Mark Grant

Since making a name for himself as a member of the prestigious Cajual Records roster in the '90s, Chicago deep house DJ/producer Mark Grant furthered his reputation in successive years. Yet regardless of his latter-day accomplishments, Grant's work for Cajual remains his most noteworthy accomplishment because of the label's famous legacy. Overseen by Cajmere, Cajual symbolized the 1990s re-emergence of Chicago's historic house scene, hosting a roster of talented producers including Glenn Underground, DJ Sneak, Gene Farris, Gemini, Braxton Holmes, and Green Velvet, in addition to Grant. In particular, Grant's Taste of Cajual mix album showcased not only his DJing skills but also an impressive sample of the label's best moments. Unfortunately, Cajual's day came to a close despite the label's reputation, leaving Grant to fend for himself. He next began producing tracks for Guidance, another well-known Chicago house label, and sought to expand his reach further outside the Midwest by recording for other labels such as i!, SubUrban, and Velocity. Of course, Grant's repuation as a DJ continued to rise in prestige with each passing year, best documented on his Sound Design, Vol. 2 mix album for Om as well as on the accompanying tour alongside Marques Wyatt in summer 2001. In the fall of 2002, the "Hey You" single showcased his first all original material for Om Records. ~ Jason Birchmeier