While 2014 was a great year for music one of the shittier moments was the death of DJ Rashad. The global ambassador to Chicago Footwork, DJ Rashad was a regular on the DJ tour circuit and smashed each and every set he played (I personally witnessed more then a few each year). And as usual when tragedies like this strike, right when footwork was beginning to hit mass penetration and the fruits of his labors were about to ripen… That’s not to say his accomplishments have been forgotten. His Teklife crew is keeping the movement alive along with footwork producers that are now worldwide. Machinedrum, a great producer in his own right, has released a tribute album called Movin Forward featuring collaborative work between the two that they were working on before his death(ALL the proceeds are gonna go to his family). Listen to a track off the EP below, along with Machinedrum explaining the project:
DJ Rashad was and still is a legend. Not only was he a Footwork and Juke pioneer but also one of the hardest working DJs and producers I’ve ever met. The dude really never stopped working. He was either globetrotting and spreading the sound of Chicago around the world or in the lab pushing himself to expand his sound further and further. In April 2014 the world lost one of the most inspiring and talented artists of our time. His spirit moves through Teklife, the dancers, his friends and everyone he has touched or influenced.
Over the past few years I’ve been lucky enough to collaborate with Rashad and even be remixed by him. The tracks were never completely finished and seemed impossible to finish after he passed. Eventually I mustered up enough courage to open the sessions and finish them. It is what Rashad would have wanted me to do.
“Movin’ Forward” is a collection of those collaborations plus two exclusive unreleased Machinedrum tracks that were heavily inspired by Rashad and the Teklife crew. I called it “Movin’ Forward” because I know Rashad wants everyone he touched to keep pushing themselves and follow in his footsteps on the path he had been creating all these years. I’m proud to have known him, shared the stage with him and to have collaborated with him. May his sound and spirit continue to inspire and spread through everyones speakers! Teklife to tha next life!!
R.I.P. DJ RASHAD