Karizma is the stage name of Baltimore house producer Kris Klayton, a DJ and producer who works in house music and related club styles. Born in 1970 and based in Baltimore, he starts DJing at 13, playing fashion shows and college parties before moving into wider club work.

Career

Karizma presents a radio show on WEAA, a college radio station in the United States, where he plays hip hop while also developing his profile as a club DJ. He later works at clubs and becomes known for favouring house music. He also works with DJ Spen at the radio station V103, after repeatedly seeking out Spen for advice earlier in his career.

DJ Spen & Karizma

As part of the team of DJ Spen and Karizma, he contributes to the track E.B.W.2.R.T.W. on the first album by Spen’s Jasper Street Company project. The partnership later remixes material by Everything But The Girl, Lenny Kravitz, Ann Nesby, Ron Carroll, Roy Ayers, Bob Sinclar, Kathy Brown and Ministers de la Funk, among others. In this work he develops the “deepah dubs” and “deepah ones” names for his versions.

Solo work and residencies

Karizma later forms Kohesive Productions and continues as an international DJ. His remixes, re-edits and productions appear weekly at the Sky Lounge bar in Baltimore, where he has a residency. He also tours in the UK, Ireland, Sweden, Germany, France, Australia, New Zealand and Japan.