Isaac "Ike" Robinson, also known as "Big Ike," unintentionally fell into his career as a deejay in the early 70's by imitating radio personalities during his high school art class.  His performances were so good that some of his classmates began encouraging him to pursue a career as a deejay.  Still not taking it seriously, "Big Ike" would entertain his neighborhood friends by playing a radio that belonged to his dear grandmother, Sallie Robinson, from his bedroom window while controlling the volume and mimicking the on-air deejays of that time.  After acknowledging his interest in becoming a deejay, Ike began performing at his local high school sock hops.  He collaborated with a high school buddy, Michael Jones, and another friend, James Groves, to form a mobile disco trio called "The Mighty Three."  This trio enjoyed a successful career, entertaining crowds throughout Anderson and Abbeville Counties in South Carolina as well as in parts of Georgia, up until the time that Ike decided to pursue a solo career. It was also during this time that Ike decided to further his education.  His parents had committed to helping him in this endeavor provided that he put forth a sincere effort to cover some of the cost himself, so Ike worked after school.  Originally studying for a future career in radio broadcasting, he later changed to machine tool technology because of the greater opportunity in the Anderson area for a promising career in that field.  Yet his natural proclivity for entertainment never waned. 

Despite experiencing many bumps and bruises in pursuing a career as a solo deejay, Ike became more determined to stay in this new wave of entertainment after receiving advice from local radio personalities "Big O Dougie Baby" of WHYZ and "Willis H" of WANS.  Even after moving to Stanford, Connecticut with the promise of a bright future as a machinist, Ike was still haunted by his love for music and working as a deejay.

While doing the club scene in neighboring New York, Ike became intrigued by a new technique being used there by local deejays to spin their music called mixing.  Mixing was a skill wherein music and sounds from different recordings were blended into one, smooth sound, always on beat.  It was at a club in New Rochelle, New York, that Ike's cousin was able to convince the house deejays to listen to a cassette showcasing Ike's skill on the turntables.  Impressed with what they heard, they invited Ike to come in and spin with them while teaching him the basics of the art of mixing.  Upon returning to the Carolinas, Ike implemented his newly-learned skill, blending it with his natural mic humor and talk about everyday living and obstacles of life. 

This new, unique flavor that Ike had a hand in introducing to the area clubs landed him a loyal following, as well as a job as an announcer at radio station WABV in Abbeville, S.C.  General Station Manager Jim Warren had listened to some of Ike's  promotion demos that had been given to him by local gospel singer Jack Dunlap of the Traveling Harmonizers and decided to give Ike, now known as "The Duke of Soul" in addition to being called "Big Ike," a one-hour spot on Saturdays.  This one-hour spot ultimately expanded into a daily four-hour shift that lasted for more than seven years.

When Mr. Warren left WABV, he offered Ike a job at radio station WPCC in Clinton, S.C. as Program Director for Urban Contemporary Music, this at a time when there was very limited urban radio and little to no FM in this area.  Ike shared the spotlight with Gus "Mr. Gospel" Wilson as being the hottest jocks on the airwaves, listened to in most, if not all, of the smallest towns in South Carolina and Georgia.  

Over the years, Big Ike has had the good fortune of working with such famous performing groups as Lakeside, The SOS Band, The Ying Yang Twins, The Jordash Band, and The Ohio Players.  He has worked as sound engineer at local gospel events for The Mighty Clouds of Joy, Troy Ramey, and The Traveling Harmonizers.  He is closely affiliated with The Million Dollar Record Pool of Atlanta, Georgia, Columbia Record Pool of Columbia, South Carolina, and the South Carolina Deejay Association Record Pool.  "Big Ike" Robinson, also known as "The Duke of Soul," is known for getting the crowd "crunk" with his signature dog bark along with shouts of, "I love myself!!  I love my------self!!  C'mon  C'mon!!  Nuthin' wrong wit feelin' good!!"

Ike's motto is, "God should always be first, then family; and never forget where you came from to be where you are today."  Still keeping it real after all these years, he knows that he hasn't quite gotten this order of things down just yet, but just know that "IT  AIN'T  OVUH!"

KEEPIN' IT REAL

Isaac "Duke of Soul," "Big Ike" Robinson