One of New York's leading mixtape purveyors, DJ Envy climbed up the ranks quickly and, by the early 2000s, was peddling the latest exclusives and freestyles by big-name rappers like Jay-Z, 50 Cent, and the L.O.X. In fact, his reputation was so esteemed that Sony signed him and his affiliate label, Desert Storm Records, and in early 2003 released his commercial debut, The Desert Storm Mixtape: DJ Envy - Blok Party, Vol. 1.