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Calvin LeBrun (August 17, 1966 – April 10, 2024), known professionally as Mister Cee or DJ Mister Cee, was an American DJ, broadcaster, record executive, and radio personality. He guest appeared on Big Daddy Kane's 1988 debut album Long Live the Kane and served as associate executive producer for the Notorious B.I.G.'s debut album, Ready to Die (1994); widely considered to be a pioneering figure in 1990's East Coast hip hop, LeBrun is often being credited with having discovered both rappers. Mister Cee, WQHT, .
In the early 1990s, he gained popularity as a radio DJ, showcasing the music of rising artists. His radio shows Throwback at Noon and Friday Night Live would air respectively on New York radio stations WQHT and WBLS. During this time, LeBrun discovered the Notorious B.I.G., otherwise known as Biggie Smalls, after meeting the rapper through his DJ 50 Grand. He would serve as B.I.G.’s mentor, help record B.I.G.'s demo and facilitate the deal that got Notorious B.I.G. signed by Sean "Diddy" Combs to Bad Boy Records.
In 1998, LeBrun became a member of The Flip Squad, which included Mark Ronson. He influenced many popular artists, including Alicia Keys, and was referenced in Jay-Z's Death of Autotune. He was one of the first DJs to play Fetty Wap's "Trap Queen" in 2014, helping launch the rapper's career. Aside from his contributions in music, LeBrun also helped develop a new flavor called "Island Punch Finisher" for Tropical Fantasy soft drinks. In 2008, the video game Grand Theft Auto IV featured a realistic Mister Cee character on a rap radio station titled "102.7, the Beat".
In 2013, his Human sexuality entered the public debate after his repeated arrests for soliciting prostitution from Trans woman.Zach Baron (January 21, 2014). "The secret double life of Mister Cee, hip hop's most beloved DJ" . GQ. Condé Nast. Retrieved June 21, 2014. Challenged by his radio cohost Ebro Darden, he was partly secretive, but denied being gay. The controversy persisted until he publicly acknowledged that, while not seeking sex with trans women, he had sought activities such as oral sex, and questioned his sexuality. As a result of the controversy and the station's new plans for music, he resigned from Hot97 temporarily in 2013 and permanently in 2014, moving to his show on WXBK. Despite the prevalence of homophobia in the hip hop community, he received support from many notable hip hop figures, including Questlove. Addressing the incident in 2021 on a podcast hosted by Maino, LeBrun said that being Outing made him feel dead and likened the experience to a funeral, stating that in his mind "a whole funeral scene unfolded: who came and didn’t come, who was mourning, who was laughing from the back of the pews." In the same interview he identified himself as a "Try-sexual" meaning that he was "willing to try anything", and affirmed that he was attracted to trans women.
In 2020, LeBrun became the host of Sirius XM's “The Set It Off Show” on LL Cool J's Rock the Bells Radio, a position he held until his death.
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