Green Velvet
Green Velvet
Change has been a constant theme throughout the successful career of Green Velvet, but as he has crossed genres, explored themes from the comedic to the serious and changed monikers, the common thread running through the music he has made for nearly two decades is its roots in and dedication to the Chicago House sound.
His first transformation came when he left master’s degree studies in chemical engineering at UC-Berkeley to turn a hobby into a career making music, influenced by the sounds he had been exposed to as a science-fiction-loving, video-game-playing kid whose father was a part-time Chicago DJ.
As Cajmere, he released his inaugural ‘Underground Goodies EP’ in 1991 on his Cajual label, keeping true to the early House sound. He quickly followed it up the next year with the smash hit ‘Coffeepot (It’s Time for the Percolator)’.
Not one to rest on his success, he soon changed things up, teaming with vocalist Dajae for ‘Brighter Days’, a more mellow House tune, this one released by Emotive. That pairing would be his last with a female vocalist until his recent partnership with rapper Kid Sister for ‘Everybody Wants’.
The 17 years in between those two projects witnessed an incredible array of electronic music emanating from this prolific artist, as well as a second label under his direction,Relief. Adopting the persona Green Velvet (not to mention a Day-Glo shock wig) for his techno-oriented pieces and DJ appearances, he became the champion of new wave Chicago beats through the ’90s-known best for hits such as ‘Preacher Man’, ‘Flash’ (a No. 1 U.S. dance hit in 1995), and 1997s laugh-inducing ‘Answering Machine’ The decade ended with his first album, ‘Constant Chaos’ in 1999.
The new century brought a compilation album, Green Velvet, during a brief signing with Warner Bros. Records’ short-livedF-111 imprint, and a production album, ‘Whatever’, on Relief. The punk-inspired ‘Whatever’ explored darker themes than his previous work, including racism (‘When?’), drug use (‘Genedefekt’ and ‘La La Land’), alienation (‘Sleepwalking’) and bending to authority (‘Gat’).
‘La La Land’ went on to become by far the biggest selling track of his career. His live act expanded as he began playing a keytar, with two other musicians – Nazuk and Spaceboy – backing him, playing heavily distorted synths.
The last decade also saw Green Velvet become a fan favorite across Europe, playing to huge crowds at festivals in addition to live radio appearances and club gigs. Numerous side projects and remixes under various names also added to his seemingly nonstop musical output.
In 2005, Green Velvet released his third album, ‘Walk In Love’, which stayed true to the House sound, with a few pop and punk-oriented tracks for good measure, including ‘Come Back’ and ‘Pin-Up Girl’ both of which featured a live guitarist.
The ongoing evolution in the music, career and life of the artist born Curtis Alan Jones in Chicago has been and will continue to be fascinating to watch and experience for his many followers.
His first transformation came when he left master’s degree studies in chemical engineering at UC-Berkeley to turn a hobby into a career making music, influenced by the sounds he had been exposed to as a science-fiction-loving, video-game-playing kid whose father was a part-time Chicago DJ.
As Cajmere, he released his inaugural ‘Underground Goodies EP’ in 1991 on his Cajual label, keeping true to the early House sound. He quickly followed it up the next year with the smash hit ‘Coffeepot (It’s Time for the Percolator)’.
Not one to rest on his success, he soon changed things up, teaming with vocalist Dajae for ‘Brighter Days’, a more mellow House tune, this one released by Emotive. That pairing would be his last with a female vocalist until his recent partnership with rapper Kid Sister for ‘Everybody Wants’.
The 17 years in between those two projects witnessed an incredible array of electronic music emanating from this prolific artist, as well as a second label under his direction,Relief. Adopting the persona Green Velvet (not to mention a Day-Glo shock wig) for his techno-oriented pieces and DJ appearances, he became the champion of new wave Chicago beats through the ’90s-known best for hits such as ‘Preacher Man’, ‘Flash’ (a No. 1 U.S. dance hit in 1995), and 1997s laugh-inducing ‘Answering Machine’ The decade ended with his first album, ‘Constant Chaos’ in 1999.
The new century brought a compilation album, Green Velvet, during a brief signing with Warner Bros. Records’ short-livedF-111 imprint, and a production album, ‘Whatever’, on Relief. The punk-inspired ‘Whatever’ explored darker themes than his previous work, including racism (‘When?’), drug use (‘Genedefekt’ and ‘La La Land’), alienation (‘Sleepwalking’) and bending to authority (‘Gat’).
‘La La Land’ went on to become by far the biggest selling track of his career. His live act expanded as he began playing a keytar, with two other musicians – Nazuk and Spaceboy – backing him, playing heavily distorted synths.
The last decade also saw Green Velvet become a fan favorite across Europe, playing to huge crowds at festivals in addition to live radio appearances and club gigs. Numerous side projects and remixes under various names also added to his seemingly nonstop musical output.
