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DJ Deeon

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DJ Deeon
DJ Deeon in 2009
Background information
Birth nameDeeon Boyd
Also known asDebo
Born(1966-10-05)October 5, 1966
Chicago, Illinois
OriginSouth Side, Chicago
DiedJuly 18, 2023(2023-07-18) (aged 56)
GenresGhetto house[1]
Years active1980–2023
LabelsDance Mania

Deeon Boyd (October 5, 1966 – July 18, 2023), known under his stage name DJ Deeon, was an American Chicago house DJ, credited with pioneering ghetto house and helping create the Dance Mania label.[2]

Early life

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Boyd was born in Chicago in 1966. Growing up in a housing project in the South Side, he became interested in electronic music after listening to "Numbers" by Kraftwerk off their 1981 album Computer World, later discovering house mixes on WBMX.[3]

Career

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Boyd started DJing in 1980, with Boyd being influenced by Kraftwerk, John Rocca, and Soulsonic Force.[4][5] He helped with the creation of the Dance Mania label with Ray Barney as well as creating the sound of ghetto house in the Chicago area.[6]

Boyd released his debut EP in 1994, named "Funk City".[7] After "Funk City", he released "Freak Like Me" in 1996, which is regarded as his most successful work.[7] Boyd would continue to release music regarded as classics in the house genre, such as "Bomb 96", "2 B Free", "Wicked", "Back 2 Skool", "House-O-Matic" and "The Freaks".[7][8] He was named in the Daft Punk song "Teachers" from their 1997 album Homework.[9]

In 2015, the record label Numbers reissued four tracks from Boyd in the EP Deeon Doez Deeon!.[10] In 2016, a remix of his track "Freak Like Me" by Lee Walker featuring Katy B and MNEK was released on Defected Records, reaching #80 on the UK Singles Chart.[11] In 2021, Boyd released Destiny on the label Teklife, with the proceeds of the project going to DJ Rashad's family after his death in 2014.[12] Starting from May 5, 2023, Boyd released four EPs over the span of 2 days, those EPs being "Bad Robot", "Glasgow to London", "My CPU" and "Space Age Digital Pimp".[13]

Personal life

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In July 2020, Boyd launched a crowdfunding campaign for his health issues, having no income from gigs due to the COVID-19 pandemic and no disability benefits due to his previous touring.[14] In June 2022, he revealed through his Facebook account that he had gone through amputation and pneumonia and was in an intensive care unit. A GoFundMe had started to cover his medical costs.[15][16] On July 18, 2023, he died of undisclosed causes.[17]

Artistry

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Boyd's style has been described as minimal and raunchy, a staple of the ghetto house genre.[9] He personally described his work as "Get-freaky-with-a-stranger music. Girls kissing girls music. Stress-relief music."[7] He was known for using the Roland TR-909 drum machine as the main backbone of his tracks, the instrument "pushed to the breaking point, asked to provide a waterfall of drum sounds".[18]

Discography

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Singles and EPs by DJ Deeon

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  • Funk City (EP) (Dance Mania, 1994) – incl. "House-O-Matic"[7]
  • "Freak Like Me" (1996)[7][19]
  • Work This M.F. (EP) (DiKi, 1997) – with DJ Puff[20]
  • "Feel Good" / "Akceler 8" (Caution, 1998)[20]
  • "2 B Free"[7]
  • "Let Me Bang" (Databass, 2003) – incl. "Ride This MF"[19]
  • "The Freaks" (Juke Trax, 2005)[7]
  • "Wanna Go Bang" (Drumcode, 2022)[19]
  • "Bad Robot" (2023)[13]
  • "Glasgow to London" (2023)[13]
  • "My CPU" (2023)[13]
  • "Space Age Digital Pimp" (2023)[13]

Music with contributions by DJ Deeon

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  • "Work It" by Dance System – DJ Deeon contributed vocals[7]

References

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  1. ^ Sfetcu, Nicolae (May 9, 2014). Dance Music. p. 181.
  2. ^ Twells, John (May 29, 2017). "FACT mix 603: DJ Deeon". Fact.
  3. ^ ""No one was doing the type of music we were doing": An oral history of Dance Mania". Fact. March 4, 2014. p. 1.
  4. ^ McNamee, Kai (July 18, 2023). "DJ Deeon, influential and iconic Chicago house music DJ, dead at 56". National Public Radio.
  5. ^ "Fifteen Questions Interview with DJ Deeon". Fifteen Questions. August 11, 2018. p. 1.
  6. ^ Martin, Lauren (2015). "Do you like house?". Dazed.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (July 18, 2023). "DJ Deeon, star of Chicago house music scene, dies aged 56". The Guardian.
  8. ^ Duran, Anagricel (July 18, 2023). "Chicago House star DJ Deeon dies aged 56". New Musical Express.
  9. ^ a b Monroe, Jazz (July 18, 2023). "House Innovator DJ Deeon Has Died". Pitchfork.
  10. ^ "Numbers to reissue '90s ghetto house classics from Dance Mania producer DJ Deeon". Fact. February 25, 2015.
  11. ^ "FREAK LIKE ME". Official Charts Company.
  12. ^ Middleton, Ryan (June 18, 2021). "DJ DEEON RELEASES DEBUT TEKLIFE EP 'DESTINY'". Magnetic Magazine.
  13. ^ a b c d e Ross, Gemma (May 9, 2023). "DJ DEEON RELEASES FOUR EPS IN TWO DAYS". Mixmag. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
  14. ^ Middleton, Ryan (July 28, 2020). "DJ DEEON LAUNCHES CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN TO BATTLE HEALTH, ECONOMIC HARDSHIPS". Magnetic Magazin.
  15. ^ "GoFundMe launched for DJ Deeon amid ongoing health issues". DJ Mag. July 27, 2022.
  16. ^ Buckle, Becky (July 27, 2022). "GOFUNDME SET UP FOR DJ DEEON AMID CONTINUING HEALTH ISSUES". Mixmag.
  17. ^ Bain, Kaite (July 18, 2023). "Ghetto House Pioneer DJ Deeon Has Died". Billboard.
  18. ^ CMJ New Music Monthly. CMJ. 1995. p. 48.
  19. ^ a b c "DJ Deeon, ghetto house pioneer, dies · News". Resident Advisor. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  20. ^ a b "Ghetto house legend DJ Deeon has died". The Fader. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
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