Mr. DJ

David Sheats, known professionally as Mr. DJ, is an American record producer and disc jockey (DJ) from Atlanta, Georgia. He came to prominence in the mid-1990s as the touring DJ for Outkast before becoming one-third of the production team Earthtone III alongside Big Boi and André 3000. He shared the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album at the 44th Grammy Awards as a producer on OutKast’s Stankonia, which was also nominated for Album of the Year.

Beyond OutKast, Mr. DJ has produced or co-produced tracks for artists including Goodie Mob, Mos Def, Common, Killer Mike, Bubba Sparxxx, Nappy Roots, 8Ball & MJG, Lenny Kravitz, DJ Khaled, and others. In 2025, OutKast were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as part of the Hall’s performer class, a recognition that further highlighted the body of work Mr. DJ helped craft with the duo and the Dungeon Family collective.

Biography

Early life Mr. DJ was raised on the south side of College Park, a city in the Atlanta metropolitan area, and attended Banneker High School. The track, described by the hip hop outlet VannDigital as a "powerful slice of Southern hip-hop" and a reflection of his long-running contributions to OutKast’s catalog, also marked a step toward Sheats recording more prominently as a lead artist.

According to VannDigital, "Pop My Sh*t" served as the lead single for Mr. DJ’s album Beats + Vibes & Verses, scheduled for release in October 2025, with guest appearances by fellow Dungeon Family affiliates including Killer Mike, CeeLo Green, Jazze Pha and Big Rube.

Musical style and influence Mr. DJ’s production style has often been associated with layered instrumentation, prominent bass lines, and mixtures of live instrumentation with programmed drums, reflecting both Southern funk traditions and experimental hip hop aesthetics. His work with OutKast helped define the sound of late-1990s and early-2000s Southern hip hop, particularly through albums like Aquemini and Stankonia, which combined psychedelic, soul, rock and electronic influences.

Sheats is frequently cited in discussions of Atlanta’s broader musical legacy, especially in relation to the Dungeon Family’s role in reshaping mainstream perceptions of Southern rap.

Awards and recognition

In 2002, Mr. DJ won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album as a producer on OutKast’s Stankonia at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards. The album was also nominated for Album of the Year. As part of OutKast’s extended creative team and the Dungeon Family collective, his work is associated with the group’s six Grammy Awards and multiple multi-platinum albums, including Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, which won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 2004. In April 2025, OutKast were announced as inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class of 2025 in the performer category, with coverage of the induction frequently highlighting the contributions of producers and collaborators from the Dungeon Family, including Organized Noize and Mr. DJ.

Selected production and songwriting credits

With OutKast / Earthtone III (selection) "Elevators (Me & You)" – from ATLiens (1996) – co-production and songwriting. Several tracks on Aquemini (1998), including "Da Art of Storytellin' (Part 1)". Multiple tracks on Stankonia (2000), including "Ms. Jackson" and "B.O.B.". "The Whole World" – from Big Boi and Dre Present... OutKast (2001). Large portions of Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (2003) and the Idlewild soundtrack (2006) as part of Earthtone III.

Other artists (selection) Goodie Mob – selected tracks on Still Standing (1998). Nappy Roots – "Roll Again" on Wooden Leather (2003). Killer Mike – "Monster" and "A.D.I.D.A.S." on Monster (2003). Gangsta Boo – "Down Chick" on Enquiring Minds II: The Soap Opera (2003). Common – "Make My Day", "Changes" and "Everywhere" on Universal Mind Control (2008). Mos Def – multiple tracks on The Ecstatic (2009). Big Boi – "Daddy Fat Sax" on Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty (2010) and "Apple of My Eye" on Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors (2012). Future featuring André 3000 – "Benz Friends (Whatchutola)" on Honest (2014). DJ Khaled featuring SZA – "Just Us" on Father of Asahd (2019) – songwriting credit.