I had the privilege of admiring my Uncle Calvin from afar. Considering he was a famous disc jockey, more commonly known as DJ Mister Cee, I didn’t see much of him growing up – mostly at family parties or when he was around New York City When holding various activities.
Still, from hearing his voice on the radio to seeing his soda for sale in stores, Calvin LeBrun (aka DJ Mister Cee) became an influential figure in my life. He also happens to be a hip-hop mogul.
Known as “The Terminator,” he was one of the DJs who helped launch Biggie Smalls (aka “The Notorious B.I.G.”) to the world.
Recently, some supporters and critics have tried to downplay his achievements. But you can’t rewrite hip-hop history, and you can’t ignore Mr. Cee’s important role in it.
Working with Biggie Smalls
Calvin LeBrun was born on August 17, 1966 and grew up in Brooklyn, New York. He is of Trinidadian descent and grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Lafayette Gardens, a New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) complex known as “Project LG.” . His grandparents raised him and he grew up listening to hits by artists such as Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder. He always recounted how his late uncle Barry fostered his love of music and taught him music.
When LeBrun was a senior at Sarah J. Hill High School, he met Antonio Hardy, also known as “Big Daddy Kane” (Big Daddy Kane)) and became Hardy’s official DJ. The two joined iconic hip-hop group Juice Crew in 1988. Kane quit the company after its release.
In 1992, a friend and DJ named 50 Grand introduced LeBrun to Christopher Wallace, later known as Biggie Smalls. LeBrun collaborated with Wallace to transform his original home demo into a four-track sample that helped launch the rapper’s career.
“The plan was to redo the basement demo that he and 50 Grand made,” LeBrun told Rock the Bells. “We were at my house. I was doing it with two turntables, just cutting the record back and forth. We had a mic that was kind of tacky, and it was better than the 50 Grand mic he had at home.
LeBrun shared the demo with Matty C, author of the “Unsigned Hype” column in Source magazine, where Biggie first appeared. “All I was doing was trying to get anyone and everyone to listen to him. Big Daddy Kane, Masta Ace, I would try to force Biggie down his throat, like you had to hear this guy’s voice,” LeBrun recalled in the same interview.
From there, Biggie went on to work with Sean “Diddy” Combs and eventually signed with Bad Boy Records. LeBrun’s relationship with the rapper continues, as he served as associate executive producer on Biggie’s debut album Ready to Die, which was released in 1994 under the moniker The Notorious BIG.
Freestyle with Tupac
One of the most memorable moments in LeBrun’s relationship with Biggie occurred at the 1993 Budweiser Superfest. That year’s music festival was held at New York’s Madison Square Garden and featured R&B and soul acts such as Bell Biv DeVoe, Patti LaBelle and SWV.與常態不同的是，大老爹凱恩上演了一場令人難忘的嘻哈表演，其中包括圖帕克·沙庫爾(Tupac Shakur)、比吉(Biggie)、希海姆(Shyheim) 和其他一些著名rapper.
“We were the only hip-hop acts on the show,” LeBrun recalled on an episode of DJ Self’s podcast Apt 5H. “We had 10 minutes, so Kane decided to get everyone on stage and I was like I have to seize this moment.”
Calvin (left) and Darrell LeBrun
“[Kane] He sang a song and when he was done, he told Calvin to turn the beat down,” recalled my father, Darrell LeBrun (Calvin’s brother). LeBrun then played a famous breakbeat before Kane introduced his special guest to the audience.
“Where are Tupac and Biggie?” Kane yelled and the crowd screamed. Big Scoob appeared on the Hail Kane album, kicking off the improvisational rap scene. Biggie followed, shouting the now-famous line: “Where’s Brooklyn? Where’s Brooklyn?” Tupac soon launched into his own impromptu performance, which LeBrun was lucky enough to record Contest.
Earlier in the day, despite LeBrun’s repeated pleas, sound technicians refused to let anyone record the night’s performance. However, he wouldn’t take “no” for an answer. “I walked across the street from Madison Square Garden and bought a 120-minute tape. One hour on one side, one hour on the other side,” LeBrun said in an interview with DJ Self. He recorded the scene, edited it and shared it with the world – although it didn’t really gain traction until after Biggie’s shocking death in March 1997.
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The record reflects the short-lived friendship between Tupac and Biggie.
“Tupac accuses Biggie of [the 1994 incident] He was robbed at Quad Studios,” Darrell LeBrun said. “At that moment, you made their two-on-one recording more valuable because people would never see their two records again. They became sworn enemies.
How DJ Mister Cee Became a Mixtape Master
Calvin LeBrun went from working for Big Daddy Kane to becoming a DJ at New York City’s top hip-hop station, HOT97. He has a throwback show every day at noon and Friday Night Live on Fridays. He is a connoisseur of hip-hop and Caribbean music with the ability to conduct music filled with love and good vibes every day.
He also sold mixtapes during this period. More specifically, Darrell said, LeBrun started the “Best of” mixtape series. In 1995, a year after the release of Biggie’s debut album, LeBrun released the Best of Biggie mixtape, which featured the Madison Square Garden performance as well as other famous classics such as “Real Love,” “Who Shot Ya?” “Can’t You See”. He later produced mixtapes for Jay-Z, Method Man and others.
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LeBrun was the first to get records played on radio and in clubs for many other artists. While he’s primarily known for helping Biggie’s career, he also paved the way for performers like 50 Cent, Alicia Keys and Fetty Wap, whose hit “Trap Queen” debuted on HOT97’s Lebrun DJ episode.
LeBrun was truly a pioneer in his field and an astute businessman. In 2008, he signed an endorsement deal with the Tropical Fantasy soft drink brand to endorse his own soda, Tropical Island Punch. .
Behind the scenes, however, LeBrun also faced legal troubles. In May 2013, he was arrested on suspicion of posing as a prostitute to solicit an undercover police officer. A few months later, in September, he resigned from HOT97 after a recording surfaced of him allegedly offering money for sex to a drag queen. LeBrun has candidly recalled this turbulent time in his life in multiple interviews.
LeBrun did return to HOT97, but ultimately resigned again in November 2014 – after 21 years as a DJ at the station. He died of diabetes-related coronary and kidney disease on April 10, 2024, while serving as a DJ at WXBK 94.7.
LeBrun dedicated nearly 40 years to his craft as a DJ, creating a legacy that will not be forgotten. Just as his uncle developed his love for music, he also developed my love for hip-hop, and likely many others as well. For that, I’m grateful.
