At a time when the DJ sits firmly at the center of popular culture, A-Trak stands out as the MVP. Very few share his mastery of turntablism while also sitting at the forefront of musical innovation. The DJ (born Alain Macklovitch) hops effortlessly from colossal festival stages to 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, he founded the celebrated label Fool's Gold in 2007 and developed the careers Kid Cudi, Danny Brown and Flosstradamus. As a Grammy-nominated producer, A-Trak's seminal mix of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' "Heads Will Roll" introduced an entire generation to dance music. Duck Sauce, his supergroup with Armand Van Helden, flipped the bird to chart-topping formulas and hit #1 with "Barbra Streisand".
Not bad for a kid from Montreal who was once known as a 90's turntable prodigy. As a teenager, he won every DJ battle known to man, starting with the 1997 DMC World DJ Championships and holding 5 titles by the age of 18.
A-Trak shaped the image of the modern multi-tasking DJ -- equal parts maestro and entrepreneur. His latest endeavor is the Goldie Awards, a new championship for DJs and producers, one that reflects the evolution of the craft.