DJ Paul is an Academy Award-winning DJ, rapper and record producer. He is also known for his hip hop group, which he founded, Three 6 Mafia. He is also a part-owner of the esports and entertainment organization, FaZe Clan. Other than that, he is also involved in multiple other business ventures.

Early Life:

DJ Paul was born Paul Duane Beauregard on January 12th, 1977 in Memphis, Tennessee, United States. He started his music career at the early age of 11 when worked as a DJ at the local club named 380 Beale. He created a duo with his brother Lord Infamous (Ricky T. Dunigan) named The Serial Killaz. They did not have any equipment and mainly worked on rented equipment from a local DJ’s studio. DJ Paul also played and scratched records on his mother’s record player when she was not home.

DJ Paul’s Hand:

Fans, especially those that have been to live performances, wonder why DJ Paul covers his right arm. This has led to speculations that he was involved in some sort of accident. But his right arm is deformed because of a condition called Erb’s Palsy, that is why he covers it in a cast.

Career:

Early Career:

DJ Paul and Lord Infamous, under the label of their group The Serial Killaz, released the first tape Portrait of a Serial Killa in 1992. They released self-recorded tapes in their neighbourhood, school, and local shops. After Portrait of a Serial Killa, they released The Serial Killaz tape and two parts of Come with Me 2 Hell in the coming years.

After buying his own studio equipment, he started making mixtapes for selling in local high schools. He also promoted several local fellow DJs and rappers by adding their tracks to the mixtapes. These mixtapes contained his own original tracks along with songs from local artists. DJ Paul also released a number of solo tapes called Volume 1 to Volume 16.

Rise to Prominence, Three 6 Mafia:

• DJ Paul was gaining fame on the south side of Memphis when a fellow producer Juicy J was becoming famous on the north side of the city. His fame brought him closer to Juicy J, and together with Lord Infamous, the trio formed the group The Backyard Posse. 
• The group changed its name to Triple Six Mafia in later years. Their music was described as “dark, eerie … driven by bass-heavy beats and haunting sounds.”
• In 1994, Koopsta Knicca joined Triple Six Mafia. The group released the underground album Smoked Out Locked Out.
• The group later added two more members, Gangsta Boo and Crunchy Black, and changed the name to Three 6 Mafia.
• In 1995, they released the studio album Mystic Stylez, whose success brought them a contract with Relativity Records. The groups also started their own label Hypnotize Minds and signed a number of local artists.
• In 2000, the group debuted at number six on the Billboard 2000 thanks to their commercially successful album When the Smoke Clears: Sixty 6, Sixty 1. It was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.
• In 2002, DJ Paul released Underground Volume 16: For da Summa, his solo studio album. Most of the songs were remastered versions from his old album Underground Volume 16: 4 Da Summa of ‘94. He also replaced the old artists with new ones from Hypnotize Minds.
• In 2003, Three 6 Mafia released the commercially successful album Da Unbreakable. They repeated the success in 2005 with their album Most Known Unknown. Both rose to positions in the top 5 of the Billboard 200. They also created the soundtracks of the movies Choices and its sequel Choices II: The Setup. By 2006, most of the members were gone and only DJ Paul and Juicy J were left.
• In 2006, DJ Paul, Juicy J and Crunchy Black won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for “It’s Hard out Here for a Pimp” from the film Hustle & Flow.
• In 2008, the group released Last 2 Walk. After that album, they had a conflict with their label Sony regarding the group’s musical style. These creative differences led DJ Paul and Juicy J to pursue their solo careers.

Solo work:

• In 2009, DJ Paul released his mixtape The Weigh-In and followed it up with his second solo album Scale-A-Ton, under his new record label of the same name. The album got him much appraisal from the critics earning a positive review and an “Album Pick” by AllMusic.
• In 2010, he released another mixtape Too Kill Again, hosted by DJ Scream and DJ Whoo Kid.
• In 2011, he made a collaboration mixtape, Pray for Forgiveness, with famous rapper Ya Boy and producer Lil Lody.
• In 2012, Paul released his famous album A Person of Interest. The album included a short movie, music videos and behind the scene footage.

Da Mafia 6ix and other groups:

• In early 2013, DJ Paul created a DJ Duo called S.I.M.
• In late 2013, Paul along with his brother brought back many of the old Three 6 Mafia members and formed Da Mafia 6ix. The group their first mixtape 6ix Commandments in 2013.
• He also collaborated with Drumma Boy and released a mixtape titled Clash of da Titans in 2013.
• In 2013, he also released the mixtape Volume 16: The Original Masters.
• In 2016, Paul announced that he signed with Yelawolf’s Slumerican Records. He released two album series, YOTS: Year of the Six” parts 1 & 2.
• In 2017, Paul released his album Underground, Volume 17: For da Summa.
• In 2018, DJ Paul began working on the next volume in the “Underground” series titled “Drackula: Vol. 18”.

Film and TV Career:

• DJ Paul has appeared in three films of the Jackass series.
• He has appeared in multiple TV shows as himself.
• In 2011, he appeared and won in the cooking show Famous Food.

Net Worth of DJ Paul in 2022:

• DJ Paul’s current net worth is $10 million.

Business Ventures:

• DJ Paul and Juicy J started their own fashion wear line “Dangerous / Skandulus” in 2007.
• DJ Paul has his own record label Scale-A-Ton Entertainment.
• In 2012, DJ Paul launched a collection of BBQ seasonings called “DJ Paul BBQ”.
• He also became the official spokesman for the legal version of the alcoholic drink Sizzurp.
• As of 2013, Paul owns a real estate agency as well.

Controversies:

• In 2006, a Pittsburgh man Ramone Williams filed a lawsuit against DJ Paul and other Three 6 Mafia members. He claimed he was severely beaten up by other fans at a concert.
• In June 2012, a lawsuit was filed against Juicy J and DJ Paul for failing to appear in a concert that they were booked for.
• In October 2012, DJ Paul was arrested in New York when a Taser stun gun was found during a routine search.