Derrick Carter
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Derrick Carter (born October 21, 1969) is an American DJ, record producer and musician from
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. He is regarded as one of the bestDERRICK CARTER is the Greatest DJ Of All Time... by RAF RUNDELL of TWO BEARS
YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
underground house key players currently active and is popular in
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Biography

Derrick Carter was born on October 21, 1969, in
Compton, California Compton is a city located in the Gateway Cities region of southern Los Angeles County, California, United States, situated south of downtown Los Angeles. Compton is one of the oldest cities in the county, and on May 11, 1888, was the eighth ci ...
. Growing up, he was influenced by punk, R&B, disco and house. He embarked on his DJing journey at the age of 10. His DJing debut occurred in the seventh grade at a friend's birthday party in 1982, marking the start of a journey that would see him transition from a bedroom DJ to a club sensation. By the age of 16, Carter was already making waves in the club scene. His first significant exposure to a live audience was a game-changer, setting the stage for a career that would revolutionize the house and techno genres. After high school, Carter's journey took him to the
University of Illinois The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC, U of I, Illinois, or University of Illinois) is a public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Champaign–Urbana metropolitan area, Illinois, United ...
in 1987. However, his foray into higher education was short-lived, as the vibrant social scene led him to prioritize partying over academics, resulting in his eventual expulsion. This pivotal moment redirected his focus entirely to music. Returning to Chicago, Carter took up a job at the record store Imports Etc. It was here, amidst the burgeoning house music explosion, that he honed his skills and networked with the who's who of the industry. His first production, "Fantasy Girl," under the moniker Conception, was a stepping stone to his later EP success. In 1988, he released an EP entitled "Mood' with Mark Farina and Chris Nazuka as the group Symbols & Instruments. While the record was not a commercial success, it did have a strong influence on the burgeoning ambient techno movement in England. Particularly, this release garnered attention in the UK, particularly influencing the techno and garage movements. This established Carter as an international figure in the underground house scene. Carter's first international trip in 1991 to perform at club venues marked his entry into the global music scene. His eclectic style and innovative approach quickly gained traction among diverse audiences.


