BALTIMORE IS IN THE DNA.

DJ BLAQSTARR, born Charles Jamal Smith, is a Baltimore-born DJ, producer, recording artist, and filmmaker whose sound and creative work are closely associated with Baltimore Club Music.

THE COME-UP

He began DJing at 14, earning $80 a week playing neighborhood parties, and started producing at 16. Baltimore DJ K-Swift took him under her wing through the Club Queen Jumpoff mixtapes.

Before turning 18, his track “Tote It” was receiving radio play. He wrote “Ryda Girl” for D.O.G. and “Jiggle It” for Young Leek, helping shape the sound of Baltimore’s club scene. His signature tracks also include “Hands Up Thumbs Down” and “Feel It in the Air.”

BALTIMORE TO THE WORLD

In December 2005, M.I.A. traveled to Baltimore to record with him for her second album. BLAQSTARR also introduced Rye Rye to M.I.A. and went on to co-produce and write on M.I.A.’s albums Kala (2007), MAYA (2010), and AIM (2016).

“Shake It to the Ground” featuring Rye Rye carried that Baltimore energy to new audiences. In 2007, he released the Supastarr and Shake It to the Ground EPs on Diplo’s Mad Decent.

THE ARTIST. THE DJ.

BLAQSTARR’s work stretches between raw Baltimore Club production and a wider world of singing, songwriting, and experimentation. The DJ and the recording artist are two expressions of the same creative voice — rooted in the club, but never limited to it.

He signed to M.I.A.’s N.E.E.T. Recordings and released the Divine EP in 2011 through N.E.E.T./Interscope. His collaborations and independent work continued alongside a live career that reached Rock the Bells, SXSW, Afropunk, and MoMA PS1 Warm Up.

HOME. HONORED.

In 2023, he was honored as a pioneer at the inaugural Baltimore Club Music Day at AFRAM in Baltimore’s Druid Hill Park. In 2025, he co-headlined KINGZ OF CLUB at Metro Baltimore — another chapter in a legacy that remains connected to home.

THE NEXT CHAPTER

Today, that story continues through independent releases, film, and direct connections with listeners. The Charles Jamal Project — Chapter 1: LOVE brings his own name into the foreground, alongside the evolving catalog of “I SEE ME,” “RICH,” and “Herbs In My Cup (Special Edition)” featuring Mi Beauty.

Bookings, appearances, and creative collaborations are managed through MiSTARR Collective. From neighborhood parties to international stages, Baltimore remains the foundation — and the next frequency is still his to create.