In 2005, Green Velvet released his third album, ‘Walk In Love’, which stayed true to the House sound, with a few pop and punk-oriented tracks for good measure, including ‘Come Back’ and ‘Pin-Up Girl’ both of which featured a live guitarist.
The ongoing evolution in the music, career and life of the artist born Curtis Alan Jones in Chicago has been and will continue to be fascinating to watch and experience for his many followers.
Kaskade
Kaskade
Kaskade, born Ryan Raddon, has solidified his place as one of the most influential figures in electronic music. An eight-time GRAMMY Award nominee, his accolades include a nomination as part of Kx5, a collaboration with fellow producer deadmau5.
In February 2024, Kaskade made history as the first-ever In-Game DJ at the Super Bowl, captivating over 123.4 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. Later that year, in March, he was named Best Male Artist of the Year at the iHeartRadio EDM Awards, while Kx5 took home the award for Best New Group. Continuing his trailblazing journey, in May 2024, Kaskade became the first-ever starting grid DJ at a Formula 1 race in Miami.
Kaskade’s dominance in the sports entertainment arena continued in 2024 with performances at major events, including the X Games in Ventura, CA, a post-Phillies game set in July, and a LIV Golf tournament performance. He also made surprise appearances at Coachella, joining forces with John Summit and Alison Wonderland in 2024, and completing a 3-hour back-to-back set with Idris Elba in 2025.
In October 2024, Kaskade played an unforgettable set in New York City’s Central Park, adding yet another milestone to his remarkable career. His legacy continued a steep growth trajectory in 2023 when Kaskade and deadmau5 graced the cover of Billboard and headlined SXSW. Their groundbreaking show at the LA Memorial Coliseum in 2022
set a record for the largest single-day concert headlined by an electronic artist in North America, according to Pollstar. Billboard also named it the biggest ticketed global headliner dance event of that year.
Kaskade’s fanbase is nothing short of evangelical, thanks to his ability to transcend genres. His collaborations with iconic artists such as Alicia Keys, Jennifer Lopez, Gwen Stefani, and Meghan Trainor showcase a unique talent for creating his signature sound across various musical landscapes. Kaskade continues to make waves in the music industry, and has earned recognition as the original curve bender for dance music.
In February 2024, Kaskade made history as the first-ever In-Game DJ at the Super Bowl, captivating over 123.4 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. Later that year, in March, he was named Best Male Artist of the Year at the iHeartRadio EDM Awards, while Kx5 took home the award for Best New Group. Continuing his trailblazing journey, in May 2024, Kaskade became the first-ever starting grid DJ at a Formula 1 race in Miami.
Kaskade’s dominance in the sports entertainment arena continued in 2024 with performances at major events, including the X Games in Ventura, CA, a post-Phillies game set in July, and a LIV Golf tournament performance. He also made surprise appearances at Coachella, joining forces with John Summit and Alison Wonderland in 2024, and completing a 3-hour back-to-back set with Idris Elba in 2025.
In October 2024, Kaskade played an unforgettable set in New York City’s Central Park, adding yet another milestone to his remarkable career. His legacy continued a steep growth trajectory in 2023 when Kaskade and deadmau5 graced the cover of Billboard and headlined SXSW. Their groundbreaking show at the LA Memorial Coliseum in 2022
set a record for the largest single-day concert headlined by an electronic artist in North America, according to Pollstar. Billboard also named it the biggest ticketed global headliner dance event of that year.
Kaskade’s fanbase is nothing short of evangelical, thanks to his ability to transcend genres. His collaborations with iconic artists such as Alicia Keys, Jennifer Lopez, Gwen Stefani, and Meghan Trainor showcase a unique talent for creating his signature sound across various musical landscapes. Kaskade continues to make waves in the music industry, and has earned recognition as the original curve bender for dance music.
Knock2
Knock2
Knock2 has been captivating the dance music scene ever since the 2021 release of the near-universal bass-house anthem “dashstar*” – a festival banger that has tracked
over 50 million Spotify streams and garnered support from DJs like Tiesto, DJ Snake, Skrillex, and many more. Combining monster grooves with raw party energy and waves
of early 2000’s pop nostalgia, he has created a potent cocktail that is impossible to ignore. Few acts redefine what dance music can be, and even fewer create their own
cultural movement - something that seems to come naturally to the San Diego native.
In 2023, Knock2 launched his debut headline experience ROOM202. A conceptual warehouse show that brings limitless party energy into intimate settings that toured
across the US. After having sold out the initial venues in mere minutes during the presale, the venues were upgraded and more nights added. They sold out again. This ultimately led him to the remarkable achievement of four consecutive sold out nights at the iconic Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles (alongside best friend ISOxo), amassing a total of 20,000 tickets sold. This is an unheard of phenomenon for any artist in their first year of touring, going from just 600 tickets at his debut headline show in 2022, to the second most number of dates ever sold in a row at the Shrine's history in just one, meteoric year.
