Business and Music Spotlight: DJ Cruize Control

Zippia.Com data science team found that there are over 11,230 disc jockeys currently employed in the United States. 7.4% of those disc jockeys come from the African American community. Today we are spotlighting one of the DJs that have made a profound impact by combining the world of business with the world of music, Christopher “Cruize” Williams, aka DJ Cruize Control.

BEATS PER MINUTE MUSIC GROUP, LLC was founded in 2013 by Christopher “Cruize” Williams, aka DJ Cruize Control. Chris has served the music and sports communities worldwide since 1992 as a Minor League baseball player, promoter, DJ and music executive. His touring experience led him to want to know more about the business behind the music. DJ Cruize Control has been one of Houston’s notable music entrepreneurs, event curators and DJs for over 15 years spinning R&B, hip-hop, soul, neo-soul, disco, lounge, down-tempo, and gospel. He’s worked with celebrities such as Ricky Smiley, Jermaine Dupree, Brian McKnight, and Joshua Rogers, to name a few. After being on tour, he decided he wanted to start promoting his performances, events and concerts to build a musical community of taste-makers in the Texas market. His first significant show featured the R&B supergroup Ideal, followed by Carl Thomas of Bad Boy Records. From there, Chris and his team would begin breaking artists into the Texas market. Artists such as The Foreign Exchange, Marsha Ambrosius, PJ Morton, Avery Sunshine*, and Eric Roberson, to name a few that started, were the initial performers of the journey.

Chris’ vision was to change the perception and the trajectory of how to do business in music versus being the talent. The journey to pursue the music business began when Chris was introduced to Krystal Studavent, former VP of Music World Entertainment, and this was the kickoff of his career. He started as a digital coordinator and was promoted to director of marketing; he worked on projects for Destiny’s Child, Beyonce’, and Leondria Johnson, to name a few. Chris’ passion for talent and business led him to be promoted to VP of Marketing and Artist Management for the label. Being a part of a Grammy-winning experience, he developed good relationships. He learned the industry from one of the greatest ever to do it, Mathew Knowles as his boss and mentor. After years with the label, on April 1, 2013, Chris got the call that the company was moving in another direction. At first, he thought it was an April fool’s joke. However, it was a reality. With all the knowledge and relationship he nurtured and built over that decade, he decided to start his record label and marketing agency. Today, he has built a team with over 30 years of experience in music marketing, promotions, artist management, publishing and song placements. The label continues to support artists of all genres of music. In each of its years of existence, artists have been placed on various billboard charts. Under Chris’ guidance, the label will continue focusing on music distribution and placement for all our talent. As the tagline states, “We make music one beat at a time.”

In addition to the label, Chris is currently working as a full-time instructor at Houston Community College in the music business department, coaching select and travel baseball teams and pursuing his doctoral in Sports Management and Athletic Administration from Northcentral University. Chris also works in an externship role within the athletics department at Prairie View A&M University with stints at Texas Southern University and the University of Houston In addition, he is the past President of the Prairie View Marching Storm Band Alumni Association and a member of Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc, as well as other community organizations. His education includes an MBA in Marketing and BS in Kinesiology. He loves culinary experiences, sports, travel, and spending time with God and his wife, Tashell of 11 years, and his children Tamiah, Taylor, Larry, and Cadence.

Get connected by following @djcruizecontrol