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DJ Mag Top100 DJs
11
Steve Aoki
2

From: Newport Beach, California, USA
DJ style: “The Touch of Death.”
Best known for: “Bringing forth the Neon Future. The third chapter, to be exact.”
Fave tune of 2018: “BTS ‘Fake Love’.”
Breakthrough DJ/producer of 2018: “Riot Ten.”

Hectic is an inadequate description for Steve Aoki’s schedule in 2018 — a year that saw him play everywhere from Romania to Iceland, Japan to Dubai, and fit in lots of studio time along the way. The EDM boss started the year with a new EP, ‘5OKI’, featuring hook-ups with stadium dance names Hardwell, Quintino, LOOPERS, Vini Vici and Laidback Luke. He also continued his commitment to cross-pollinating trap with dance, collaborating with rapper Lil Yachty again on ‘Pretender’ (after their previous track together, ‘Night Call’). Back in August, Aoki announced that his forthcoming album, ‘Neon Future III’, will feature another popular MC, Nicki Minaj, as well as poppunks Blink-182.

In order to keep up with the many demands of his diary, Aoki has a set of philosophies that enable him to dodge industry pitfalls, and he has some words of advice for fellow DJs.

“In general, always work on bettering yourself,” he says. “Be kind to people as well. The more good vibes you put out, the more good vibes you receive.”

Words: BEN MURPHY