The story
From the dojo floor to the DJ booth, and back again.
Kev grew up in his father's karate school, left for college and the D.C. nightlife scene, and came home to lead the family business. He never dropped any of it.
Two names, one life.
Kevin Thompson Jr. is the name on the mat, passed down from Grandmaster Kevin "Lil K.A., the Eighth Wonder of the World" Thompson.
Off the mat, he's Kevin Brown Jr., just as his father has always been Kevin Brown. DJ Kev is the name for the music. To family, he's simply KJ.
Where the names come from
The timeline.
1981
Shakil's School of Martial Arts opens
Grandmaster Kevin Thompson Sr. founds the school that becomes Shakil Warriors.
Age 2
First class
Kev starts training on his father's mat.
Age 12
Black belt
Earns his black belt and keeps competing, winning multiple national titles.
2012
DJ Kev Productions
Starts DJing house parties and backyard family get-togethers before heading to college.
2015
American University
Joins the Kogod School of Business and the men's basketball team as a walk-on.
2017–19
D.C. lounge residency
Resident DJ in Washington, D.C. while at American University.
2018
Founders Ball and Roc Nation Sports
Plays American University's Founders Ball for about 5,000 students, and interns at Roc Nation Sports, helping run charity events and supporting agents on contracts and sponsorships.
2019
Back home to lead
Graduates from American University's Kogod School of Business (B.S. in Business Administration, Sports & Entertainment) after three seasons as a walk-on with the men's basketball team, and returns to run Shakil Warriors as CEO and Head Director.
2020
Artist DJ and the Foundation
Becomes personal DJ for Chris Patrick, a rapper signed to Def Jam, and president of the Kevin Thompson Foundation.
2021
Scholarship and wellness
Launches the Kevin Thompson Scholarship for Higher Education and leads the Fitness Village at the CareSparc wellness festivals, which drew 5,000+ people across 2021 and 2022.
2024
Europe with Russ
Tours 15 cities in 13 countries on Russ's ‘It Was You All Along’ tour as DJ for opener Chris Patrick, and MCs for Iluvambr (formerly DJ JoceWavy) during her sets. Venues up to 12,500 capacity.
June 2026
Team USA and the Founder's Gala
Qualifies for Team USA at WKC Nationals and hosts the 45th Anniversary Founder's Gala honoring Grandmaster Kevin Thompson Sr.
2026
Pan-American Internationals
Wins the open division and finishes runner-up for Grand Champion on stage. Now ranked No. 2 in NASKA traditional open kata and No. 4 in the NASKA traditional Japanese division. Releases ViiBE$ Vol. 12.
Oct 2026
Cádiz, Spain
Competes at the WKC World Championships.
What it's built on.
Family, legacy, community, and the line every Shakil Warrior learns early.
Family
The school, the name and the standards came from Grandmaster Kevin Thompson Sr.
Legacy
Building something that outlasts one generation.
Community
Youth programs, tournaments and service in North Jersey.
“Go beyond the stopping point.”
A Shakil Warrior is one who is willing to go beyond the stopping point.
Follow along.
The next chapter is being filmed right now, starting with the road to Cádiz.