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Before emerging from the drum'n'bass underground for a major-label recording contract in 1997, DJ Rap was long one of the best mixers in the business, as well as one of jungle's best (if understated) producers. Born Charissa Saverio in Singapore, she spent her childhood living in various exotic locales around the world (her stepfather was a luxury-hotel manager) before settling in Southampton, England, as a teenager. While studying to be a solicitor, Saverio became involved with the British rave scene and soon graduated from club kid to working as a producer and mixer. Among her first released tracks was 1990's underground breakbeat favorite "The Adored" (as Ambience), recorded with Jeff B. and released on Raw Bass Records. She learned how to mix while promoting a record on the East London pirate station Rave FM and made her reputation a few years later after standing in for Fabio for a last-minute slot at the Astoria. Rap continued to produce and launched several hardcore/jungle classics of the early '90s, including Engineers Without Fears' "Spiritual Aura," recorded with Aston Harvey (later of the Sol Brothers and Freestylers). DJ Rap formed her own mixing agency, spinning it into the Proper Talent record label as well. Signed to Sony's Higher Ground subsidiary in 1997, she released her first album, Learning Curve, two years later. The mix album Brave New World (a co-headlining gig with Kenny Ken) followed in 2000, and the combination mix-album/production-collection Propa Classics appeared one year later. Rap's next CD releases were mix albums -- the double-disc set Touching Bass (Surge), followed by Chemistry (Armani Music Exchange). She returned in 2005 with Bulletproof, yet another mix album; this one boasted a half-dozen new productions amid the mix. Five years later, Synthesis appeared on the Ministry of Sound label. The album had little to do with drum'n'bass, falling somewhere between trip-hop and dance-pop.
from Wikipedia:
DJ Rap (born Charissa Saverio, 7 December 1969) is a British drum and bass, house music and progressive electronic music producer and DJ.
Biography
While the majority of her work is in the jungle style, her more successful work is in traditional electronic music. DJ Rap has been voted the #1 female DJ in the world by Shejay. She owns, records for, runs and A&Rs two labels Propa Talent and Impropa Talent. She is also a producer, model and actress. DJ Rap grew up all over the world and was born in Singapore, daughter of an Italian father and an Irish-Malaysian mother.
She has worked as an engineer and produced many hits, often collaborating with other artists. After being the first artist on the scene to self-release her first CD, she signed to Sony along with Grooverider and Leftfield.
Her most well-known artist album, Learning Curve, was released in 1999 to critical acclaim and resulted in several highly stylized music videos, including 2 versions of "Good To Be Alive" (one for the CD version and another for the rarer radio remix) and "Bad Girl," a song about having to be a strong woman to survive in today's world. Rolling Stone Magazine gave Learning Curve three and a half stars, stating "this is the record Madonna wanted to make." Learning Curve went on to sell over 1 million copies bringing her total sales to over 3 million worldwide including her successful compilation sales including Journeys By DJ, Propa Classics Vol. 1 & , Brave New World, Armani Exchange CHEMISTRY & Touching Bass, Bulletproof, Up All Night, which have all crossed many genres and has become her trademark.
Since Learning Curve, Saverio has focused more on DJ set CDs, including Touching Bass, a 2-CD set with drum and bass and breaks tracks.
Other artists
DJ Rap has also done vocals for several artists, including BT (for "Giving Up The Ghost") and Art of Trance (for "Madagascar - Domi Nation Remix"). She once appeared in a commercial for Twix candy bars.
Other media
DJ Rap appeared in the video for BT's hit "Never Gonna Come Back Down", which featured lyrics about her, as well as the video for "Simply Being Loved" (she and BT are good friends).
The song "Drummin' & Bassin" appeared on the soundtrack for the video game Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights.
The song "Good To Be Alive" appeared on the original motion picture soundtrack for the 1999 movie Go.
The song "Bad Girl" appeared on the original motion picture Enough in 2002.
