Raj Smoove, born Roger Donald Dickerson II, began DJing in New Orleans in the early 1990s while still in his early teens, landing his first paid DJ gig at age 14. He broke onto the club and production scenes during his college years at Dillard University and quickly became a recognized name across the Southeast. In 2000, Raj served as the official DJ for the Cash Money Records/Ruff Ryder Entertainment tour, a role that put him directly in Lil Wayne's orbit.
From 2001 to 2004, Raj Smoove served as the in-house producer and DJ for Lil Wayne's Young Money Entertainment, playing an integral role in generating the underground buzz behind the Lil Wayne and Sqad Up mixtapes — recording much of that material at his own personal studio. He also produced material for Wayne's 2004 album Tha Carter, which went on to be certified platinum. In 2006, Raj and Wayne teamed up again for the Lil Weezyana and The Carter Files mixtape projects.
Beyond his work with Wayne, Raj Smoove appeared on BET's Rap City: Tha Bassment as a featured DJ on three occasions and deejayed the New Orleans airing of the 106 & Park Top 10 Count Down for Super Bowl XXXVI. He was featured as a Superlounge artist at the Essence Music Festival in 2002, 2003, and 2006, and has since performed on the festival's main stage as well. Raj also released his own self-produced compilation album, Bayou Classic, featuring Mannie Fresh and Mia X, and spent time as a mixshow DJ on the now-defunct Hot 104.5 KNOU.
Today, with more than 30 years of experience, Raj Smoove serves as the Game Day DJ for the NFL's New Orleans Saints and also DJs for the New Orleans Pelicans. Beyond performing, he works as a producer, writer, studio engineer, and artist manager, and is a member of the Recording Academy. He serves on the advisory board for METRONOME, a New Orleans music business accelerator, and is a board member for French Quarter Festivals, Inc. His recent work has included high-profile appearances at NBA All-Star Weekend, the National Black Journalists Association Convention, and the HBCU Legacy Bowl.
