Derrick Carter

Derrick Carter was born in Compton, California, in 1969 but grew up in Chicago's western suburbs, where a family friend known as Good Time Charlie, who DJ'd at family reunions, inspired him to start mixing records at around nine years old. In 1987 he landed a job at the Chicago record store Importes Etc., later working the counter at Gramophone Records, and released his debut single, "Love Me Right," under the name Conception that same year, following it with "Symbols and Instruments" in 1989 alongside Mark Farina and Chris Nazuka as Mood.

As Chicago's first house wave faded in the early '90s, Carter stayed active locally, building residencies at Shelter, Foxy's, and Smartbar, and became part of the city's mid-1990s "second wave" alongside Cajmere, Felix Da Housecat, Chez Damier, and Ron Trent. In 1995 he co-founded the label Classic Recordings with Luke Solomon in London, releasing early tracks as Rednail and under his own name, and moved between Chicago and the UK as the label grew into one of house music's most respected imprints.

He's also founded the label Blue Cucaracha, remixed Chicago post-rock band Tortoise, and released a run of acclaimed mix albums including Pagan Offering in 1998 and Fabric 56 in 2010, becoming known as one of the leading ambassadors of Chicago house alongside forebears like Frankie Knuckles and Ron Hardy.