SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — “The Youngest in Charge” himself, and the DJ for Bobby V, on-air radio and appearances on BET’s “Rap City,” Amari A. Adams shares his love and story for the golden days of hip-hop.
The start
Growing up in Savannah with a single father, Adams says that they lived a comfortable life. With a strong and honest relationship with his dad, his father instilled in him the pillars of right and wrong.
His father owned a nightclub named Teasers on MLK Drive in the early 2000s where he would turn on all the stereos and practice mixing beats.
On occasion, at age 12, he would get a mat and bucket with his friends to break dance along River Street to get his name out there.
His father saw that he was becoming serious about mixing and creating music, so he bought him new equipment and let him play at the club on teen nights.
“That’s how I got started in my DJ career, standing on crates, playing for the masses, making the young folks move and groove,” said Adams.
At 14, he got his name “Triple A,” regularly playing at the club with experimental mixes of hip-hop, dance, jungle beats, trance and breakbeat and becoming a local celebrity.
“Getting those vibes from the people and responding to the music that we played when hip-hop was real when there were turn tables and a microphone,” said Adams.
DJ Triple A
The radio station 94.1 The Beat was hosting a show featuring T.I. at his father’s club where he met the station who featured them on the mix show on WQBT.
At 16, he became an on-air personality playing the traffic jam mix for the 5 p.m. and mornings on the weekends, which grew to be a #1 rated program and mix show.
“I didn’t have my license yet, so I would get rides from my dad or friends,” said Adams.
Later with his manager, he made a mix and press kit for the BET’s music video television program “Rap City.” He was featured as a DJ and TV personality getting his name out there.
On the show, he met Ludacris, an American rap icon and actor, who was the founder of the label Disturbing tha Peace.
Seeing Adams work, he offered him a spot on tour alongside singer Bobby V, rapper Bow Wow and more on the Scream 4 Tour in 2005.
Still in Johnson High School, he spent three months on the road touring 33 cities across the nation — even Madison Square Garden.
“I would tell them to scream, and they would.”
On the road, he met celebrities like Omarion, B5, Pretty Ricky, Marques Houston, Chingy, Shaq and more.
Living the dream as a teenager on tour, he learned how celebrities moved, how they protected themselves from crazy fans and the dangers of substance abuse.
Later, he got out of the music business to focus on school, graduating in 2007. He went to college to take over the family business as a mortician.
He now works with his father at the Adams Funeral Services and has settled down with his wife and three kids.
Today, Adams says a lot of hip hop lacks substance, as in the golden years the music expressed a message and story. But he still listens to artists like J Cole and Kendrick Lamar.
“Hip hop is missing nowadays the real DJ,” said Adams. “If you don’t have a good DJ, you don’t have a good party.”
He notes that the advancements in technology have made it easier to create music and beats while at the same time oversaturating the artistry.
The advice he gives to young people starting any career is to stay focused.
“Know you can do it and always have a purpose, so you always know where you’re going,” said Adams.
“And always stay respectful and humble. Never forget that.”
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