Later years

Carter rarely gives extensive interviews and has kept a low profile since his rise to fame. Before establishing the groundbreaking
record label "Big Three" music labels A record label or record company is a brand or trademark of Sound recording and reproduction, music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a Music publisher, ...
Classic Recordings in 1995 with Luke Solomon and Chez Damier, Carter experienced a series of setbacks with other label ventures. Classic Recordings, renowned for its unique catalog numbering system, starting at #100 and counting down, became a symbol of innovation and resilience in the music industry. Carter's DJ sets are firmly rooted in
black music Music of the African diaspora is a sound created, produced, or inspired by Black people, including Music of Africa, African music traditions and African popular music as well as the music genres of the African diaspora, including some Caribbean mus ...
of the 1970s, frequently giving nods to old school
disco Disco is a music genre, genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the late 1960s from the United States' urban nightclub, nightlife, particularly in African Americans, African-American, Italian-Americans, Italian-American, LGBTQ ...
,
soul The soul is the purported Mind–body dualism, immaterial aspect or essence of a Outline of life forms, living being. It is typically believed to be Immortality, immortal and to exist apart from the material world. The three main theories that ...
and
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
. As a
remixer A remix, also sometimes called reorchestration or rework, is a piece of media which has been altered or contorted from its original state by adding, removing, or changing pieces of the item. A song, piece of artwork, book, poem, or photograph ca ...
, he has worked for a diverse range of artists including The Beloved,
The Human League The Human League are an English synth-pop band formed in Sheffield in 1977. Initially an experimental electronic music, electronic outfit, the group signed to Virgin Records in 1979 and later attained widespread commercial success with their t ...
,
Ricky Martin Enrique Martin Morales (born December 24, 1971), known professionally as Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rican singer, songwriter and actor. He is known for his musical versatility, with his Ricky Martin albums discography, discography incorporati ...
, Boris Dlugosch,
Modjo Modjo was a French house music duo formed in Paris in 1999 by producer Romain Tranchart (born 9 June 1976) and singer Yann Destagnol (born 14 July 1978). They are best known for their biggest hit, " Lady (Hear Me Tonight)", released in 2000, al ...
,
DJ Sneak Carlos Sosa (born November 5, 1969), known as DJ Sneak, is a Puerto Rican-born American DJ and record producer raised in Chicago, Illinois, United States. He is noted as being one of the second wave of Chicago house producers, (alongside Derrick ...
and
Röyksopp Röyksopp () a Norwegian electronic music duo from Tromsø formed in 1998. The duo consists of childhood friends Svein Berge and Torbjørn Brundtland who formed Röyksopp during the Bergen Wave. After experimenting with different Electronic Mu ...
. After a brief hiatus, he returned to production, remixing artists such as Rosie Brown and Truman Industries. In 2006, Carter was named No. 53 in the 100 Most Famous Chicagoans according to a survey (relying mostly on Google hits) by the free weekly newspaper, ''
Newcity Newcity is a media company based in Chicago, founded in 1986 by Brian and Jan Hieggelke." It started as the ''Newcity'' independent, free weekly newspaper in Chicago. Effective March 2017, the founders changed the newspaper into a glossy monthly ...
''. Other house music artists making the cut included
Felix da Housecat Felix da Housecat (born Felix Stallings Jr., August 25, 1971) is an American DJ and record producer, mostly known for house music and electro. Felix is regarded as a member of the second wave of Chicago house. Musical career Early life Stalli ...
(No. 21) and
Frankie Knuckles Francis Warren Nicholls Jr. (January 18, 1955 – March 31, 2014), known professionally as Frankie Knuckles, was an American DJ, record producer, and remixer. He played an important role in developing and popularizing house music, a genre of mus ...
(No. 41). Throughout his career, Carter has been associated with various groups, including Conception, Symbols and Instruments, and Tone Theory. His discography includes influential works like "Mood," "Poverty De Luxe," and "Squaredancing in a Roundhouse," along with numerous memorable singles. Carter's impact extends beyond his productions; his DJ sets are celebrated for their creativity and unpredictability, a trait that has earned him a loyal following worldwide.


Group names

* Conception * Symbols and Instruments * Tone Theory


Discography


Albums

* 1989 ''Mood'' * 1996 ''The Future Sound of Chicago, Vol. 2'' * 1996 ''The Many Shades of Cajual'' * 1997 ''Derrick Carter – The Cosmic Disco'' * 1998 ''Pagan Offering'' * 2001 ''Derrick L. Carter presents: About Now...'' * 2002 ''Squaredancing in a Roundhouse'' * 2003 ''Azuli presents Derrick Carter – Choice – A Collection of Classics'' * 2003 ''Derrick L. Carter – Nearest Hits & Greatest Misses'' * 2003 ''Poverty De Luxe'' * 2004 ''Derrick Carter & Mark Farina – Live at OM'' * 2005 ''Sessions – Mixed by Derrick Carter'' * 2010 ''Fabric 56: Derrick Carter'' *2012 ''Derrick Carter – House Masters''


Singles

* "Fantasy Girl" * "We're Gonna Have A Good Time" / "Release Yourself" * "Cajmere" * "The Sound Patrol" * "Shock Therapy" * "Skylab" * "Tortoise" * "Nü Pschidt" * "Mo Pschidt" * "Dreaming" * "The Unterschrift" * "Where U At?" * "Red Nail – People" * "Squaredancing in a Roundhouse" * "Derrick L. Carter v Freaks – "Legacy" * "Life is Like a Circle"


References


External links


Official website
*
Early 1990s Derrick Carter Mixtapes
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carter, Derrick 1969 births Living people American electronic musicians American house musicians DJs from Chicago House musicians Deep house musicians American electronic dance music DJs