Mehdi Favéris-Essadi (20 January 1977 – 13 September 2011), better known by his stage name DJ Mehdi, was a French hip hop and
house music
House is a music genre characterized by a repetitive Four on the floor (music), four-on-the-floor beat and a typical tempo of 120 beats per minute. It was created by Disc jockey, DJs and music producers from Chicago metropolitan area, Chicago' ...
producer and DJ. He was signed to the label
Ed Banger Records
Ed Banger Records (sometimes referred to as Ed Rec) is a French electronic music record label founded by Pedro Winter in 2003 as a division of Headbangers Entertainment. It focuses on house music, particularly French house, as well as alternati ...
, founded by his friend
Pedro Winter
Pedro Winter (born Pierre Winter; 21 April 1975), also known by the stage name Busy P, is a French record producer, DJ, record label owner, and former artist manager. After being the manager of Daft Punk from 1996 to 2008,Tunisian background in
Hauts-de-Seine
Hauts-de-Seine (; ) is a Departments of France, département in the Île-de-France Regions of France, region, Northern France. It covers Paris's western inner Banlieue, suburbs. It is bordered by Paris, Seine-Saint-Denis and Val-de-Marne to the e ...
, the northwestern suburbs of Paris. He was a former disc jockey of the groups Different Teep (ex-group of and Lil Jahson),
Idéal J
Idéal J originally Idéal Junior was a French rap group with members from Val-de-Marne and was active in the 1990s until its dissolution in 2001. It released two albums: '' O'riginal MC's sur une mission'' in 1996 and '' Le combat continue'' in 19 ...
and former member of the collective the Mafia K'1 Fry. He was also a long time the quasi-appointed producer of the group 113 and carried out nearly all the production of the albums for Different Teep and Karlito. Amid his work, Mehdi had remixed various electronic acts and composition soundtracks for many French and international films.
After having been recognized for his efforts and budding into one of the French underground hip hop music scene's premier producers, DJ Mehdi henceforth pushed boundaries by mixing hip hop and electronic music. He collaborated with such notable artists as
Daft Punk
Daft Punk were a French electronic music duo formed in 1993 in Paris by Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo. Widely regarded as one of the most influential acts in dance music history, they achieved popularity in the late 1990s as p ...
MC Solaar
Claude M'Barali, professionally known as MC Solaar (; born 5 March 1969), is a French rapper of Senegalese and Chadian origin. He is one of France's most famous and influential hip hop artists. Some consider him the best French rapper of all t ...
,
Futura 2000
Leonard Hilton McGurr (born November 17, 1955), known as Futura, and formerly known as Futura 2000, is an American graffiti artist.
Biography
He started to paint illegally on New York City's subway in the early 1970s, working with other artist ...
,
Asian Dub Foundation
Asian Dub Foundation (ADF) is an English electronic music band that combines musical styles including rap rock, dub, dancehall, ragga, and South Asian music. The group also includes traditional rock instruments such as electric bass and gui ...
and
Chromeo
Chromeo is a Canadian electro-funk duo from Montreal, formed in 2002 by musicians David "Dave 1" Macklovitch and Patrick "P-Thugg" Gemayel. Their sound draws from blue-eyed soul, dance music, rock, synth-pop, disco and funk.
, the band has rele ...
among others. "Coming from a rap music background, it's always nice to collaborate within other music genres…Paris is very inspiring because a lot of people are making great stuff, music and in other arts related fields also. My music and philosophies revolve around beats and blues, that's how I would try to describe it."
Signing to cross-genre label
Ed Banger Records
Ed Banger Records (sometimes referred to as Ed Rec) is a French electronic music record label founded by Pedro Winter in 2003 as a division of Headbangers Entertainment. It focuses on house music, particularly French house, as well as alternati ...
, Mehdi and
Pedro Winter
Pedro Winter (born Pierre Winter; 21 April 1975), also known by the stage name Busy P, is a French record producer, DJ, record label owner, and former artist manager. After being the manager of Daft Punk from 1996 to 2008,indie
Indie is a short form of "independence" or "independent"; it may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Gaming
*Independent video game development, video games created without financial backing from large companies
*Indie game, any game (board ...
and
electronic music
Electronic music is a genre of music that employs electronic musical instruments, digital instruments, or circuitry-based music technology in its creation. It includes both music made using electronic and electromechanical means ( electroac ...
