Only in Queens Summer Festival: Ginuwine, Mack Wilds, Kid ‘n Play, DJ Camilo

Supported by Queens Borough President Melinda Katz

Mack Wilds

Born and bred in Staten Island, New York City, Tristan Paul Mack Wilds does it all. The 26 year old singer, songwriter and actor made his TV debut at the age of 15 in Spike Lee’s Miracle’s Boys and wowed audiences as Michael Lee on HBO’s critically acclaimed drama series, The Wire from 2006 to 2008. He played a teenage heartthrob on 90210 for the next five years, and while fans saw him on the small screen every week, Mack Wilds was also secretly recording the entire time. In 2008 he met legendary producer Salaam Remi and the two worked together to complete Mack’s debut album New York: A Love Story. The EP was received incredibly well by fans and critics alike and was nominated at the 2014 Grammy Awards for Best Urban Contemporary Album. After the success of his first album, Mack Wilds is currently working on his sophomore effort. The first single, “Love In The 90z,” teams Mack up with two of the most prolific producers of the ‘90s, Teddy Riley and Scott Storch. Aside from working on his second EP, Mack will be starring in two series for network television this coming fall. In NBC’s Shots Fired, Mack will play Officer Belk, a young African American sheriff’s deputy in a small town in North Carolina, who after a police shooting is thrust into the national spotlight that pushes his life and young family into chaos. VH1’s The Breaks will be Mack’s second starring role this fall. Inspired by Dan Charnas’ book The Big Payback, The Breaks is a narrative history of the hip-hop business and follows follows three young friends fulfilling their hip-hop dreams in New York City in 1990. The series was picked up after the success of the critically acclaimed VH1 movie of the same name that aired in fall 2015 starring Method Man, Wood Harris and Afton Williamson.

Kid ‘n Play

Christopher ‘Kid’ Reid originally from the Bronx and Christopher ‘Play’ Martin from Queens New York met in the 1980’s. The pair were in rival Hip Hop crews The Turnout Brothers and The Super Lovers, and eventually formed their duo under the name The Fresh Force Crew. In 1986 ”She’s a Skeezer’’, “All Hail The Drum” and ”Rock Me” were recorded on Sultra Records By 1987 they had changed their name to Kid ‘n Play. Kid ‘n Play recorded three albums together between 1988 and 1991: ”2 Hype” (1988), ”Funhouse” (1990), and ”Face the Nation (1991). Super Producer Hurby “Luvbug” Azor, the producer for Salt ’n Pepa who was also a member of The Super Lovers with Play became Kid ‘n Play’s manager and producer during the early portion of their career. All three albums focused on fun lyrics backed by hot friendly instrumental tracks. Among the group’s most successful singles were 1989’s “Rollin’ with Kid ‘n Play” that reached #11 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ”Billboard” R&B singles chart, 1990s “Funhouse” #1 on the Hot Rap Tracks ”Billboard” rap singles chart, and “Ain’t Gonna Hurt Nobody” another #1 rap hit. The group’s stage show highlighted their teen-friendly personalities, and dances such as their famous trademark Kid ’n Play Kick Step. Kid’s visual trademark was his high-top fade haircut, which stood ten inches high at its peak. Martin the fella with the low top fade regularly wore unique custom made jackets.

DJ Camilo

Before he was a Heavy Hitter, a Party Rocker or an International Club King,  DJ Camilo was just a Colombian kid from Queens named Juan Camilo Sanchez. Introduced to the art of turntables at age 12, Camilo debuted his first mixtape, “CAMILO Vol. 1,” in the ‘90s and quickly made a name for himself in the NYC club scene. In 2001, he was invited to join DJ Enuff and DJ Threat’s new DJ crew: The Heavy Hitters. After earning himself a spot on Hot 97’s roster, Camilo began hosting his own Saturday night show called “Take It to the Streets,” which was so successful that it led to an additional show on Friday nights called “The Heavy Hitter Hour.” Camilo started to blend Latin urban music into the American radio market at Hot 97 – becoming one of the first influential DJs to merge both demographics live on air. Currently, Camilo hosts Hot 97’s daily top programming block from 4PM to 7PM, which is the number one show in the U.S. radio market in that timeframe. In late 2014, Camilo cemented his status as one of the country’s most in-demand DJs by signing to Roc Nation – becoming one of the first DJs to join the superstar talent roster. For three consecutive years (2013, 2014 and 2015), Camilo was named the top East Coast DJ by the Global Spin Awards. He has also been named Latin Mixx’s East Coast DJ of the Year, most recently in 2010. That same year, Camilo starred with DJ Enuff and Cipha Sounds in MTV2’s reality show “The Wizards NYC.” In addition to his domination of the radio waves and clubs around the world, Camilo has expanded his horizons to the hospitality industry by opening a Latin-fusion restaurant named Blend and a pizza shop called sLICe. Blend boasts two locations in Long Island City, with a third location scheduled to open in late 2016.