Ron Brown

Bio

Ron Brown pka (DJ) RBI is an artist, producer, and content creator working in the arts & entertainment industries, particularly in DJing & turntablism, arts education, artist mentorship, radio programming & production, stage performance, content curation, podcasting, and visual arts. He's a graduate of Duke Ellington School of the Arts and has attended Howard University.

He's currently the Music Director of The National Hip Hop Museum as well as Director Of Events & Programs at DC-based non-profit Words, Beats, And Life, Inc. He does radio on DC's WPFW-FM and is a co-host/DJ on "Master Gee's Theatre" on WHUR's HD Channel on Sirius XM alongside Sugarhill Gang's Master Gee.

He's recorded with artists including Kool G Rap and Big Daddy Kane, Kev Brown, Mumu Fresh, Uptown XO, El Da Sensei of The Artifacts, AG of Show & AG, Priest da Nomad, and Substantial; opened for acts including Outkast, Talib Kweli, De La Soul, DJ D-Nice, Diamond D, Lord Finesse, and DJ Scratch of EPMD; lectured with Marley Marl, Kool DJ Red Alert, Fab Five Freddy, DJ Premier, and Grandmaster Flash; and has performs/performed with Sugarhill Gang, Nonchalant, Rakim, Jeru The Damaja, Pete Rock, Nice & Smooth, Dumi Right, Poor Righteous Teachers, YZ, and Asheru of The Unspoken Heard among many others.

Since 1998, RBI has taught and mentored aspirant and emergent DJs in the DMV area. DJs of particular significance that he's provided tutelage include DJ Heat (formerly of WPGC, tour DJ for artist Mya, DJ for both The Washington Wizards and The Washington Mystics), DJ Geena Marie, and DJ Hailak (WPFW-FM). Though he started independently, he's been a DJ Instructor at Gabriel Benn's Guerrilla Arts Ink and Words, Beats, & Life Inc since 2001. Additionally, RBI has taught Hip Hop History & Culture alongside Dr. Loren Kajikawa at George Washington University since January 2023. Currently, he instructs "DJing & Turntablism" at The Corcoran School at GWU.