#dj deeon

DJ Deeon & DJ Funk - Let It Be House

The 21st name mentioned in Daft Punk’s “Teachers” was DJ Deeon, yet another ghetto house DJ from Chicago.

DJ Deeon was born Deeon Boyd in 1966 on Chicago’s South Side, where he absorbed the city’s early house music and street party culture. In the mid '80s he began experimenting with drum machines, pressing his own tracks to play at neighborhood events. By the early ‘90s he was releasing a steady stream of singles on the influential Dance Mania label, helping define the gritty, minimal sound that became known as ghetto house and earning a reputation as one of the genre’s true pioneers.

During the mid '90s to mid '00s peak, DJ Deeon hit his stride, releasing a nonstop flow of 12-inch singles--lots of tracks with the word “Freak” in the title, blended machine-tight drum patterns with playful, raunchy lyrics. In this period his records travelled far beyond Chicago basements, shaping club culture in Europe and inspiring the raw edges of later juke, footwork, and modern house producers.

DJ Deeon passed away on July 18, 2023, at the age of 56 after years of serious health problems, including cancer, multiple strokes, and the amputation of a leg. His legacy is that of someone who distilled Chicago’s party culture into a unique sound, ensuring his name remains synonymous with the city’s underground spirit.

If you only listen to…

…one song: "Akceler-8" (1994)

…one album: Funk City (1994)

…one compilation: Lost Tracks (2024)