AS THE HIGHEST-GROSSING EDM ARTIST IN NORTH AMERICA, STEVE AOKI IS STILL SPINNING SPARK, WRAPPING UP YET ANOTHER JAM-PACKED WORLD TOUR AND DROPPING HIS SEVENTH STUDIO ALBUM

BY MADELYN DAWSON

BORN: The Japanese-American DJ and producer was born in 1977 in Miami, relocating shortly thereafter to Newport Beach, California, where he would spend much of his early life.

BIG BREAK: Aoki’s industrious career began long before he took the electronic music world by storm. By age 20, he had already founded his own record label, Dim Mak, which would go on to support projects by emerging artists including electronic duo MSTRKRFT and English indie rockers Bloc Party. The DJ’s touring antics were what brought him into the spotlight. Aoki would tour intensely and often, and his stage presence never failed to excite, whether he was riding a raft through a packed dance floor or giving an audience member one of his famous “Cake Faces.”

NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Aoki was thrust into stardom after the release of his first solo album, 2012’s Grammy nominated Wonderland, with features from Kid Cudi, Travis Barker, LMFAO, and Rivers Cuomo. He continued his prolific remixing work, collaborating successfully with artists including Linkin Park, Fifth Harmony, The Backstreet Boys, and Cardi B. Aoki now has six full-length studio albums under his belt, including a four-part series of top-40 Neon Future albums, labeled I to IV. He still spins at festivals and clubs alike and will appear before thousands nearly every day through the end of this October. On September 16, Aoki released his seventh full-length LP, HiROQUEST: Genesis.

CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS: With his myriad successes, Aoki makes it a point to engage critically with philanthropy. As a student, Aoki founded a Revolutionary Anti-Imperialist League chapter on campus at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Producer Aoki remixed tracks from classic anarcho-punk band and collective Crass to donate to victims of domestic abuse. It is no surprise, then, that EDM.com placed Aoki at number one on their list of most charitable EDM musicians. Today, Aoki has created his own foundation, raising money for medical research for degenerative brain disorders.

RECORDS HELD: Aoki is the recipient of three Guinness World Records: Longest Crowd Cheer, Most Glow Sticks On For 30 Seconds, and Most Traveled Musician In One Year for his 2014 tour.

Steve Aoki steveaoki.com