Remembering Bay Area Icon DJ Stef

DJ_Stef

Stephanie Ornelas, better known as DJ Stef, passed away at her San Francisco home on Sunday morning. According to reports, she suffered a heart attack. She was 55.

Ornelas grew up in the Bay Area, attending Concord’s Mt. Diablo High School and San Francisco State University. In the ’90s she founded Vinyl Exchange, a fanzine for record collectors and crate diggers. A talented graphic designer, she was passionate about music and spreading the word both online and in print.

Ornelas had just finished a third-Saturday summer residency at Drake’s Dealership in Uptown Oakland.

There’s been an outpouring of love for Stef on social media, including reflections from El-P, Prince Paul and DJ Z-Trip.

Yehouda Silverman

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