Christopher Martin Grant – A champion for Community

Co-Founder | Community Developer | Entrepreneur | Cultural Strategist

Christopher Martin Grant was born in London, England, to Jamaican parents who relocated to Boston, Massachusetts, in 1972, when he was four years old. His father, Cebert Grant, was a distinguished entrepreneur recognized for establishing thirteen businesses along Dorchester’s prominent Codman Square and Blue Hill Avenue corridor. His mother, Melrose Grant, dedicated her career to healthcare, eventually assuming leadership of the nursing unit at Boston’s Shattuck Hospital in Franklin Park.

Christopher’s formative years were characterized by a culturally rich and intellectually stimulating environment fostered by his parents, who jointly founded the influential Three C’s Caribbean Cultural Club. This organization provided a platform for esteemed guests, including President Jimmy Carter, Senator Edward Brooks, Rainbow Coalition Founder Mel King, members of the prominent Bolling Family, and Mayor Kevin White, thereby embedding within Christopher an enduring ethos of leadership, community involvement, and cultural awareness.

Christopher’s initial foray into music was profoundly shaped by his paternal grandfather, Wentworth Grant, who actively participated in a prominent traveling Sound System originating in St. Ann’s Bay, Jamaica. At thirteen years of age, Christopher began refining his skills as a disc jockey (DJ), performing at educational institutions, domestic gatherings, and local community events. His practice was notably influenced by his elder brother’s engagement in DJing and further amplified by his frequent trips to New York City, wherein he procured mixtapes integral to shaping his unique musical methodology amidst the nascent emergence of hip-hop culture.

From 1987 to 1993, Christopher emerged prominently within Boston’s collegiate music scene, frequently engaging audiences at institutions such as Suffolk and Northeastern Universities. Notably, he assumed the presidency of the Black Student Union at Suffolk University. His musical engagements extended robustly into the activities of Boston’s dynamic Black Greek fraternity and sorority communities. Distinguished by his mastery in vinyl musical curation, Christopher adeptly integrated diverse genres encompassing jazz, golden-era hip-hop, reggae, neo soul, freestyle, club classics, soft rock, deep house, roots, lover’s rock, urban gospel, and dance music.

In 1988, Christopher’s academic and community leadership were further recognized through his selection as a Muriel and Otto Snowden PROJECT REACH Scholar. His commitment to community and economic development extended beyond music, evidenced by his tenure as Chair of the Economic Committee for the Boston Chapter of the NAACP, founding board membership of the Friends of Melnea Cass Rink, board membership at the Roxbury YMCA, and as a co-founder of Black Market Nubian in Roxbury—a social enterprise dedicated to community empowerment and economic revitalization.

Concurrent with his cultural and community endeavors, Christopher maintained a distinguished 25-year career with the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA), where he held the position of General Foreman. Throughout this tenure, he consistently demonstrated exemplary leadership, dedication, and professional integrity. Beyond his professional achievements, Christopher remains profoundly committed to his familial roles as a dedicated husband and father, perceiving family as the cornerstone of his personal and professional fulfillment.

Currently, Christopher Martin Grant is acknowledged as a veteran DJ, boasting over three decades of extensive professional experience and stewardship of an impressive personal archive comprising over 200,000 records. His ongoing commitment to familial bonds, community engagement, and cultural heritage continues to define and inspire his notable contributions and legacy.