Today we’d like to introduce you to DJ O.G. ONE.
Hi DJ O.G., it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My story began in Watts, California, where I grew up surrounded by poverty, gang activity, and the challenges that come with limited opportunities. By age 10, I had already experienced gang affiliation, but music became an outlet that would eventually help change the direction of my life. Around that same age, my mother and I relocated to Oregon through a religious organization. Years later, the collapse of that organization left me navigating significant personal challenges, including family separation, homelessness, and having to rebuild my life as a young adult.
My professional journey started with community service, mentoring at-risk youth through Camp Fire’s GANG PEACE program. I began DJing after-school dances to encourage positive behavior and academic achievement, which eventually led to my first major concert opportunity, opening for Run-DMC and Naughty by Nature. That experience helped launch a career that has allowed me to work with some of the biggest names in entertainment and sports, including Michael Jordan, Snoop Dogg, Rihanna, Jay-Z, Dua Lipa, H.E.R., Method Man, Wiz Khalifa, and many others, along with major brands such as Nike.
Today, I’m celebrating my 20th season as the official DJ of the Portland Trail Blazers and also serve as the official DJ for Portland State University Vikings Football. Beyond entertainment, I’ve expanded into music production, entrepreneurship, authorship, keynote speaking, and leadership development. I’m the co-founder of Leadertainment™, founder of the Leadertainment Foundation, and co-founder of PDX Hip Hop Week, which celebrated its 11th year in 2026. I’ve also served in leadership with the Recording Academy and received the honor of having November 30 proclaimed DJ O.G.ONE Day by the City of Portland.
But my journey hasn’t been without adversity. From homelessness and losing two children to surviving cancer, I’ve experienced challenges that have profoundly shaped my faith, character, and understanding of purpose.
After more than four decades of community service, I’ve come to realize that my greatest accomplishment isn’t the celebrities I’ve worked with or the stages I’ve performed on. It’s the relationships I’ve built, the opportunities I’ve created for others, and the lives I’ve been able to positively influence.
My philosophy, Move Different, Win Different. BE F.L.U.I.D.™, reflects how I approach life and leadership. I often say that being a DJ is what I do, but it isn’t the totality of who I am. My journey has been about evolving from simply entertaining people to intentionally using my influence to develop leaders, strengthen communities, and create a legacy beyond the music.
I went from being a young boy in Watts searching for opportunity to becoming a man committed to creating opportunities for others. And the testimony continues.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My journey has been anything but smooth. Beyond surviving the streets of Watts, California, I’ve had to survive a cult that was featured in TIME magazine—led by the very person who helped me escape gang life and became a father figure to me.
I’ve experienced homelessness, fought to reunite my children and younger brother from foster care, and stepped into the responsibility of raising my brother until he went to college. I’ve endured the heartbreaking loss of two children due to premature births, all while struggling to discover my own identity after years of having it shaped and imposed upon me by the pain of others, religious institutions, and societal expectations.
I’ve had to learn how to become the father and husband I wanted to be rather than the man others predicted I’d become based on my biological father’s history. At the same time, I’ve carried the responsibility of being a father figure and mentor to countless young people in my community.
And perhaps one of my greatest tests was navigating stage 3 colorectal cancer while continuing to find faith, purpose, and strength—not only for myself and my family, but for the many youth and adults who looked to me for inspiration.
And these are just the bullet points of a much deeper story. Through it all, I’ve learned that my past may explain parts of my journey, but it doesn’t have the authority to define my identity, my purpose, or my future.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
DJ/Producer, Owner of One God Production Inc, a mobile dj and music production company operation for over 25+ years, Co-Owner of Leadertainment LLC and The Leadertainment Foundation, inspirational public speaker for over 30+ years, and character/leadership development coach.
I’m probably best known publicly as celebrity DJ O.G.ONE, celebrating my 20th season as the official DJ of the Portland Trail Blazers, and for my work with some of the biggest names in entertainment, sports, and business, including Michael Jordan, Snoop Dogg, Rihanna, Jay-Z, Dua Lipa, H.E.R., Wiz Khalifa, Method Man, and major brands like Nike. I’ve built a career around creating experiences, connecting people, and influencing culture through music. But what many people are discovering is that the DJ is only one dimension of who I am and what I bring to the table.
Beyond entertainment, I’m a leadership development advisor, cultural architect, entrepreneur, author, and keynote speaker. My greatest specialty is understanding the power of influence and how to leverage it to develop people, strengthen relationships, shape culture, and create meaningful opportunities.
As co-founder of Leadertainment™, alongside Eldridge J. Broussard III, we’re redefining how leadership and entertainment intersect. Our philosophy recognizes that everyone has a stage, whether it’s in an arena, a boardroom, a classroom, or a community. We help individuals, executives, organizations, and emerging leaders understand how their character, personal brand, relationships, and actions influence the environments and people around them. It’s about moving beyond simply having influence to understanding the responsibility that comes with it.
Through the Leadertainment Foundation, I put those principles into action through mentorship, leadership and character development, entrepreneurship, education, and arts-based programming. As co-founder of PDX Hip Hop Week and a leader within the Recording Academy’s Pacific Northwest Chapter, I’ve also worked to bridge the gaps between entertainment, business, civic institutions, and communities that aren’t always represented in those spaces.
What sets me apart is my ability to move authentically between celebrity culture, corporate leadership, and grassroots communities without losing my identity or purpose. I understand how to command a room of thousands, connect personally with influential decision-makers, and sit with a young person who simply needs someone to believe in them. To me, those are different expressions of the same responsibility: leadership through influence.
What I’m most proud of isn’t necessarily the famous names on my résumé or the accolades I’ve received. It’s the relationships I’ve built, the doors I’ve helped open, and the people who’ve discovered their own potential through the opportunities I’ve helped create.
I’ve spent much of my career moving crowds. Today, my greater purpose is moving people toward becoming better versions of themselves.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
he thing I love most about Portland is that it is a great place to find your purpose with the minimal amount of distractions that typically come with living in more larger cities. It is what I have termed as a “Relational City” meaning that it doesn’t have the sort of hardness that comes with the dog eat dog big city mindsets. People for the most part are friendly and approachable.
The thing I like the least is that there is a high risk of becoming complacent because it’s so laid back. This can often build a false perception of ones self without having a realistic view of reality. Meaning, you can become the king/queen of your own bubble thinking that the world outside of Portland see’s you the same.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://djogone.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/djogone
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/ogonetv
- Other: https://theleadertainmentfoundation.com
