Champagne spittin’, poker playin’, and DJ genius, Steve Aoki has come a long way from throwing impromptu concerts in his living room back in his UC Santa Barbara years. True glory comes when you get your own label. Not that Aoki “got” anything handed to him. He founded Dim Mak Records in 1996 and built it grassroots and up. Since then, he’s been feeling the California love and has signed a number of artists, including rising stars Robbie Rivera and Datsik.
“Some people think I’m being ironic, but I like everything I play,” says Aoki. “I like hip-hop and respect hip-hop just as much as I do rock. It’s the music I always wanted to DJ.”
Each day the label drops the latest beats from their artists on their official website/blog, DimMak.com, where they even sell official merch. Included the Dim Mak Logo tank Aoki wore at the MTVU Woodie Awards – hmmm, we bet it smells like champagne and sweat. Yummie!
Find Dim Mak at Electric Zoo 2012:
Saturday, September 1
Riverside: Steve Aoki, Datsik, Autoerotique, Dirtyphonics, Felix Cartel, Mustard Pimp
Sunday, September 2
Hilltop Arena: Bloody Beetroots, Peace Treaty
Mainstage: Clockwork
Fun Fact:
Dim Mak Records is named after Aoki’s childhood hero, Bruce Lee.