DJ Drama, Don Cannon and DJ Sense Form “The Academy”

(AllHipHopNews) The founders of one of the most progressive DJ clique’s in hip hop, the Aphiliates, DJ Drama, newly-named Def Jam VP- Don Cannon and DJ Sense have reunited to take over the music industry with their newest endeavor, The Academy.

Years ago, the trio relocated from Philadelphia to ATL where they attended Clark Atlanta University, and ultimately, became one of the most influential forces in new school hip-hop. As the Aphiliates, they were central in helping mixtapes become the #1 underground marketing tool in hip-hop. Their aggressive approach to mix tape promotion changed the game of music distribution, triggering new laws for music piracy.

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Today, almost a decade later, the trio are reuniting to create the next generation of influential radio/club/promo DJs and music executives entitled The Academy. “With the Aphilliates we didn’t plan for that magic to happen that way, it just happened.  We knew we had something special with the three of us, but there was a lot we didn’t know. We’ve learned a lot since then.  We’ve all had successes outside of the collective, but there is strength in numbers, strength in collaborating so the time is right for us to do something on a bigger level with what we’ve accomplished,” says DJ Drama.

The Academy will be a complete multi-media conglomerate, with songwriters, producers, photographers and artists from various genres, being hand-picked for the exclusive membership.  “We want to build something that can help the next generation. That’s our contribution back to what the culture gave us and what we got out of it,” Cannon explains.



The Academy will formally launch with an Inaugural Takeover that will begin on Monday September 9, 2013 with a private luncheon in Atlanta to introduce the new Academy members to media guests. The two-day series of events will also include a community service event at King Middle School with Drama, Don Cannon and Sense awarding 25 exemplary students from an Atlanta public school with a Young Men of Excellence Award. “DJs have always been the most influential figures in hip-hop, music period,” says DJ Sense. “We saw firsthand the influence we had with the artists we believed in and supported.  With that much power, comes a lot of responsibility. We want to encourage young people to use their influence to have a positive impact on their communities.” The Academy takeover weekend will also include an ASCAP showcase featuring Jermaine Dupri, Migos, and August Alsina with AllHipHop.com as the exclusive media partner.