Damizza - Biography

Biography

Damion Young got his start working at local radio station KHTY in his home town of Santa Barbara at the age of 12 —one of the youngest program directors in history. He quickly became one of the forefathers of the Alternative format, breaking artists such as Hootie & the Blowfish, Collective Soul & Garbage, by the age of 17. He moved to Los Angeles on Feb. 3, 1997, to KPWR Los Angeles, California. As Music Director he led the fledgling station to #1 status, along the way breaking such artists as Eminem, Jay-Z & reuniting rap-legends Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg for their Chronic 2001 smash. Young rose quickly to Senior Director of Programming and Artist Relations, forging friendships with numerous hip-hop artists and other entertainers. Damion was also dispatched to Power's sister station Hot 97 in New York in an effort to “smooth out” relations between the station and several artists and record companies in the wake of the infamous February 2001, shootout between the entourages of rappers Lil' Kim and Foxy Brown in front of the station’s front offices. Damion also was called in to quiet a beef Jay-Z had with the station shortly after competitor Power 105 came on the air. Damion was named the #4 most powerful person in hip-hop by The Source (source issue # 113 Feb. 1999).

In the wake of changes at Power 106/Hot 97 owner Emmis Broadcasting, Damion resigned and retired from radio at the age of 30, proclaiming that corporate interference was going to doom the stations — and radio as a whole; Power dropped from #1 to #13 within six month of his departure and has never recovered in the ratings war, losing to longtime rival KIIS-FM. Damion has been involved in many charities & non-profits such as the United Nation’s World Food Programme (WFP), Teddy Bear Cancer foundation, Make-a-Wish and worked closely with Jim Brown and the Amer-I-Can Foundation. In 2007, Damizza released a collaboration album with Butch Cassidy, Back B4 You're Lonely that produced the hit single “Cruzin.” He has been quoted as saying a second installment of the Damizza Presents series is imminent.

He completed working with J. Marshall Craig on a book on his life, "Guilty By Association," which is scheduled for release sometime late-2011 after two years of delays over legal issues and made some public appearances at various California universities and colleges discussing the book and his life as a radio prodigy-turned hip-hop producer and performer.

In late 2009, Damizza made a cameo appearance as himself in Australian filmmaker Frank Howson's next feature picture, "Remembering Nigel," for which he also served as music supervisor. The film won Best Foreign Film at the Paso Robles Digital Film Festival in November 2009 and also took honors for Best Music Soundtrack. As of September 2011 the feature is in negotiations for worldwide release.

His love of music and burgeoning recognition with the rock and roll establishment has opened him to meeting and working with an ever-growing list of rock icons, among them Terry Reid and Eric Burdon of the Animals & War, drummer Phil Jones (longtime percussionist and drummer for Tom Petty) and bass player Rick "The Bass Player" Rosas of Neil Young/Joe Walsh fame. Damizza has also worked with noted Eagles/Johnny Rivers songwriter Jack Tempchin and Eurythmics co-founder Dave Stewart. In 2011 he began working on a new web venture where he judges new music with A&R music guru Nigel Grainge & iconic rocker Sir Bob Geldof. He has also remixed some of Sir Bob’s latest material.