June marks the commemoration of Black Music Month and there is no better way to kick it off than to pay homage to Baltimore’s Own Club Queen DJ K-Swift.
Born Khia Danielle Edgerton, K-Swift was a club dj, emcee, radio personality and entrepreneur. She graduated from Randallstown High School and began interning at 92Q when she was 18 years old. Within two years of her internship, she proved herself to the Programming Director Neke Howse and landed an on-air show with Squirrel Wyde- she was the first female DJ on the “Q”. She was also the only Mix Show Coordinator in the country. She also produced Neke @ Night’s show.
DJing on the club scene was not all K-Swift had to offer. She possessed and entrepreneurial spirit and owned and operated Club Queen Entertainment and Next Level Management Company.
K-Swift marketed her mixtapes through a local company, Unruly Records, and were available for sale at local retailers such as the Downtown Locker Room. She released at least 19 mixtapes and with her huge following even outsold mainstream artists such as Soldier Boy Tell ‘Em.
The Baltimore City Paper awarded K-Swift the Best Club DJ award in 2001, 2004, 2005 and 2006.
On Monday July 21, 2008 K-Swift died from injuries sustained during a pool accident at her home. Less than two hours after her death, word spread quickly throughout the city of Baltimore and beyond. Shortly after the news leaked, police were called to Good Samaritan Hospital where a crowd had formed to mourn the untimely death of K-Swift.
Growing up, she had many influences to help drive her into a successful music career. Her influences included Cocoa Channel and Jazzy Joyce, along with her dad who had an immense passion for music.
K-Swift put Baltimore Club Music on the map. It’s a genre of house and dance music that was created in the early 1990’s. These remixes often sample songs from Motown classics, tv show theme songs, or combine repetitive/looped vocals and includes tempos around 130 beats per minute.
