TEKLIFE

In an almost cult-like fashion, the word "Teklife" has become a household name in the international dance music community. What started as a tight group of friends with a common interest in the homegrown Chicago culture known as footwork eventually morphed into a network of artists working in many mediums across the globe. While the beginnings of this art form date back three decades to the early days of house music, the last five years have been some of the most fruitful in the history of the genre, especially with its widespread expansion from its place of origin into the homes of audiences worldwide.

The roots of Teklife were planted when its founders, DJ Rashad and DJ Spinn, met in high school homeroom in the mid-90s. A significant step in launching their movement was the formation of the Ghettoteknitianz in 2006. At that time, the group consisted almost solely of DJs affiliated with footwork crews such as Terra Squad and Taliban. Along with seasoned veterans, the leaders began recruiting younger producers, such as DJ Manny and DJ Earl, to mentor them and help secure the future of their craft for the next generation. This tight-knit crew was the most feared in the footwork world, and membership was granted only to those who proved themselves worthy through their music. In the late 2000s, the term "Teklife" began to refer not only to those who fit this description but also to a larger movement that would take their culture from the streets of Chicago to the rest of the globe.

As the Ghettoteknitianz name was somewhat phased out a few years ago, the newly formed Teklife family grew into a worldwide collective of DJs, dancers, visual artists, vocalists, and more. Rashad, Spinn, and the rest of their peers saw their art form gaining traction, and Teklife became a multimedia movement that has reached almost all corners of the globe. While Chicago will always be the epicenter, footwork is no longer restricted to the Midwest, as membership in the group now spans from Denver to Belgrade. Students of the music from afar were welcomed and transformed into soldiers of this new revolution in modern dance music, creating new hybrids and expansions on the original format birthed in Chicago.

Unfortunately, the community surrounding this music has suffered the great loss of one of Teklife’s founders and most essential figures, DJ Rashad. With heavy hearts, we have mourned his premature death, yet friends and fans from all over the globe continue to keep his legacy alive by spreading the Teklife name worldwide. We miss you, Rashad; you left this earth too soon, but you’ll never be forgotten.