TURNTABLE REVOLUTIONARIES

Sliding into July, DJ Mag USA joins the rest of the country in cracking open a cold one for American's traditional celebration month when remembering our country's birth on Independence Day.

To continue the theme of homegrown heroes making a stand, we've selected some MVP and Rookie DJs that are revolutionary and have contributed specifically to the US circuit in this worldwide EDM craze, all born right here under the red, white and blue.

MVP CARDS

DJ Name: Skrillex
Name: Sonny John Moore
Hometown: Los Angeles, California

For 'Merica:
-One of the largest contributors to dubstep/hardcore EDM from within the United States.
-Absolutely blew us all away with the East/West Coast “Takeover Tour” in San Fran and Brooklyn.
-Re-posted himself, as seen on SNL skit “Celerity Family Feud,” in front of “Merica” lettering on his Instagram.
-Keeps his smoking extra 'Merican, by which we mean excessive.
Extra Fact: Next month, on August 17, Skril's own label OWSLA will turn three years old.

DJ Name: Pretty Lights
Name: Derek Vincent Smith
Hometown: Fort Collins, Colorado

For 'Merica:
-Graced the EDM world with the phonetics of incorporating synthesized ‘90s gangster rap to sick breaks; we shan't forget to mention all that old school vinyl.
-Keeps it in the states. Born in Colorado, he currently residing in majestic Denver.
-Constantly posting sweet, artistic photos from Stateside (and abroad) on his Instagram and urges his followers to do the same with their “dope pix.”
Extra Fact: If Derek weren't making music he says, “I would be a f-ing scientist.”

DJ Name: Kaskade
Name: Ryan Raddon
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois

For 'Merica:
-Two time winner of DJ Times' “America's Best DJ” Award.
-Recently announced his participation in the Spark Run, a 5k run/walk event jamming to EDM vibes in many major cities, which will donate proceeds directly to surrounding area charities.
-Loves that intimate, small venue, play-for-hours atmosphere type of feel and plans to bring that feeling back to a number of US cities this and next year.
Extra Fact: Used to run a record store called Mechanized while attending the University of Utah.

DJ Name: Wolfgang Gartner
Name: Joseph Thomas Youngman
Hometown: San Luis Obispo, California

For 'Merica:
-Stays with the black and white social media profile pic of himself sporting an American flag bandanna tied around his mouth.
-The video to Gartner's iconic 2010 track, “Illmerica”, features some pretty heavy political and social criticism. Revolutionary to say the least, but hey, that's the American way.
-Gartner's original classics pumped life-blood into the infantile stage of the USA's dance revolution.
Extra Fact: At 13 years old, Gartner's DJ kit was a simple four-channel mixer and two cassette tape players.

DJ Name: Steve Aoki
Name: Steve Aoki
Hometown: Born in Miami, FL; Raised in Newport Beach, CA

For 'Merica:
-The Aoki Fund. Steve created the charity fund in coordination with large-scale humanitarian efforts. He'd like to further help local organizations by hosting nonprofit fundraising shows.
-His North American bus tour was truly a jewel that needs to happen again, soon. He coined it (fittingly) the “Independence Tour.”
Extra Fact: Accuracy. Aoki once rocketed a cake 80 feet to its intended target, a kid in a wheelchair who was hoisted up into place. Eighty feet, spot on target, with a 5lb rectangular sheet cake reading “DIM MAK.” Incredible.

ROOKIE CARDS

DJ Name: Matt Lange
Hometown: New York City, New York

For 'Merica:
-Chosen for the “HALO 4 Original Soundtrack,” his remix of Neil Davidge's “Ascendancy” could be described as an inviting barrage of relentless bass swoops and shuffle breaks incorporated with a soft, harmonic feeling of strong and intricate synths. Perfect for spacing out and blasting space bugs.

DJ Name: Moon Boots
Hometown: Cape Canaveral, Florida

For 'Merica:
-Providing that go-to feel good music you might call nu-disco, but coming from Boots it's so much more than that.
-Bringing some Floridian flavor to the French Express crew [alongside Jonas Rathsman, Isaac Tichauer and Perseus].

DJ Name: Flosstradamus
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois

For 'Merica:
-This Chi-town duo has been making enormous strides with their music and with their fan base. Infusing their gritty (borderline filthy) Chicago sound with cutting edge trap/dubstep and heavy bass styles has had every American "Generation Z" EDMer aware of their existence.

DJ Name: Sweater Beats
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY

For 'Merica:
-Making waves as a musical pioneer of his own proprietary genre, fusing together new age hip-hop/r&b/trap with chilled out synths and subtly paying homage to the LA/Long Beach early '90s Dr. Dre sound.

DJ Name: Candyland
Hometown: Santa Barbra, California

For 'Merica:
-Winning Beatport's remix contest twice consecutively.
-Reworking huge tracks such as “Rattle” by Bingo Players and Skrillex's “Make It Bun Dem,” the latter of which they stacked up over 700,000 Soundcloud plays for.

WORDS: Evan Fasanella