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Los Angeles-based DJ and producer Destructo has been around for a while, and has a surprising reach. Born Gary Richards, he was the CEO and founder of HARD Events, and he also worked A&R under Rick Rubin's Def American Recordings.
Over the decades, he brought Basement Jaxx, Lords of Acid, Deadmau5, Justice, and many more to mainstream exposure. At the height of the 2010s EDM craze, he focused on his electronic music and promotion of HARD concerts with friends like Skrillex and Diplo. He also remixed such diverse acts as Giorgio Moroder, Warren G, Depeche Mode, Rob Zombie, Major Lazer, and Rick James. In addition to his executive responsibilities, he spun as a DJ, adopting the moniker Destructo in the mid-'90s. He released a trio of EPs on OWSLA/Boysnoize: Technology (2012), Higher (2013), and West Coast (2014), which featured an impressive roster of guest spots by Problem, YG, Too $hort, Kurupt, Ty Dolla $ign, and Warren G. He continued to drop singles in the following years, including "Shipfam" featuring Anna Lunoe and Sgt. Buzzkill and "4 Real" featuring past collaborator Ty Dolla $ign and iLoveMakonnen. The next year, "All Nite" arrived, featuring E-40, Too $hort, and Iamsu! That track, as well as "4 Real" and "Catching Plays," were compiled onto the 2017 EP Renegade. ~ Neil Z. Yeung, Rovi