DJ Cocoa Chanelle is an American hip hop DJ, rapper and producer best known for being a radio personality/DJ on New York City’s radio station HOT 97 and Kiss FM, as well as being the first DJ ever employed by BET (Black Entertainment Television) on its teen talk show “Teen Summit.”

Early life

Chanelle was born in Brooklyn New York. At age 7 she was raised by her Grandmother in West Virginia following the death of both parents to alcoholism. She started as a MC at the age of 12, and was later put on the turntables by age 13 by her brother Andre who was shot and killed in New Jersey three months before Cocoa was hired as a DJ on HOT 97.

Career

Immediately following high school graduation, Cocoa left West Virginia and began her DJ career on a professional level at the age 18. She was the DJ for hip-hop duo Kings of Swing who signed with First Priority Music and Virgin Records in the early 1990s,. Her big break came when she landed a weekly spot on BET’s teen talk show Teen Summit as the first-ever BET resident DJ, a spot she held for over six years. She has also worked on MTV’s Spring Break. and made several guest appearances on BET’s Rap City and 106 & Park.

Perhaps best known by many for her 16 year radio career in New York City on HOT 97 which began after making several guest mixing appearances on Hot 97’s “Morning Show”, hosted by Ed Lover, she was recommended to the stations program director and as a result, the morning show producer created the idea for “Ladies Night,” which consisted of Angie Martinez, DJ Jazzy Joyce & Chanelle. Actor Chris Rock was quoted at the premiere of Madagascar 3 movie in New York City saying “Cocoa Chanelle is radio Royalty.” Grammy Award Winning Recording Artist Missy Elliott tweeted “Salute to the Legendary DJ Cocoa Chanelle” after watching a recent viral video of Cocoa doing tricks on the turntables.

Footage of Cocoa doing turntable tricks began to spread rapidly online and gained over 300,000 views on Facebook in less than 24 hours.. the video went on to capture the attention of many celebrities including Chuck D of Public Enemy, Sway Calloway of MTV and many others whom all posted the video on the social media.She was also listed in Vibe Magazine as one of the TOP 17 DJ’s in the United States, honored by BET for Black History Month and received a Black Girls Rock! award that was presented by Grammy award winning producer/DJ Mark Ronson. Aside from djing in nightclubs around the world, Cocoa has performed at Madison Square Garden in front of 20,000 people as the DJ for the New York Knicks half time show. She was also honored at the industry’s biggest event for Radio Mixshow DJ’s Mixshow Power Summit conference, where she received the award for “Best Female Mixshow DJ of the Year.”

Discography

Production

• 2003: “Ok” – Sheek Louch
• 2005: “Pressure” – Sheek Louch
• 2006: “Pain in My Life” – Saigon

Awards

Black Girls Rock! Award recipient

• Mixshow Power Summit

• Best Female Mixshow DJ of the Year (New York) (Won)