Ape Drums

Eric Alberto-Lopez, professionally known as Ape Drums, is a genre-bending DJ and producer whose journey from cassette tape daydreams to global festival stages has been anything but ordinary. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, the Mexican-American artist first fell in love with music at an early age, obsessively dissecting tracks while listening to music and teaching himself how songs were built. Fascinated by the sounds and structures of the songs he grew up listening to, he taught himself how to arrange music—long before he had access to proper gear. He always had a sense of what people wanted to hear, instinctively tailoring his ideas to move the crowd.
Originally dreaming of becoming a scratch DJ, Ape Drums shifted his path after watching The Martinez Brothers—two young Latin kids just like him—DJing on gear he had never seen before. It was 2008, and something clicked. Deep-diving into the world of electronic music and EDM culture, he began building his career, driven by the belief that he, too, could make it. What started as a duo project with a friend, eventually became Eric’s solo artistic identity. He got an early boost connecting with the Major Lazer crew via Twitter, all while building his own global presence through solo world tours as Ape Drums, known for his high-energy dancehall and dance music sets. His momentum and unique sound eventually caught Major Lazer’s attention, leading to collaborations and opening slots at their shows. That relationship flourished over time and in 2019, Ape Drums was officially asked to join the group. For him, being part of Major Lazer isn’t just a creative collaboration—it’s an immersive experience. From the high-energy shows to the behind-the-scenes lessons on navigating life on tour, it’s a chapter he considers one of the most enriching of his career.
Now based in Miami, Ape Drums has spent the last eight years sharpening his sound and redefining his identity. While he first made waves producing Caribbean-influenced electronic music, his evolution has taken him through EDM and now into a bold new era of Afro-tech and Afro-house. His sound is darker, rawer, and globally inspired. Though Mexican music was always around him, he grew up listening to a wide range of genres—from heavy metal and rock en español to R&B and ’90s dance music—all of which helped shape his ear and spark his early passion for production. Over time, he began chasing new textures and cultural hybrids, blending reggaeton, funk, and electronic elements to craft a sound that’s distinctly his own. Ape Drums credits much of his artistic vision to dance. His first passion was breakdancing, and it taught him to feel music in his body before ever producing it. That intuitive sense of rhythm continues to guide his creative process today.
Influenced by pioneers like Steve Angello, Swedish House Mafia, Carl Cox, and Erick Morillo, Ape Drums has built a signature style rooted in innovation, rhythm, and instinct—drawing from the energy and finesse of the DJs who shaped his approach to music. His breakout moment came in 2014, when RL Grime booked him to perform at HARD Day of the Dead—his first major crowd and a turning point in his live career. Currently, Ape Drums is dropping new singles monthly and contributing to the next wave of Major Lazer’s sound. At its core, Ape Drums makes music he wants to dance to. Music that feels good. And that, he believes, is the most powerful way to make others feel it too.