DP Beats, born Don Paschall in Long Island, New York A constant fixture in the current hip-hop landscape, Paschal began producing at the age of 11, and he went on to participate in beat battles throughout high school. DP got his first big break in 2012 when Soulja Boy picked up a beat for the whimsical anthem, “Top Back.“ The beat was a whirlwind of colorful sounds, sharp but subtle hi-hats and hard drops – all still trademarks of his much sought after sound.

Having spent much of his childhood moving up and down the East Coast, Paschal has long since learned how to distill contrasting regional influences: “I was born in Long Island – like the neighborhood that Rakim from, but went to school in Virginia – the same areas Pharrell and Timbaland from, and I live in Fayetteville, where J Cole from. Like, the music shit, I can see it from all sides,”

In a strange turn of fate, that initial placement with Soulja Boy happened to materialize in the heat of Summer 2012, while DP was on the run – wanted for assault. Three days after “Top Back” came out, after nearly two months on the run, DP surrendered to the authorities,