DJ Burn One
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- DJ
- record producer
- songwriter
DJ Burn One | |
|---|---|
 DJ Burn One in 2025 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | David Shane Sweeten |
| Origin | Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 2007–present |
David Shane Sweeten,[1] professionally known as DJ Burn One, is an American DJ, record producer and songwriter. He has worked with a number of prominent hip-hop artists, including Wrekonize, Gucci Mane, Yelawolf, Rittz, Lil Wyte, SL Jones, Young Dro, ASAP Rocky, Scotty, Pill, and more.
Beginnings as a DJ
David Sweeten was born in Hapeville, Georgia. Although Burn One has said that, growing up, his household wasn't very musical, he did grow up listening to a variety of musical genres -- '80s music with his mother; country music with his father—and also joined the church choir at the age of four for several years.[2]
In high school, DJ Burn One started to work at a mom-and-pop music store in Atlanta called Super Sounds. Burn One credits the experience with teaching him how to "sell" music, from a marketing standpoint, to an interested customer.[3] At this time, DJ Burn One was also selling mixtapes locally, to kids at his high school, an experience that led to DJ Burn One developing his professional moniker. In a 2012 interview with Passion of the Weiss, Burn One stated, "So when I'd be in school and selling these CD, I'd have them for like $20-25 dollars…I tried to sell them and say, 'hey, I've got the new T.I. album, it's $25,’ and everyone would say, ‘Oh, man, come on, just burn me one, burn one, burn me one’…All day, all I'd hear is 'Burn One’…so after a while, I was like, you know what? It's kind of got a ring to it."[2]
While in high school, DJ Burn One was formally introduced to the music industry through a chance meeting with a group named Xtaci, at the time signed to T.I.'s Grand Hustle label. The connection with Xtaci allowed DJ Burn One to spend time around the Grand Hustle label, and other artists on the label, like Big Kuntry King and Young Dro, in addition to other big-name artists, like Paul Wall, watching them record, learning how to run studio sessions, and learning about the industry.[2]
DJ Burn One drew inspiration from many artists including “a lot of local musicians, people that put out mixtapes. That was what I listened to growing up, exclusively mix tapes. That’s how I got my start. A friend of mine got a computer program and I’d start by taking little beats and mixing them with a capellas and do little mix tapes. It was a good introduction to find your footing and see where you work.”[4]
While in high school DJ Burn One helped artists to compile their songs into albums. He then began producing exclusive CDs and distributed the mixtapes through various Mom & Pops stores. DJ Burn One has expanded from a traditional DJ to producer and A&R. He has been referred to as a “catalyst for not just the songs, but musical careers paths of artists” such as Gucci Mane, Yelawolf, Pill, and Freddie Gibbs.[5][6] DJ Burn One is credited as one of the first DJ’s to have a notable online presence.[5]
