DJ/producer/remixer Manuel Anthony Napuri, known professionally as Prince Quick Mix or PQM, died on March 15, 2021, from ALS.
In 2019, a GoFundMe campaign was launched to help Napuri after he was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND).
Napuri began his career DJing block parties in Queens, NY. After receiving notoriety for his work with rap outfit the Nubian Crackers, he gravitated toward house music.
I vividly remember the buzz from his 1997 tribal-house rendition of Led Zeppelin’s “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You.” Back then, dance-rock mashups were becoming popular but Napuri’s masterful re-rub elevated the style to a new level.
Later on, he focused his sound on a progressive-house signature. His 2001 prog-house effort “The Flying Song” featuring Cica also became a massive hit. These huge tracks — many of which were licensed to top DJ mix compilations — allowed Napuri to tour internationally.
After becoming a resident of Melbourne, Australia, Napuri went on to helm the Friday Night Live mix show on KISS-FM and release records on various dance music labels including Yoshitoshi, Institution Online and Spin Out.
“Nothing is better than seeing the crowd’s reaction to a track you just made hours ago,” he said once in a 2003 interview. “It keeps your instincts on point.”