Music industry legend, trailblazer, and currently one of the hottest DJs and producers on the underground electronic music scene, Green Velvet came into existence more than 25 years ago. In 1993, Green Velvet launched Relief Records and has remained a constant presence in the industry ever since.
When the eccentric, green mohawk-wearing Green Velvet emerged, he sent shock waves throughout the house and techno music scenes. Born in the southern suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, he was an active athlete and focused student determined to follow his dream of becoming a chemical engineer.
Following in his father’s footsteps, he began DJing while attending undergraduate school at the University of Illinois and later graduate school at UC Berkeley. Eventually, he realized that while his dream was to become a chemical engineer, his passion and God-given talent were in music. That passion and commitment led him back to his hometown and helped keep Chicago on the house music map.
More than 25 years later, it is still difficult to attend an electronic music festival or set without hearing music from Green Velvet or Relief Records. Crowds everywhere sing along when notable tracks like “Bigger Than Prince,” “Flash,” “La La Land,” “Lazer Beams,” “Live Stream,” “Preacher Man,” “Shake and Pop,” “Sheeple,” “Suga,” and “Voicemail” blast across the airwaves.
Part of the history of Green Velvet and Relief Records is all about love: love of the music, love of the fans, and love of other artists. The label’s long history of releases and collaborations speaks to this, with artists including Carl Craig, Detlef, Eats Everything, Jay Lumen, Mark Knight, Mason Maynard, Mihalis Safras, Patrick Topping, Prok|Fitch, Riva Starr, Shiba San, and GET REAL, the ultimate collaboration between Green Velvet and Claude VonStroke.
One thing is very clear: in this industry, success and change go hand in hand. Staying current with the scene and his fans is paramount. In 2013, “Bigger Than Prince” was voted the #1 Underground Dance Track of the Year by the International Dance Music Awards, and Green Velvet received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Beatport. In 2017, he was voted the #1 DJ in North America by DJ Mag.
In 2018, Relief Records reached #1 Label in Beatport’s Top 100 across all genres, while “Sheeple,” a collaboration between Green Velvet and Prok|Fitch, held down the #1 spot for 8 weeks.
More than 25 years in and going stronger than ever, Green Velvet continues to evolve, innovate, and connect with fans around the world.
