Steve Aoki

Steve Aoki Gets Emotional During Katie Couric Interview

Darren Ressler Leave a Comment

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Katie Couric has worked as a network news anchor and 60 Minutes correspondent, interviewing world leaders and captains of industry. Now her role at Yahoo News has led her to sitting down with Dim Mak head/EDM star Steve Aoki.

To Couric’s credit, she’s extremely well prepared by her staff about electro-house, bootlegs and Aoki’s past. Likewise, Aoki is articulate and likable.

When asked about his early bootlegs, Aoki tells a surprised Couric that SoundCloud is filled with unsanctioned interpretations of songs.

While he is a bit of a buffoon on stage — there’s lots of time in the conversation devoted to why he “cakes” his fans — Aoki choked up when Couric brought up his father, Benihana founder Rocky Aoki, who passed away in 2008.

Aoki reiterates his often-told story about living from hand to mouth for much of his adult life when he moved to Los Angeles, trying to make a go of his party/label and DJ career. Seeing his son struggling to make “$100 here, $100 there” led him to suggest other career options for his son.

Choking back tears Aoki said, “In 2008 he finally got to a place where he was like, I don’t have to worry about you…that was nice to get to a place where I was like, Dad, I made it.”

3 Die During Steve Aoki DJ Set in Madrid

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At least three people have died during Steve Aoki‘s DJ set yesterday at Thriller Music Park in Madrid. According to reports, the deaths at the Halloween party that drew over 20,000 happened when a tightly packed dance floor turned into a dangerous crowd crush. According to witnesses quoted in El País (via LA Weekly) passages and exits became overwhelmed during Aoki’s set as people tried to move on and off the dance floor. A similar tragedy happened in 2010 at Love Parade in Duisburg, Germany, a city of roughly 500,00 people just north of Duesseldorf.

Aoki has issued the following statement about the tragedy: “After my performance last night at Thriller Music Park at the Madrid Arena in Spain, I was devastated to hear that three people had died during a crowd rush at one of the exits. The safety of my fans has always been my top priority and had I known that there was any distress putting people in jeopardy within the venue I would have ended my show immediately. My show in Bilbao, Spain tonight will be cancelled out of respect for those who lost their lives and those who are injured. I would like to express my deepest condolences and heart felt prayers to the families and loved ones during this difficult time.”

The promoter of the Thriller Music Park event has also issued a statement: “The triggering of events was apparently launched by an assistant flaming a flare in one of nine vomitory access, not on Centre Court. The promoter stressed that the Madrid Arena was not filled beyond recommended capacity, saying, in part, “The capacity certified by the foreign company access control was below the required capacity for this event.”

Big Shot Guest Mix: Rebel Sonix

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London trio Rebel Sonix — Larry Holcombe, Al Swettenham and Phil ‘G’ Guest — possess a diverse sound encompassing moombahton, moombahcore, dubstep, dancehall and drum ‘n’ bass. With releases on labels such as Eight Fx and Quantum, and high profile remixes of artists such as John B, the trio’s latest re-rub for Johnny Wore Black’s “Up In Flames” is notable in that the track features Megadeth’s David Ellefson on bass. On their 21-track Big Shot Guest Mix Rebel Sonix dip into their deep library, offering up their JWB remix and big tunes from Diplo, Iggy Azelea and Steve Aoki and Baauer. Download and enjoy.

Big Shot Guest Mix: Rebel Sonix
Mixed using Serato, Korg Monotron, Monotron Delay and iPhone Dub Siren

1. Urban Knights / “Jamaica to Miami” (Rebel Sonix Moombahton remix) (TopBillin)
2. Milo & Otis / “Siren (Just One)” (Free DL)
3. Diplo ft. Billy the Gent & Long Jawns / “Butters Theme” (Mad Decent)
4. Pete Jordan / “Cuzeyeneedat” (Rebel Sonix remix) (Bass=Win)
5. Rebel Sonix / “Druma 45” (CDR)
6. Rebel Sonix vs Geek Boy ft. Whiskey Pete / “Get On It” (Illeven:Eleven)
7. Iggy Azelea, Steve Aoiki / “Beat Down” (Ultra Music)
8. Diplo / “Set It Off” ft. Lazerdisk Party Sex (Mad Decent)
9. Sinden and Natalie Storm / “Wheel Up, Pull Up” (Grizzly)
10. Lady Chann ft Adiyam / “Darkness” (JWLS remix)/Vybz Kartel / “Bubble Hard” (Recreational Riot Records/TJ Records) (Rebel Sonix mashup)
11. Chan Dizzy / “21 Gun Salute” (So Shifty remix) (Free DL)
12. Crookers / “Bust Em Up” (Southern Fried)
13. Partysquad / “Go Down Low” + Iggy Azelea / “My World” (Partysquad remix) (Spinnin Records/Free DL) (Rebel Sonix mashup)
14. Partysquad amd Punish / “Pull Up 2012” (Spinnin Records)
15. Shlatzofbronx / “Chambucu” (Mad Decent)
16. Baauer / “Harlem Shake” (Jeffries)
17. Baauer / “Yeow” (Jeffries)
18. Benny Page & Zero G / “Stamina” / Dreadsquad and Lady Chann / “Money a dem god Acapella” (High Culture/Supafly)
19. Benny Page and Mr. Williamz / “Top Rank Skank” (High Culture)
20. Johhny Wore Black / “Up In Flames” (Rebel Sonix remix) (Dead Cherry)
21. Switchblade Disco / “Crucifiction” (Rogue Beatz)

DJs Don’t React to Forbes’ Highest-Paid DJ List on Twitter

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DJs regularly take to Twitter to express their feelings — to promote an upcoming release or show, vent or share thoughts or be a little silly with their followers. With Forbes (a business new and financial publication that’s become obsessed with DJ culture) recently publishing its list of highest-paid DJs (see below), we thought Twitter would be awash with commentary — both positive, negative and indifferent — from DJs.

Well, we scoured Twitter looking for opinions on the aforementioned topic and came up empty.

Aside from a congratulatory tweet from Dillon Francis and retweets of the article by Addison Groove and Funkmaster Flex, even the most opinionated jocks were silent on Forbes‘ list. Even more curious was that not one DJ had a word to say about DJ Pauly D of MTV’s Jersey Shore fame earning an estimated $11 million.

Perhaps the old proverb is true after all: when money speaks, the truth is silent.

Forbes’ List of Top-Paid DJs

1. Tiësto: $22 million
2. Skrillex: $15 million
3. Swedish House Mafia: $14 million
4. David Guetta: $13.5 million
5. Steve Aoki: $12 million
6. Deadmau5: $11.5 million
7. DJ Pauly D: $11 million
8. Kaskade: $10 million
9. Afrojack: $9 million
10. Avicii: $7 million