (2015) The Real World West Oakland (Part 4) (with J Stalin) (2015) Make The Song Cry (Part 8) (2015) The Tonite Show (Part 2): I Thrive On Negativity With Manigga (with Manigga) (2016) David 2 (Michelangelo) (with Young Gully) (2016) The Tonite Show With Celly Ru (with Celly Ru) (2016) The Tonite Show (The Interrogation Room) With Sonny Black (with Sonny Black) (2016) Music Is Life Is Music (with Woon) (2016) The Tonite Show (Part 3): Live From 45 With Mistah F.A.B. (with Mistah F.A.B.) (2016) Make The Song Cry (Part 9) (2016) The Tonite Show With Laroo aka Hitta Slim (with Laroo Tha Hitta, aka Hitta Slim) (2016) The Tonite Show With Ezale (with Ezale) (2016) The Tonite Show (Yang Edition) With Chippass (with Chippass) (2017) Conversations With The Devil (with Lil Blood) (2017) The Tonite Show With Ya Boy aka Rich Rocka (with Ya Boy, aka Rich Rocka) (2017) Make The Song Cry (Part 10) (2017) The Tonite Show With Rydah J Klyde (with Rydah J Klyde) (2017) The Tonite Show With J Stalin (with J Stalin) (2017) The Tonite Show (Mackin’ Classes) With Mickey Vegas (with Mickey Vegas) (2017) The Tonite Show (Instrumentals) With Rydah J Klyde (with Rydah J Klyde) (2017) Make The Song Cry (Part 11) (2018) The Tonite Show (Seattle Edition) With Da Boy Eternal (with Da Boy Eternal) (2018) Miracle & Nightmare On 10th Street (Part 2) (with J Stalin) (2018) The Tonite Show With Zion I (with Zion I) (2018) Fresh 2 (The Enlightenment) (with HD Of Bearfaced) (2018) The Tonite Show With Jay Worthy & Mitchy Slick (with Jay Worthy & Mitchy Slick) (2018) Pueblo Esco (with Rydah J Klyde) (2018) The Tonite Show With The Grouch (with The Grouch) (2018)