Thus far this year, the newly minted ‘artist to watch for 2024’ by Spotify’s own mint playlist, knocked down more career milestones, with his first festival headlines at Ultra Music Festival (b2b with RL Grime) and Electric Forest. Knock2 & ISOxo also debuted the return of their highly anticipated collaborative project ‘ISOKNOCK’, at none other than Coachella Music & Arts Festival in Indio California, followed by 2 sold out nights at WAMU Theater in Seattle and a sold out night Under the K Bridge in Brooklyn, NY.
over 50 million Spotify streams and garnered support from DJs like Tiesto, DJ Snake, Skrillex, and many more. Combining monster grooves with raw party energy and waves
of early 2000’s pop nostalgia, he has created a potent cocktail that is impossible to ignore. Few acts redefine what dance music can be, and even fewer create their own
cultural movement - something that seems to come naturally to the San Diego native.
In 2023, Knock2 launched his debut headline experience ROOM202. A conceptual warehouse show that brings limitless party energy into intimate settings that toured
across the US. After having sold out the initial venues in mere minutes during the presale, the venues were upgraded and more nights added. They sold out again. This ultimately led him to the remarkable achievement of four consecutive sold out nights at the iconic Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles (alongside best friend ISOxo), amassing a total of 20,000 tickets sold. This is an unheard of phenomenon for any artist in their first year of touring, going from just 600 tickets at his debut headline show in 2022, to the second most number of dates ever sold in a row at the Shrine's history in just one, meteoric year.
Thus far this year, the newly minted ‘artist to watch for 2024’ by Spotify’s own mint playlist, knocked down more career milestones, with his first festival headlines at Ultra Music Festival (b2b with RL Grime) and Electric Forest. Knock2 & ISOxo also debuted the return of their highly anticipated collaborative project ‘ISOKNOCK’, at none other than Coachella Music & Arts Festival in Indio California, followed by 2 sold out nights at WAMU Theater in Seattle and a sold out night Under the K Bridge in Brooklyn, NY.
Tape B
Tape B
Tape B, born Kemal Berk Alkanat, is a dynamic force in today’s electronic music scene, merging the nostalgic vibes of old-school dubstep with contemporary bass music and hip-hop. Born in Turkey and raised in the U.S. from the age of three, Tape B brings a distinctive sound that captivates with a blend of nostalgia and modernity, termed "Old School x New School."
His musical journey began at the University of Central Florida, influenced by early 2000s hip-hop and electronic pioneers like UKF and The Glitch Mob. His career took a professional turn after a revelatory experience at the Lost Lands Music Festival in 2019. Tape B's rise to prominence was fueled by viral SoundCloud mixes and dynamic live performances, including his iconic "Yo, Tape B" tag which has become a recognizable call throughout modern clubland and festivals.
Achieving significant traction with remixes and original tracks, including the standout "Trippy Land" with Mersiv and Juicy J, “Gas Pedal Remix” with John Summit and Subtronics and “Ganja Tape” with Ganja White Night, Tape B has redefined expectations within bass music. As of 2024, Tape B achieved sellouts of every headline since December 2023, including rapid ticket sales at Denver’s Mission Ballroom and New York’s Great Hall. His introduction of Tape B Block Parties in 2024, as recently showcased across Texas with two sold-out events, has brought classic and modern dubstep brilliance to the forefront, further cementing his influence in the scene.
With plans for a debut album that encapsulates years of sonic exploration and a desire to influence the hip-hop scene more profoundly, Tape B remains a vibrant and influential figure in electronic music. His commitment to innovation, community, and joy through music continues to drive his rapidly ascending career.
His musical journey began at the University of Central Florida, influenced by early 2000s hip-hop and electronic pioneers like UKF and The Glitch Mob. His career took a professional turn after a revelatory experience at the Lost Lands Music Festival in 2019. Tape B's rise to prominence was fueled by viral SoundCloud mixes and dynamic live performances, including his iconic "Yo, Tape B" tag which has become a recognizable call throughout modern clubland and festivals.
Achieving significant traction with remixes and original tracks, including the standout "Trippy Land" with Mersiv and Juicy J, “Gas Pedal Remix” with John Summit and Subtronics and “Ganja Tape” with Ganja White Night, Tape B has redefined expectations within bass music. As of 2024, Tape B achieved sellouts of every headline since December 2023, including rapid ticket sales at Denver’s Mission Ballroom and New York’s Great Hall. His introduction of Tape B Block Parties in 2024, as recently showcased across Texas with two sold-out events, has brought classic and modern dubstep brilliance to the forefront, further cementing his influence in the scene.
With plans for a debut album that encapsulates years of sonic exploration and a desire to influence the hip-hop scene more profoundly, Tape B remains a vibrant and influential figure in electronic music. His commitment to innovation, community, and joy through music continues to drive his rapidly ascending career.
