10 Things You Didn’t Know About Parisian Powerhouse Producer, DJ Snake
A bonafide hit making machine, DJ Snake will take the decks of Echostage on Saturday, March 3rd. Get tickets to the performance, here.
1.) DJ Snake was a high school dropout
After learning how to DJ at the age of 14, DJ Snake officially withdrew from school one-year later at 15-years-old. He began to work at one of Paris’ most famous record shops instead of attending school. His position at the store led him to encounter several famous DJs and producers.
2.) A film inspired Snake to pursue a career as a DJ
The 1990 French film “La Haine” [“Hate”] featured a scene that would be key to DJ Snake’s quest to become a full fledged DJ. During the scene, character DJ Cutkiller spins from his window to the provincial neighborhood below. DJ Snake credits the scene as the one that would crystallize his desire to be a DJ as a career pursuit.
3.) DJ Snake is somewhat obsessive in the studio
“I make music almost like every day,” the producer remarks, “But I don’t release a lot of music. I like to wait and listen to my music every day—the same records—20 times, 50 times a day.”
4.) DJ Snake is a Gemini
5.) DJ Snake originally started wearing sunglasses during his performances because he was nervous to perform.
The trademark look was the suggestion of DJ Snake’s manager, who advised DJ Snake to put on a pair of sunglasses while performing to minimize the anxiousness that accompanied playing to crowds of thousands. “When I became big I suddenly found myself playing on stage with 200,000 people and that is scary,” Snake notes. “I tried it and it worked,” Snake says of his manager’s advice, “Now people recognize me with my glasses and it helps me feel better—and also to travel incognito.”
6.) DJ Snake got his name from graffiti art
When young, the producer would frequently spray paint graffiti art, always evading the police when officials attempted to apprehend him. The activity led the DJ to earn the nickname of “Snake,” on account of his ability to ‘slither’ away from police. DJ Snake notes that the name “DJ Snake” was a rudimentary moniker upon his career’s start, but not one that he necessarily likes. “When I started DJing, everyone called me ‘Snake’ in my city first, I was like ‘DJ Snake, OK let’s go for it,’” the artist notes, “The name sucks, but it’s too late now.”
7.) DJ Snake opened for Snoop Doog when he was only 18-years-old
Snake then went on to headline the 10th anniversary of Southern California’s Hard Summer Music Festival in 2017, alongside fellow headliners Justice and Snoop Dogg.
8.) DJ Snake’s smash Lil Jon linkup, “Turn Down For What” was originally called “Bang The Underground”
The track also initially featured an audio sample from American rapper, Redman. When it came time to redo the original audio sample, Redman no longer sought to be included on the song. Redman’s rejection of the project led Snake to reach out to Lil Jon, thus cementing the collaboration.
9.) DJ Snake has cited hip-hop tastemakers KRS-One and Cypress Hill as two of his early influences
10.) DJ Snake made history in his hometown, becoming the first person to ever perform atop the Arc de Triomphe in November of 2017
The producer live streamed the performance, debuting the Ed Sheeran co-written hit, “A Different Way” for the first time during the set.
Video Credit: DJ Snake/Facebook