When J Dilla passed away, budding artists worldwide sought to honor his legacy and his techniques through reference and mimicry. Everyone from Chaz of Toro Y Moi to Mac Miller wanted to pay homage to The Ummah, either in name dropping Dilla in interviews or in those little triggers in production that became synonymous with Detroit’s greatest export since the Model-T. Much like Dilla altered a generation’s sound with his absence, the passing of Chicago’s DJ Rashad feels like once again the rest of the world will be playing catch up on an innovator who never got to see his body of work reach its highest plateau before departing from this lifetime. Like Dilla, Rashad has understudies and a Teklife crew to keep his legacy alive.
Just shy of 20, Dante Sanders aka DJ Taye, is already being heralded as the definitive protégé and next-gen heir to the legacy of Chicago’s legendary Teklife crew.
The star of our recent feature on the future of a scene rocked by the recent death of footwork pioneer DJ Rashad, he’s been busy releasing left and right, spinning the local dance circuit and riding on the wave of his recent TAR-curated EP TEK x TAR Vol. 3.
However, he took some time out of his busy schedule to curate a Friday Night mix of some “favorite sounds from my bros and most of the recent stuff I’ve been working on for upcoming releases.” Filled with samples from fellow Teklife collaborators ranging from Taso to Traxman, all mixed with a wonky touch that’s definitively his own, it’s a sneak peek that’ll keep you going until the Saturday sun comes up.
DJ Taye’s “Teklife Til Infinity” tracklisting:
01 DJ Taye – Tlife Run It
02 Taye – Kushinmylungz
03 Taye x Earl x Heavee – MoonBass
04 DJ Earl ft DJ Rashad & DJ Taye – Bombaklot (Out on Hyperdub 10.1)
05 Taye – T.R.O.Y. VIP
06 Rashad x Spinn x Taso – CREAM VIP
07 Taye x Earl – Killin’ My Vibe
08 DJ Rashad – Its Time
09 Heavee – Mooon
10 Taye – Drop
11 Taye – Fuck ‘Em
12 Earl – Dat Bag
13 Taye – She A Thot
14 Taye – 2 Thumbs Down
15 Earl x Taye – Do This Again
16 Earl x Taye – Wurkin The Bass
17 Earl x Taye – Yo Monkey Ass
18 DJ Rashad – Lazer
19 Taye x Rashad – Burnt
20 Traxman x Manny – Down Remix
21 Taye – New Age
22 Taye x Manny – Save A Hoe