* En anglais uniquement
Longtime music industry figure Gary Richards goes by the name
Destructo, producing and spinning an explosive mixture of electro-house and rap. Using the moniker since the early 1990s when he was an A&R for
Rick Rubin's Def American Recordings, the DJ, concert promoter, and producer began releasing solo material on Boysnoize and OWSLA, starting with 2012's Technology EP. He began fusing dance music with gangsta rap and trap on 2014's
West Coast, and has collaborated with major emcees such as
E-40,
Too $hort, and
Busta Rhymes. Richards has been named one of EDM's most important figures by Rolling Stone and Billboard.
Los Angeles-based Gary Richards started organizing dance events in 1991, and
Rick Rubin chose him to work as A&R for the electronic music division of Def American Recordings in 1993. He signed acts like
Lords of Acid,
Messiah, and
God Lives Underwater, and worked out American deals with XL Recordings and Harthouse Records. As
Destructo, he remixed
Awesome 3's rave classic "Don't Go," and played aggressive DJ sets of the hardest techno he could find. He later founded 1500 Records and Nitrus Records, and worked with artists such as
David Holmes,
Dub Pistols,
Basement Jaxx, and many more.
Resuming his role as a concert promoter, he founded HARD Events in 2007. A successful New Year's Eve party led to annual festivals, later expanding to international tours. 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, and
Major Lazer. 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 rappers like
YG,
Kurupt, and
Ty Dolla $ign.
He continued to release 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" (with
Pusha T and
Starrah), were compiled on the 2017 EP Renegade. "Loaded" featured
Yo Gotti, and
Busta Rhymes appeared on the rambunctious 2018 track "Fucking Shit Up."
Kevin Gates,
Denzel Curry, and a returning
Yo Gotti all guested on 2020 single "Bandz." ~ Neil Z. Yeung & Paul Simpson