A-Trak
Genre: Electronic
Origin: Canada
At a time when the DJ sits firmly at the center of popular culture, A-Trak stands out as MVP, the key participant who holds together all facets of the craft. Very few share his mastery of turntablism while also sitting at the forefront of musical innovation, looking keenly to the future with history tucked in his back pocket. A true connector, Trizzy hops effortlessly from colossal festival stages to sold-out concert venues and sweaty underground clubs, building links between hip hop and electronic music while watching genre barriers crumble.
After spending years as Kanye West’s tour DJ and consigliere, he founded the celebrated record label Fool’s Gold in 2007 and developed the careers of artists such as Kid Cudi, Danny Brown and Flosstradamus. With its string of releases and parties, Fool’s Gold broke down bygone rules of the record industry, paving the way for a new wave of independents and helping to make North American electro a dominating force. As a Grammy-nominated producer, A-Trak’s seminal mix of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ “Heads Will Roll” marked an entire generation’s introduction to dance music. Duck Sauce, his irreverent collaboration with Armand Van Helden, flipped the bird to chart-topping formulas and reached #1 in 12 countries with the ubiquitous “Barbra Streisand”, electronic music’s first true viral music video. A-Trak easily segues from working with EDM’s elite to revitalizing rap superheroes, launching Federal Reserve with Cam’ron and Low Pros with Lex Luger. He casually picked up 3 VMA nominations along the way.
Not bad for a kid from Montreal who was once known as a 90’s turntable prodigy. As a teenager, he brought home every DJ title known to man, starting with the 1997 DMC World Championships and holding a record-breaking 5 titles by the time he was 18. Meanwhile, as his older brother Dave morphed into the lead-singing lothario in the acclaimed electro-pop sensation Chromeo, Alain grew from a nerdy teen who created an elaborate scratch notation system to a bona fide style icon and one of the most recognizable figures in the DJ scene. He recently appeared in campaigns for Adidas, Grey Goose and Cadillac and graced the covers of Billboard and Complex.
Based in New York for close to 10 years now, A-Trak’s interest in the lifestyle of his generation has certainly made its mark. As one of the first blogging DJs, he now regularly contributes to the Huffington Post and owns the travel website Infinite Legroom. Through Fool’s Gold, he cemented his reputation as a cultural curator: the label’s legendary events – most notably the Day Off series – are like a knighting ceremony for new talent; FG has its own clothing line and a Brooklyn storefront which doubles as an art gallery. It’s the accumulation of these projects that defines who A-Trak is. With this sort of breadth to his resumé, it’s no surprise that Rolling Stone named him one of the 50 Most Important People in EDM. Currently focusing on more solo recordings, the ever-young Trizzy continues to write new chapters in his storied career.
