DJ SILKY D – THE JOURNEY
FROM NOTTINGHAM TO THE WORLD. OVER 36 YEARS IN THE GAME.
DJ Silky D is one of the Midlands’ established Urban & Open formate DJs, recognised for his versatility, passion for music and ability to take any crowd on a musical journey. With over 36 years behind the decks, his story is one of dedication, hard work and an undeniable love for music.
His journey began at just eight years old in his hometown of Nottingham, following in his father’s footsteps and developing a passion for Dancehall and Reggae. What started as a childhood obsession soon became something much bigger.
THE EARLY DAYS – WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
At just 16, Silky D secured his first live DJ appearance at Nottingham’s Gregory Pub, performing alongside the legendary Daddy B. At the time, he was known as Blade International, playing a combination of Dancehall and R&B.
His introduction to radio came through joining Daddy B on the Sunday show at pirate station Heatwave, a platform that helped launch the careers of several influential Midlands DJs.
It wasn’t long before his mixing ability and growing reputation earned him his own night at the Gregory Pub. Inspired and influenced by DJ Mega, part of the renowned New Celebrity sound, Silky continued developing his craft.
His radio journey progressed through Unique FM, where he hosted a weekly Dancehall show, bringing listeners the freshest riddims and sounds from Jamaica.
He later joined Freeze FM, also known as Switch FM, hosting a Saturday afternoon show from 12–2 pm. His sets covered everything from Hip Hop and R&B to UK Garage and Dancehall, alongside presenting the station’s Top 10 Urban Chart.
MAKING MOVES – FROM LOCAL TALENT TO THE BIG STAGE
Silky’s talent soon started attracting attention beyond Nottingham.
In 2002, after catching the attention of one of Wiley’s promoters during his time on Freeze FM, he secured the opportunity to perform at Wiley’s Birthday Bash at Isis Nightclub in Nottingham, sharing the line-up with respected names including Robbo Ranks, Rampage and Roll Deep.
Further opportunities followed, including appearances at Ministry of Sound events at the Palais Nightclub, where he delivered warm-up sets for some of the UK’s most recognised DJ and MC talents, including D-Double E, The Dream Team and DJ EZ.
As the music industry evolved, so did Silky. Expanding his musical knowledge beyond Dancehall and Reggae into a wider range of genres, he made the transition from Blade International to the name now recognised by audiences everywhere: DJ SILKY D.
MUSIC KNOWLEDGE. INDUSTRY CONNECTIONS. ALWAYS AHEAD.
Never one to simply follow the crowd, Silky worked hard to stay ahead of the latest musical trends.
Through involvement with industry mailing lists and promotional street teams, including Atlantic, Sony, Virgin, Play Centre, Hardzone and Vision, he developed valuable connections within the music industry.
Alongside writing weekly music reviews and compiling his own chart selections, he built a reputation for discovering new music, supporting emerging talent and bringing fresh sounds to his audiences.
His passion for music also opened doors to some incredible opportunities, allowing him to meet and interview a host of established artists, including Sean Paul, Ne-Yo, Tinie Tempah, Chip, K Koke, Mz Bratt, Devlin, Estelle, Bashy, Sway, Dot Rotten, DMX and Professor Green.
RADIO, INTERVIEWS & NATIONAL RECOGNITION
Radio has always played a major part in the DJ Silky D journey.
His talent behind the decks and knowledge of Urban music earned him guest mix opportunities on BBC 1Xtra, including a feature for the R&B show A DJ Saved My Life and a special guest mix for Black History Month alongside CJ Beatz.
He also featured on Charlie Sloth’s Club Sloth, further raising his profile on the national Urban music scene.
His broadcasting experience has included appearances and opportunities with:
- BBC 1Xtra
- Capital Xtra
- BBC Asian Network
- Bang Radio
- Kemet FM 97.5
At Kemet FM, Silky hosted The Lockdown Show, bringing listeners the best in R&B, Hip Hop, Dancehall, interviews and exclusive mixes.
In 2012, he joined TMI (Trace Me Incorporated), hosting North of the Border. The project saw him travelling across the North of the country, meeting and interviewing artists, producers and DJs, giving audiences an insight into the people behind the music.
SHARING THE STAGE WITH THE STARS
One of the biggest highlights of Silky’s career has been the opportunity to warm up and perform in support of some of the biggest names in music.
His performance credits include:
Drake | Ne-Yo | Sean Paul | Akon | Ashanti | Justin Bieber | Nicki Minaj | Olly Murs & more.
Over the years, he has also shared DJ line-ups and stages with some of the industry’s most recognised DJs and broadcasters, including:
DJ EZ | Judge Jules | Dave Pearce | Nathan Dawe | Wide Awake | Trevor Nelson | Charlie Hedges | S.K.T | Charlie Sloth | DJ Ace.
FROM NOTTINGHAM TO INTERNATIONAL DANCEFLOORS
DJ Silky D’s reputation has taken him far beyond his hometown, performing at clubs, events and parties across the UK and internationally.
His DJ journey has taken him to destinations including:
Turkey | Marbella | Kavos | Ayia Napa | Tenerife | Barcelona | Zadar, Croatia | Hamburg, Germany.
Whether performing in front of international holiday crowds, packed nightclub dancefloors or music lovers back home, his approach remains the same: read the crowd, deliver the right music and create an atmosphere people remember.
THE STORY CONTINUES – 2026
From his first records at eight years old to sharing stages with international superstars, DJ Silky D has spent over two decades building his name, developing his sound and creating his own place within the Urban music scene.
Today, his musical style continues to evolve, bringing together R&B, Hip Hop, Dancehall, Afrobeats, Soca, UK Urban and everything in between.
Whether behind the decks, on the microphone, hosting events, creating exclusive mixes or bringing people together through his own event concepts, one thing remains unchanged: his passion for music.
26+ YEARS. COUNTLESS DANCEFLOORS. ONE PASSION.
THIS IS DJ SILKY D.