, popularization by
Timbaland
Timothy Zachery Mosley (born March 10, 1972), known professionally as Timbaland, is an American record producer, rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. He has received widespread acclaim for his innovative production work and distinc ...
and other labels from the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
in more recent years helped to bridge the gap between dance genres.
Mehdi's single "I Am Somebody" was used in a 2007 American commercial for
XM Radio
XM Satellite Radio (XM) was one of the three satellite radio (SDARS) and online radio services in the United States and Canada, operated by Sirius XM, Sirius XM Holdings. It provided pay-for-service radio, analogous to subscription cable televisi ...
. More recently, DJ Mehdi was part of a group of friends and DJ's collectively known as "Club 75" which includes Cassius,
Busy P
Pedro Winter (born Pierre Winter; 21 April 1975), also known by the stage name Busy P, is a French record producer, DJ, record label owner, and former artist manager. After being the manager of Daft Punk from 1996 to 2008,Xavier de Rosnay
Justice is a French electronic music duo consisting of Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay. The duo's label is Ed Banger Records, managed by Pedro Winter. Justice is known for incorporating a strong rock influence into their music and image.
Th ...
(Justice). In 2010, he launched a project in collaboration with
Riton
Riton may refer to:
* Riton (musician) (born 1978), recording name of electronic musician Henry Smithson
* Riton (duet), a Bulgarian pop duet,
* Riton Liebman (born 1964), Belgian comedian, actor and director
* Lutfor Rahman Riton, Bangladeshi wr ...
, a close friend, titled "".
Mehdi, being a fan of the late
J Dilla
J, or j, is the tenth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its usual name in English is ''jay'' (pronounced ), with a now-uncommon varia ...
, created a mixtape tribute entitled "Loukoums", which was released in 2006. The mixtape is based on the concept of J Dilla's instrumental album ''
Donuts
A doughnut or donut () is a type of food made from leavened fried dough. It is popular in many countries and is prepared in various forms as a sweet snack that can be homemade or purchased in bakeries, supermarkets, food stalls, and fra ...
'', released the same year. In regards to the mixtape's direction, theme, and concept, Mehdi stated:
"Based on the DONUTS album concept, these are demos, out-takes and unreleased gems from various records I worked on before and during the making of LUCKY BOY, my next album. Stuff comes from MEGALOPOLIS, 113 DEGRES and SHEITAN soundtrack mainly, but some is older too. Hope you enjoy these rough mixes and un-polished sounds, as I pay hommage to 'one of the greatest minds to ever make beats': Mr. James Yancey, better known as JAY DEE, also known as DILLA."
Since the death of DJ Mehdi in 2011, this mixtape (initially pressed in 200 copies for promotional and family framework) is now available for free on the
Ed Banger Records
Ed Banger Records (sometimes referred to as Ed Rec) is a French electronic music record label founded by Pedro Winter in 2003 as a division of Headbangers Entertainment. It focuses on house music, particularly French house, as well as alternati ...
' Soundcloud page.
Death
Mehdi died on 13 September 2011, when the
skylight
A skylight (sometimes called a rooflight) is a light-permitting structure or window, usually made of transparent or translucent glass, that forms all or part of the roof space of a building for daylighting and ventilation purposes.
History
Open ...
of his Paris home collapsed while he was celebrating Riton's birthday with a group of friends on the roof. Mehdi was the only fatality, while three others were injured.
Discography
Albums
;Ideal J
*''Original Mc's '' (1996)
*' (1998)
;113
*' (1998)
*' (1999)
*' (2002)
;Karlito
*' (2001)
;Mapei
*''Cocoa Butter Diaries'' (2009)
;Solo work
*''The Story Of Espion'' (2002)
*' (2005)
*''Loukoums'' (2006)
*''Lucky Boy'' (2006)
*Lucky Boy at Night (2007)
113 113 may refer to:
*113 (number), a natural number
*AD 113, a year
* 113 BC, a year
*113 (band), a French hip hop group
* 113 (MBTA bus), Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority bus route
* 113 (New Jersey bus), Ironbound Garage in Newark and run ...
– "" (Remix)
* 1998 Fabe – "" (DJ Mehdi Remix)
* 1999 Cassius – "Feeling for You" (Cambridge Circus Mix)
* 2000 Joakim Lone Octet – "Oleg Dans Les Bois" (DJ Mehdi Remix)
* 2000 Manu Key – "" (Remix)
* 2001
Akhenaton
Akhenaten (pronounced ), also spelled Echnaton, Akhenaton, ( egy, ꜣḫ-n-jtn ''ʾŪḫə-nə-yātəy'', , meaning "Effective for the Aten"), was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh reigning or 1351–1334 BC, the tenth ruler of the Eighteenth Dy ...
