Dara "Dapa" Singh

Dara “Dapa” Singh aka Mr. Dapa started his professional music career in 1996. He worked for Robert Fernandez ( Backstage Records of Miami, Florida ) helping with radio, marketing, and building relationships with djs. Their artists were: Blackface, most know for his records, "Cornbread" produced by Hugo Boss / “Sessions” featuring Fat Joe produced by Showbiz and Strawberry Love, most known for her track, “As We Lay” produced by Danny D. Mr. Dapa went on to work with Showbiz (producer and writer for The Diaz Brothers) and Danny D (who was instrumental in Bass Booty Music). Dapa then got involved with the underground pirate radio station, Mixx96, where he met DJ Khaled. Daddysaw, who owned Mixx96 (96.1 FM), was instrumental to everybody’s career on the Miami hip-hop scene. Later that year he started doing promo for DJ Waggy T (99 Jamz) and Mr B. and worked his way up.

In 1997, Dapa began spinning large events ( Pirate Parties ) throughout the east coast with Drum and Bass records, spun with djs: Mark Ryder, MC Five-O, Ryhmetime, L Double (Flex Records) and servicing the records to djs throughout the South. He was the only dj pushing Drum&Bass, doing underground raves/parties while he still worked with Waggy T, as well as, 3 Way Parlae, DJ Antman, Teddy T, and Lady Virgil.

In 1998, Dapa came to Orlando and started the underground station 97.1. From that he toured through the United Kingdom and Belgium for 2 years spinning hip-hop and dancehall. He came back to America and started doing Winter Music Conference parties.

2000-2005, Mr. Dapa was pursuing other various ventures.

In 2005, Dapa started Ozone Music Group and signed Adept. He also executive produced and A&R'd his album with features/production from Kool G Rap, Scram Jones, Akon, [1], Jim Beanz, Dj Nasty, and The Diaz Brothers among others. Mr. Dapa also began working with Stat Quo, managing GQ, Gunjen, El Fico and co-managed Jim Beanz with Sunset Entertainment.

In 2006, Dapa started Clientele Radio and doing parties with Dawgman. They were one of the leading forces for servicing and supporting djs throughout Florida. Timbaland called Teddy T on his Power 96 Memorial Weekend Mixshow to setup a meeting and began working with Jim Beanz because of a 50 cent remix he produced and featurd Gunjen. Akon dropped a mixtape hosted by Mr. Dapa and DJ GQ that same weekend. That year, Kaspa da Don asked Mr. Dapa to start Hittmenn Djs with Greg Street. They started with 20 instrumental djs and tastemakers throughout the Southeast. They were the 1st dj crew to physically take an artist through a tour. Hittmenn Djs was also the first crew to break into Billboard and have a #1 record twice in a row. Mr. Dapa then met Pee Wee Kirkland and became his business partner and president of his company handling music/business affairs through SO. G Music/Management. Dapa brought Juvenile to Tabu ( Orlando, Fl ), T.I. to Caribbean Beach Club ( Orlando, FL ), and broke Young Jeezy in Central Florida. He began working with Vada Nobles, who produced and wrote, for Lauryn Hill’s ‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill’. Mr. Dapa was asked to join the Nobility Label. They signed a band, ‘Hero Factor’. Dapa was the a&r for the project. He structured the touring, marketing, and showcased for major labels (showcased at Sony, Columbia, Epic, RCA, Arista etc. also for various A&R’s and Industry Heads such as Chris Styles, Raphael Saadiq, Joss Stone etc.), however the group disbanded the following year. He also was on the panel for CMJ (College Music Journal ) music conference in New York.

In 2007-2008, Ozone Music Group dissolved and Adept signed to All Pro Records. SO. G Management signed Bennisour, Reo, Payperview, and Dj GQ (Y100 WHYI Miami). Mr. Dapa did a classic weekend Ozone Magazine interview as an industry tastemaker as well as with Vibe Magazine and Soundslam Magazine. SO. G Management was instrumental in starting the popular DVD series Cocaine City and WhatsHood. as well as, consulted for various independent labels. Dapa went on to do international licensing deals and he spoke on a handful of panels throughout the south on the subject matter of; licensing, publishing, and product placement. He structured the Rich Boy (Zone 4/Interscope) tour secured a major publishing deal, got Bennisour features with Diamond, Lil Boosie, Blackout (producer), Gucci Mane, Fat Joe, ‘Cupcake’, got two independent labels deals with a major label, did Kaufman Furs with Pee Wee Kirkland, and successfully structured/broke artists out of label contracts. He also created ‘House of Pizza’, A restaurant brand that continues to the present.

In 2009-2010, Dapa opened SO. G Studios ( had DJ Drama, Trey Songz, F.L.Y., OJ the Juiceman, DJ GQ, Mr. Vegas, Ray Lavender, among others ) and managed Grind. Grind had a record featuring Pleasure P of Pretty Ricky called ‘Weekend’ (Dapa was the A&R) and was a #1 record in Dallas and a top ten hit in Houston. Dapa got Grind a record deal with Swagg Team / Jive Records but Swagg Team got shelved by Jive later that year. Dapa went on to revamp SO. G Management Company. He linked back up with Big Reece (The In Crowd), who he had met during a Rich Boy Meet n Greet in 2007, and began schooling him on the music industry. Mr. Dapa went on to hear some of the music coming from The In Crowd and took interest. Dapa made Big Reece a consultant for, signed The In Crowd (Bama Deuce, Big Reece, Roso aka Blak Nevada, Wreck Wregular), as producers to, and signed Wreck Wregular and Roso as artists to SO. G Management. He opened SO. G Barbershop, which was unique due to the implementation of music, but sold it after a short while.

In 2011, Mr. Dapa continued his successful restaurant, House of Pizza and be a leader for the Hittmenn Djs.