Hudson Mohawke

Ross Matthew Birchard, known professionally as Hudson Mohawke, was born on February 11, 1986, in Glasgow, Scotland. His early musical journey began by selling happy hardcore mixes as a preteen. By age 15, under the alias DJ Itchy, he became the youngest UK DMC finalist while performing at Glasgow University’s Subcity Radio. During this period, he co-founded the LuckyMe collective with childhood friends, adopting the stage name Hudson Mohawke after a statue. His unique sound mixed J Dilla-esque instrumental hip-hop, space-age R&B, and oldskool rave euphoria, characterized by a glitchy, turntablist style that evolved into trap-hop.

In 2007, Birchard attended the Red Bull Music Academy in Toronto, where he met Steve Beckett of Warp Records, leading to a record deal two years later. His debut album, “Butter,” was released in 2009 on Warp Records. The same year, he contributed to the “Warp20 (Recreated)” compilation. In 2012, he formed the duo TNGHT with Canadian producer Lunice, releasing an eponymous EP that gained international attention and was performed at major events like Coachella. That year marked a significant turning point as he signed with Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music production team, contributing to the compilation “Cruel Summer” (2012) and West’s album “Yeezus” (2013). This led to collaborations with artists such as Pusha T, Drake, A$AP Rocky, and Lil Wayne.

Birchard continued his solo career with albums “Lantern” (2015) and “Cry Sugar” (2022), both on Warp. He also composed the original soundtrack “Ded Sec” for the video game “Watch Dogs 2” (2016). In 2016, he collaborated with Anohni on her album “Hopelessness.” His 2011 song “Cbat” gained viral attention in 2022 through social media. Birchard’s career is marked by his ability to blend diverse musical genres, maintaining creative freedom while working with mainstream artists and influencing popular music styles.