Derrick May

Quick Facts

Full Name	Derrick May
Occupation	Club Dj
Date Of Birth	Apr 6, 1963(1963-04-06)
Age	61
Birthplace	Detroit
Country	United States
Birth City	Detroit
Horoscope	Taurus

Derrick May Biography

Derrick May is one of the most popular and richest Club Dj who was born on April 6, 1963 in Detroit, Detroit, United States. Derrick May (born April 6, 1963), also known as Mayday and Rhythim Is Rhythim, is an electronic musician from Belleville, Michigan, United States. May is credited with pioneering techno music in the 1980s along with collaborators Juan Atkins and Kevin Saunderson, commonly known as the Belleville Three.

Opened in 1988, The Music Institute in Detroit was where they held their residency. May describes the place as a spiritual place for music. “We had a young beautiful black crowd and I mean beautiful in the sense of spirit mind and soul. We had white kids coming, Spanish kids coming, gay kids coming, straight kids coming.”

For two years, in 2003 and 2004, he was given control of Detroit’s popular annual electronic music festival. Originally conceived by Carl Craig, Derrick May, produced for 2 years. He named his event Movement, replacing the Detroit Electronic Music Festival along the Detroit city riverfront. Derrick May claims Carole Marvin stole the idea of festival from himself and Carl Craig. Her actions created a rift in the electronic music community in the talking a self-righteous stance, by firing Carl Craig. In 2004, Kevin Saunderson and Ade’ Mainor produced the Festival of Sound Electronically and International Nurtured, in short: Fuse-In for 1 year in 2005. As of 2019, the Detroit Electronic Festival is operated by Paxahau.

May is very much a Detroit Techno Rebel who does not accept oppression as Alvin Toffler noted, “providing the soundtrack to an alternative future—where the people reclaimed technology for the benefit of the community.” “See that is the problem, when people start doing what other people want them to do, they become completely programmed. We refused to be a part of that game.”

May’s production career started in 1987 with the release of a record called “Nude Photo” (co-written by Thomas Barnett), which helped kickstart the Detroit techno music scene. A year later he followed this release with what was to become one of techno’s classic anthems, the seminal track “Strings of Life”, which was named by Frankie Knuckles. It “hit Britain in an especially big way during the country’s 1987–1988 house explosion.” May’s best known track, according to Frankie Knuckles, “just exploded. It was like something you can’t imagine, the kind of power and energy people got off that record when it was first heard. Mike Dunn says he has no idea how people can accept a record that doesn’t have a bassline.” The song was featured in video game Midnight Club: Street Racing

Derrick May Net Worth

Derrick May is one of the richest Club Dj from United States. According to our analysis, Wikipedia, Forbes & Business Insider, Derrick May 's net worth $5 Million. (Last Update: December 11, 2023)

May is an only child born to a single mother in Detroit. May began to explore electronic music early in his life. At age 13, Derrick May began attending Belleville High School, and became friends with Juan Atkins in 1981. After an altercation, May became friends with Saunderson. Atkins taught May and Kevin Saunderson the essence of DJing as well, formed a trio, Deep Space Soundworks, collectively existing to present their favorite music at parties and clubs. In an interview with a French magazine, May explained that people used to laugh at the ideas that they were entertained by Kraftwerk and disco sounds, we did our thing and continued to believe in ourselves, regardless. During high school, Saunderson and Belleville High School classmate Juan Atkins were fans of DJ Charles “The Electrifying Mojo” Johnson.

Derrick was a mentor to many great artists. Among them, Carl Craig and Stacey Pullen have cited the difference between May’s two labels as Transmat being fully devoted to original creation, whereas Fragile is where an artist can utilize more sampling, for a little creative push. May also ran a side-gig collective known as KAOS, a separate and lesser-known endeavor from Deep Space. May’s Transmat Records label was the home of his best material, cuts like “Nude Photo,” “Strings of Life,” “Kaos” and “It Is What It Is,” most produced from 1987 to 1989 as Rhythim Is Rhythim. And though his release schedule all but halted during the 1990s, he continued DJing around the world and helping other artist to release their music honed Transmat into one of the most respected techno labels in the world.

In Surreal Underground Entertainment 1993 America, Carl Craig said he “doesn’t want Americans to look back at the music and think of it as a down point in history. The majority of American artists sent their musical efforts to Europe because it is more accepted by a wider audience.”

Height, Weight & Body Measurements

Derrick May height Not available right now. Derrick weight Not Known & body measurements will update soon.

Who is Derrick May Dating?

According to our records, Derrick May is possibily single & has not been previously engaged. As of December 1, 2023, Derrick May’s is not dating anyone.

Relationships Record : We have no records of past relationships for Derrick May. You may help us to build the dating records for Derrick May!

Facts & Trivia

Derrick Ranked on the list of most popular Club Dj. Also ranked in the elit list of famous people born in United States. Derrick May celebrates birthday on April 6 of every year.

What Is derrick May responsible for?

Derrick May is one of the founding fathers of Detroit techno , a precursor of its many variants and particularly of acid house. His eastethic, skeletal, melancholy style gained him the nickname of “the Miles Davis of techno”. He introduced both a psychological element and a futuristic vision in dance music.

How old is Derrick May?

59 years (April 6, 1963)

Which track is typically considered the first Detroit techno record?

Model 500 – NO UFO’S (1985) This is considered the first “true” techno record and it certainly has a sound and structure that fits with what we hear in modern techno tunes.

Is Derrick May Cancelled?

“Following the recent sexual assault charges targeting DJ and artist Derrick May who was scheduled to take part in our event, we have made the decision to cancel his appearance pending clarification ,” read a statement on September 14th.

What genre is rave?

Rave music may either refer to the late 1980s/early 1990s genres of house, new beat, breakbeat, acid house, techno and hardcore techno , which were the first genres of music to be played at rave parties, or to any other genre of electronic dance music (EDM) that may be played at a rave.