R.I.P. DJ Unk, "Walk It Out" rapper

Anthony Leonard Platt, known to the rap world as DJ Unk, has died. A Southern rapper who rose to national attention with his song “Walk It Out”—an exemplar of the snap genre, which, like Platt himself, was born in Atlanta—Platt released two albums in the mid-2000s with Big Oomp Records. Although a second single, “2 Step,” was certified Gold by the RIAA, Platt never ended up matching the heights of “Walk It Out,” which eventually climbed to number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. Platt’s death was reported today by his wife, and confirmed by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was 42.

Platt was originally working as a DJ when he caught the attention of Korey “Big Oomp” Roberson, who signed him to his Big Oomp Records label in 2000. The investment paid off in 2006, when the first single from Platt’s debut album, Beat’n Down Yo Block!, began slowly dominating radio play, first in Atlanta, and then in the wider musical world. Co-written with DJ Montay (who also produced) and Howard Simmons, the high energy “Walk It Out” had a compulsive beat that made it an instant fit for dance floors, achieving that highest of distinctions in the world of hip-hop: Its own dance. “2 Step,” from the same album, was slightly less of a phenomenon, but still showed off the kinetic style and electronic instrumentation associated with snap.

A second album—appropriately titled 2econd Season—arrived in 2008, still produced by Montay, and featuring an appearance from Three 6 Mafia. The album charted slightly higher than Beat’n Down, but would also be the final full release of Platt’s career. Around that same time, he received an honor that he later spoke of—in interviews as recently as 2023, when he appeared at the BET Awards—as one of the highest in his career: A remix of “Walk It Out” that featured verses from Jim Jones and, most notably, Atlanta music legend André 3000.

Although he released a few more mix tapes and tracks after his second album—and made noises about releasing a 3rd with Big Oomp—Platt’s star began to fade as the decade turned over. A heart attack in 2009 (when he was still only 28) slowed his touring efforts for a while, although he continued to perform (usually DJ-ing) well into the last several years. He’s been memorialized today as a memorable member of the Atlanta music scene, with the Atlanta Falcons issuing a tribute post in honor of his career, while former signer Roberson penned a tribute saying that Platt’s “Energy, creativity, and commitment to the craft will never be forgotten.”