Within hip-hop DJing and turntablism circles Mix Master Mike is a legend of epic proportions. As a record producer, multiple DMC champion, Grammy winner and versatile collaborator, Mike’s meticulous dedication to his craft throughout 30+ years behind the decks have cemented his place as one of the best DJs in history.
The San Francisco native began performing at the highest level in the early 90s, deploying his precise, impactful and low-end driven style to secure his first DMC title as part of the Rock Steady collective. As well as teaming up with the legendary Q-Bert, a duo considered by some to be almost too dominant, Mike made perhaps his biggest mark on popular music with the Beastie Boys, lending his unmistakable scratching and production wizardry to three of the group’s albums, earning him two Grammys, platinum recording status and several Billboard 200 appearances. Throughout this time, Mike consistently refused to shy away from curveball collaborations, working with Blink-182’s Travis Barker, Ozzy Osbourne and Joss Stone, while contributing to a posthumous compilation celebrating the music of Fela Kuti aimed and raising money and awareness to tackle AIDS around the world.
Though Mike’s influence on ‘90s hip-hop and scratch DJing will likely be his most enduring, the last decade has been no less illustrious. With an induction to the Rock ‘n Roll Hall Of Fame in 2012, an invitation by Barack Obama to perform at the White House in 2016 and an invitation to become an active member of pioneering hip hop outfit Cypress Hill in 2018, Mix Master Mike’s time at the top is far from over.
