DJ XO is no stranger to the grind. The Houston-born producer, artist, and DJ has spent years laying the foundation for something bigger—something timeless. Now, that moment has arrived. His latest track, “Love Somebody,” a powerful reimagining of Keith Sweat’s classic “Right and a Wrong Way,” is not just a remix—it’s a movement.
“I literally was at home, and I was just like, man, I gotta find a way to reinvent myself,” DJ XO told Peach Pop Five. “I wanted to do something exciting again. I needed to do something that was just gonna be like, whoa, what’s going on?”
That moment of inspiration led him back to a Keith Sweat record that helped define an era. But XO wasn’t interested in nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake—he wanted to flip the script. “The original version was really slow. I said, man, let me speed this up, take his vocals out, and just see what type of flavor I can bring to this.”
The result? A track that went mini-viral almost overnight after he dropped a preview reel on Instagram. That was the spark. What came next was even bigger: a trip to Atlanta, a face-to-face with Keith Sweat himself, and a collaboration that XO calls “an honor.”
“After about 30 minutes of us meeting and vibing, the chemistry was just so perfect. He was just on board. He felt the energy. He understood how we was trying to mesh the times,” XO said. “He gave us 100% access—even opened the original session. Whatever I needed, he was with it. To me, that’s legendary.”
“Love Somebody,” produced and performed by XO with Keith Sweat’s blessing, is only the beginning. With a project in the works and a sound that blends gritty southern energy with smooth R&B seduction, DJ XO is carving a new lane.
“What I’m trying to bring back is that real street-edge R&B. I’m talking leather shirt, leather hat turned backwards, looking somebody girl in the eyes serenading,” XO said, laughing. “We making all women feel like they 10s in 2025, 2026—whether they 10s or not, they could be ones, they could be twos!”
He’s not kidding. That blend of bravado and vulnerability is exactly what makes XO’s brand of R&B so refreshing. He credits influences like Timbaland, Dr. Dre, Kanye, and Jazze Pha—producers who weren’t afraid to be the star and the architect of the music.
“They gave me the confidence to try to reimplement what they did—just in a newer generation,” he said.
That confidence is carrying over into his upcoming project, which is almost finished but still being “sprinkled with final touches.” He teased more unexpected flips and a few major surprises. And yes, touring is in the cards. “We lining everything up with the record. We definitely about to hit the road and get active.”
XO’s evolution from a high school DJ to a multi-hyphenate artist has been steady—and intentional. “I just feel like it was important to learn how to do everything and master it,” he said. “I was making beats for four or five years before people even started rapping or singing on my stuff.”
So, what would the younger version of XO say if he could see this moment?
“My mouth probably would’ve been wide open. I probably wouldn’t have believed it… It’s a whole 360. I probably would’ve been like, no way.”
As for what fans can expect next?
“I’m gonna save their ears,” XO said with a grin. “I’m bringing back something they can jam to over and over again. I need y’all support. I got y’all back—have my back. And let’s bring this real music back.”
