DJ Paul Kom Three 6 Mafia

Paul Duane Beauregard, known professionally as DJ Paul, was born on January 12, 1977, in Memphis, Tennessee. He began his career in 1988 at the age of 11 as a DJ in Memphis clubs. Initially focused on DJing, he soon partnered with his half-brother Lord Infamous to form The Serial Killaz in 1989. Paul handled production, creating beats for Infamous’s raps. Lacking equipment, they rented a local studio and sold self-recorded tapes in their community and local shops. Their first tape, “Portrait of a Serial Killa,” was released in 1992, followed by other releases including parts of “Come with Me 2 Hell.” Paul also released solo mixtapes from “Volume 1” to “Volume 16,” gaining recognition as a DJ and producer in Memphis. He acquired studio equipment composed of a keyboard, turntable, and a four-track recorder, using it to create and sell mixtapes that initially featured popular songs and later original tracks by himself and other local artists. His innovation in including original songs on mixtapes, a format he attributes to Memphis DJs like himself, DJ Spanish Fly, DJ Squeeky, and Juicy J, contributed to the modern mixtape format. This led to his introduction to Juicy J, another producer, and together with Lord Infamous, they formed Backyard Posse, later renamed Triple Six Mafia, and eventually Three 6 Mafia.

Three 6 Mafia, with DJ Paul and Juicy J at its core, signed a major label deal with Relativity Records and founded their own label, Hypnotize Minds. The group achieved significant commercial success with their 2000 album, “When the Smoke Clears: Sixty 6, Sixty 1,” which debuted at number six on the Billboard 200 and achieved platinum certification. In 2002, DJ Paul released his debut solo studio album, “Underground Volume 16: For da Summa.” The group continued to release successful albums like “Da Unbreakables” (2003) and “Most Known Unknown” (2005), both reaching the top five on the Billboard 200. In 2006, DJ Paul, Juicy J, Crunchy Black, and Frayser Boy received an Academy Award for Best Original Song for “It’s Hard out Here for a Pimp” from the film “Hustle & Flow.” Following their 2008 album “Last 2 Walk,” DJ Paul began focusing more on solo projects and business endeavors, releasing mixtapes such as “The Weigh In” (2009) and solo albums including “Scale-A-Ton” (2009) and “A Person of Interest” (2012). His entrepreneurial activities include founding Scale-A-Ton Entertainment, co-owning the Dangerus / Skandulus fashion line, launching a line of BBQ seasonings, and acting as a spokesman for a legal version of Sizzurp. In 2013, he formed the DJ duo S.I.M. and later reunited with former Three 6 Mafia members as Da Mafia 6ix.