DJ Icey, (born Eddie Pappa), is an American DJ, electronic music producer, and remixer, credited by Allmusic as having helped to "jump-start the increasingly fertile dance scene in and around Orlando, FL, during the '90s."[1]E, the Incredibly Strange History of Ecstasy credits him as "the prime founder of the Funky Breaks and the Florida Breaks."[2] 1999's Rave America indicates that "the preoccupation with backbeats" characteristic of the Orlando sound was developed by DJ Icey.[3]
Icey was born in Florida. Originally named DJ Icee, he had to change his name because a local Orlando ice cream manufacturing company by the same name threatened to sue him.[3] Known for marrying the diverse strands of ChicagoHip house and English break-beat house, he rose to prominence DJing for the now defunct Orlando club "The Edge," a position he held from 1991 to 1996.[2][4] In 1993, he created his own label, Zone,[5] named in honor of the UK labels O-Zone and D-Zone.[3] In 2000, CMJ New Music Monthly described him as "an expert in funky, sped-up hip-hop",[6] and by 2001, Billboard was listing him along with Crystal Method, DJ Micro and Überzone as "perennial figure[s] in the burgeoning funky breaks underground scene."[7]
DJ Icey has had several albums chart for Billboard, with six charting singles. The Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales charts have included "This Is How My Drummer Drums" (1998, #21),[9] "Not a Test" (1998, #43),[10] "City of Groove" (1998, #44),[11] and "Dreams" (2003, #16).[12] "This Is How My Drummer Drums" also charted on the Dance Music/Club Play Singles chart (1998, #32), while the Hot Dance Singles Sales chart has included "A Little Louder" (2003, #16) and "And Go!" (2004, #16).
