happy 53rd birthday to hip-hop

DJ NABS Keeps Promise to His Little Bro

Chris "Mac Daddy" Kelly and DJ NABS on tour bus (1992)  Photo credit: Road Manager Bo

August 11, 2026 — The date August 11 has always belonged to the culture. It’s the day, in 1973, that a back-to-school party in the Bronx lit the fuse on hip-hop. What fewer people outside Atlanta know is that the date belongs to somebody else too: Chris “Mac Daddy” Kelly of Kris Kross, born August 11, 1978. For DJ NABS, those two birthdays were never a coincidence to explain away. They are the reason to keep showing up.

NABS spent twenty-one years as Music Director and DJ for Kris Kross, from the backward-jeans phenomenon of “Jump” to the group’s final bow at So So Def’s 20th Anniversary concert at Atlanta’s Fox Theatre in February 2013. But the tour history doesn’t capture what many in the city may have forgotten. NABS was the big brother. Kelly was his little brother. Not a phrase they would put in front of the cameras. It was a fact they lived, until Kelly’s untimely passing at 34. NABS has never let the world forget his legacy.

Upcoming event

You Asked and We Elevated

atlanta's legacy meets the skyline

IN THE LAB WITH NABS AND VYBZ COLLECTIVE PRESENTS: OLD SKOOL SUNDAYS AT SPACEMAN

Welcome to Atlanta's newest monthly rooftop experience celebrating the music, culture, and architects who built one of the greatest hip-hop cities in the world.
 

Every third Sunday, the rooftop at Spaceman at Hyatt Centric Buckhead Atlanta transforms into an elevated journey of classic hip-hop, R&B, soul, and timeless party anthems curated by legendary DJ NABS and a rotating lineup of iconic DJs, pioneers of Atlanta's music scene, industry pioneers, and special surprise guests.

This is NABS & The Architects—a one-of-a-kind gathering where the DJs who created the soundtrack, the tastemakers who shaped the culture, and the people who lived it all come together under one roof.
 

Make it a night. Hyatt is offering a discounted rate for an OSS night's stay. 

BOOK A ROOM NOW

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OSS Game Day Edition

September 20, 2026

Next month, Old Skool Sundays collides with NFL Sunday as the Atlanta Falcons host the Carolina Panthers.

Will it be a Carolina take over in Atlanta?

Early Bird Tickets on sale NOW!

All roadtrippers, tailgating crews, and intown fans, book your weekend stay at Hyatt Centric Buckhead for a discounted rate in celebration of the OSS clash at Spaceman. Reserve a room at the special OSS rate of $115.00 and enjoy.

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Come get In the Lab with DJ NABS right here on Em City Radio!

Press play and enjoy the music, mixes, and mashups, curated by the legend himself, NABS. 

It's an ITL30 celebration. Keep rocking in The Lab!

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NABS PRESENTS ...