Derrick Carter is widely acknowledged as one of the better DJs in the world. With innovative productions, flawless technical skills and an effortlessly joyful attitude of rocking a crowd, his influence has infiltrated throughout the spectrum of dance music.

Although known as one of the key players of Chicago’s house music wave in the ’90s, Derrick Carter began DJ’ing at the age of nine, spinning disco records at family reunions. Raised in the western suburbs, Derrick was into music from a young age; during his teens Chicago’s house scene sucked him in for good and before long he became a strong presence in the city’s underground dance scene.

Derrick’s sets are rooted in house, but he freely travels outside conformative club tastes, seamlessly incorporating old-school disco, soul, jazz, and whatever else catches his fancy to jack the beat and rock the party.

By refusing to accept conventional standards and instead choosing to simply do his own thing he has built a worldwide reputation as one of the underground pioneers, becoming a major celebrity among dance-music aficionados. “So many people come up to me and say, ‘Man, I had the worst day. My girlfriend left me, I locked my keys in my car, but you turned me for two hours, and that made me able to get up in the morning.’ That’s the best thing going.”