– "K (AKH)" (DJ Mehdi Remix/DJ Mehdi Instrumental Remix)
* 2002 Next Evidence – "Dance On" (DJ Mehdi Remix/DJ Mehdi's Dub)
* 2002 Etienne de Crécy – "Out of My Hands" (DJ Mehdi Remix)
* 2003
Asian Dub Foundation
Asian Dub Foundation (ADF) is an English electronic music band that combines musical styles including rap rock, dub, dancehall, ragga, and South Asian music. The group also includes traditional rock instruments such as electric bass and gui ...
Wayne Shorter
Wayne Shorter (born August 25, 1933) is an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Shorter came to prominence in the late 1950s as a member of, and eventually primary composer for, Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. In the 1960s, he joined Miles Davi ...
– "Footprints" (Dub aka DJ Mehdi Remix)
* 2006
Architecture in Helsinki
Architecture in Helsinki were an Australian indie pop band which consisted of Cameron Bird, Gus Franklin, Jamie Mildren, Sam Perry, and Kellie Sutherland. The band released five studio albums before going on hiatus: ''Fingers Crossed'' (2003), ...
– "
In Case We Die
''In Case We Die'' is the second studio album by Australian indie pop band Architecture in Helsinki which was released on 5 April 2005. It was produced by band members James Cecil and Cameron Bird under their other moniker, The Carbohydrates. ' ...
"
* 2006
New Young Pony Club
NYPC (also known as New Young Pony Club) are an English electronic music band from London. The band was formed by Andy Spence and Tahita Bulmer in 2004. Their influences are predominantly post-punk and new wave artists.
Career Forming and sig ...
– "Ice Cream" (DJ Mehdi Remix)
* 2007 Outlines- "Just a Lil' Lovin" (album)
* 2008
Sam Sparro
Sam, SAM or variants may refer to:
Places
* Sam, Benin
* Sam, Boulkiemdé, Burkina Faso
* Sam, Bourzanga, Burkina Faso
* Sam, Kongoussi, Burkina Faso
* Sam, Iran
* Sam, Teton County, Idaho, United States, a populated place
People and fictional c ...
– "
21st Century Life
"21st Century Life" is the second single from Sam Sparro's eponymous debut album, released on 21 July 2008.
The Song was featured on one episode of ''Britannia High'' and it is also the theme music to the BBC Three drama, '' Personal Affairs'' ...
" (DJ Mehdi Secret Disco Dub)
* 2009
Erol Alkan
Erol Alkan (born 30 May 1974) is an English DJ and producer of Turkish Cypriot descent. He grew up in Archway in North London.
Career
DJ and club promoter
In 1993, Erol Alkan started DJing in various indie nightclubs in London. His first ...
&
Boys Noize
Alexander Ridha (born 22 August 1982), better known by his stage name Boys Noize, is a Berlin-based German-Iraqi electronic music record producer, songwriter, and DJ. It is similar to the name of Ridha's label, Boysnoize Records, which he estab ...
Miike Snow
Miike Snow (pronounced "Mike Snow") is a Swedish indie pop band formed in 2007. The band consists of producing team Bloodshy & Avant and American singer Andrew Wyatt. The band is often represented by a silhouette image of a jackalope. In their ca ...
– "Burial" (DJ Mehdi Remix)
* 2009
Miike Snow
Miike Snow (pronounced "Mike Snow") is a Swedish indie pop band formed in 2007. The band consists of producing team Bloodshy & Avant and American singer Andrew Wyatt. The band is often represented by a silhouette image of a jackalope. In their ca ...
– ANDY FING P.
* 2009
Uffie
Anna-Catherine Hartley (born December 9, 1987), known professionally as Uffie (), is an American-French singer, songwriter, rapper, DJ, and fashion designer formerly signed to French electronic music record label Ed Banger Records.
Uffie's music ...
– "
Pop the Glock
"Pop the Glock" is a single by French-American recording artist Uffie. The re-released single was released as a 12" vinyl on November 30, 2009. "Pop the Glock" was Uffie's first single and an international underground hit. It was originally relea ...