CELEBRITY SOUP

CELEBRITIES YOU DIDN’T KNOW WERE ALSO DJS

SEE THE FAMOUS CELEBS WHO ARE JUMPING ON THE TURNTABLES!

BY RIESA PASCAL

What do Solange Knowles, Lil Jon and Alicia Keys all have in common? Not only are they all successful musicians… they are also all DJs! But wait, there’s more! Celebrity DJs aren’t just A-list musicians. From acclaimed athletes like Dennis Rodman to washed-up reality show stars like Jon Gosselin, you would be surprised to see how many celebrities are gaining attention and making a name for themselves by crossing over into what is quickly becoming one of the most lucrative careers in the world.

IDRIS ELBA Having been nominated four times for a Golden Globe Award and five times for a Primetime Emmy Award, it’s no secret that Idris Elba is a talented actor, but did you know he also performs as a DJ under the moniker DJ Big Driis? Unlike some other celebs on the list, Idris has been DJing since he was 14 and not just since it became “cool” to do so in recent years. In 1986, he began helping an uncle with his wedding DJ business and within a year, Idris had started his own DJ company with some of his friends. He has DJed everything from NBA All Star parties to BET's Rising Icons.

PARIS HILTON If you want to talk about a celebrity that has done it all, look no further than Paris Hilton! The American heiress is not only a reality TV star, model, actor and entrepreneur… she is also a celebrity DJ and a successful one at that! Earning a whopping $1 million per party, Paris’ DJ career first took off in 2014 when she picked up a five year 'Foam & Diamonds' residency at Ibiza's renowned club Amnesia. Since then, Paris has continued to pick up residencies around the world and has even won prestigious accolades like the Best Breakthrough DJ award at the NRJ DJ Awards.

SHAQUILLE O'NEAL Even though Shaquille O’Neal has been a part of the DJ scene for over a decade, his recent transition into electronic dance music has seen his fame sky rocket over the last few years. Having garnered thousands of new fans, there’s a strong chance that you’ll see Shaq DJing at some of the biggest EDM festivals today such as Electric Daisy Carnival, TomorrowWorld, and Lost Lands. In an interview with Forbes, Shaq shared his desires to produce a full-length album and eventually embark on even more tours. ELIJAH WOOD When he’s not trying to destroy rings in the fires of Mount Doom in Mordor, everyone’s favorite Hobbit spends part of his time DJing under the stage name Wooden Wisdom. In numerous interviews, Elijah Wood has described himself as a lifelong music nerd with a deep love for vinyl record collection. Twenty years ago, that passion for music led Elijah to begin a DJ career which he says has served as a positive creative outlet and energizing medium that fills a certain space thar acting does not.

PAULY D Although he first gained fame for starring in the hit TV show Jersey Shore, Pauly D has since sought out to show he is much more than just the “guido” personality that he and his fellow cast aimed to portray. Since his reality TV days, the creative and music-loving Pauly D has earned even more fame through DJing. Perhaps it was the fact that he was already a celebrity—or maybe he’s just that good— but all we know is that it didn't take long for him to gain a large enough fan base to begin booking tours all over the country so keep an eye out… DJ Pauly D might be coming to a city near you!

NICK CANNON What comes to mind when you think of Nick Cannon? From his extensive television career to his massive brood of children, there are many things that you may associate with Nick Cannon, but I bet DJing wasn’t one of them! I am not ashamed to admit that I was one of the many who didn’t know that the actor and comedian has been DJing since 1996. Nick’s DJ sets have mainly taken place at various parties around Las Vegas though who knows where he will pop up next.