MOPHONO

Mophono, who set out to master the machines that threatened to be the masters of men, was born in 1976 in the Bay Area. From his early childhood he showed a strong passion for science, math and music. He was to be an inventor/engineer, but music had the greater gravitational pull, and he finally devoted himself to electronic music.
Mophono aka DJ Centipede wanted “to take the mystery out of the legend that says electronic music is an art that is esoteric, exclusively reserved for a few initiates, an elite of avant-garde intellectuals and artists” he adds “it deserves to be raised to the level of popular music, a music designed for fun and relaxation” and so Circuit studios was born in Lower Haight, San Francisco for the experimental researches of Thug Jazz and Dirt Wave.
While electronic and sample based music matured In the nineties, so did Mophono’s career as the most successful experimental electronic dance music DJ in the bay area. Booked at many of the underground raves until April of 1998 when one Oakland warehouse dance floor collapsed during one of his epic DJ sets, ending an era and starting a new one. DJ Centipede aka Mophono then focused his attention on the growing bay area beat scene, perfected his production and beat juggling skills while promoting San Francisco’s most forward thinking events.
Since then Mophono has released two full length albums and a slew of singles giving birth to two new genre’s Thug Jazz and Dirt Wave and a new standard in the record industry called Skip on Beat.
Inspired by 60’s psyche and experimental electronic music, Mophono Is known for his destructive drum breaks and heavy and orchestral instrumental compositions. With his legendary “Change the Beat” party in San Francisco, Mophono is so deep in the beat culture melting pot he is stirring it. Performing live on Boiler Room with long time partner Gaslamp Killer and sharing the stage with DJ Shadow, Flying Lotus, Amon Tobin, Edan, DJ Food, DJ Krush, Dabrye, Diplo and De La Soul with his Skip on Beat records, drum machines and moogs, Mophono intends to set a new standard in live electronic music performance.

B&W Photo by Ricky Powell