Ryan King Profile

Ryan King, 29, was born and raised in Toronto. Growing up, he found it difficult being interested in the music trends that were popular with his urban music-influenced surrounding demographics. Occasionally he would hear a dance song on the radio that would pique his interest in between the early 90s hip hop and pop songs. However, he would pretend to dislike them, fearing that his friends would think he was "uncool." It wasn’t until he heard Daft Punk’s “Around the World” on the radio one day, that he felt he could openly connect with this music that he loved. He then immediately went out and purchased a copy of their album “Homework.” With Homework, he had his first experience sharing his musical taste with others. And before long, he had all of his closest friends rocking to the sounds of Daft Punk.

King was first exposed to Toronto's electronic dance music scene when he was 22-years-old. During his very first club outing that took place on the Thanksgiving weekend of 2003, he saw the world-renowned DJ Paul van Dyk spin at the Kool Haus (part of The Guvernment/Kool Haus Entertainment Complex). Although he did enjoy this electric spectacle, it wasn’t until he experienced Toronto’s underground scene at the infamous Comfort Zone (the very same evening) that he truly became enraptured. It was here that he first experienced the wild talent of one of Toronto’s resident DJs, Michael “Deko-ze” Babb, and immediately became mesmerized by his pounding beats, his infectious energy, and the sense of a closely-knit community all brought together by the love of the music he created. King developed a deep sense of respect and admiration for Deko-ze, catching as many of his sets as possible at the Comfort Zone, the Guvernment, and System Soundbar. (Over the course of the next several years, King and Deko-Ze would eventually built a friendship through mentorship and enthusiasm for Toronto's electronic dance music scene. To this day, King still believes that he is the greatest DJ on the planet for his performances behind the decks, as well as his genuinely wonderful personality.)

Also in 2003, King received his first DJ lesson from his friend Darryl J. Matheson, aka DJ Eternity. Right after learning the mixer and turntable functions, he mixed two records (Paul van Dyk’s “For an Angel” with DJ Tiesto’s “Suburban Train”) together so well, that it caused DJ Eternity’s jaw to drop and him to say, “Holy f*** buddy, you’re a natural!” From that moment onward, King dreamed of becoming one of Toronto’s resident club DJ’s, and hopefully one day have the opportunity to spin at the same event with Deko-ze.

From 2004 to 2005, he would only occasionally get the opportunity to spin at various house parties whenever he could use other people's equipment and records, preventing him from developing his skill and style. In the beginning of 2006, though, he decided that he loved the art, committed himself to his dream, and purchased his first set of audio equipment. In a very short period of time his talent grew exponentially; and before the end of the year, King had become employed by local DJ agency “Hitmen Entertainment Services.” Over the course of 2006 through 2008, he built his first professional experience by playing in many different bars in and around the Greater Toronto Area. Although these were useful skill-building experiences, he felt he had hit a creative plateau while spinning mainstream house and Top 40 in venues that catered to the general public, when he knew that it was the underground scene where he wanted to be. After deciding to take a hiatus from this work, he continued practicing on his own. In sharing his mixes online in various forums and social networks, he attracted the attention of an Internet radio station based out of the UK, Kick106 (www.kick106.co.uk), and was offered a weekly spot in their programming lineup (Fridays from 12 a.m.-2 a.m. GMT, or Thursdays from 7 p.m.-9 p.m. EST). This opportunity to express his true musical taste and style allowed him to gather his own following, both locally and abroad.

In 2009, King began his reintegration into Toronto's nightclub circuit, where he began meeting various DJs and promoters in attempt to further his career. Among these new acquaintances he met Addy Saeed (aka DJ Saeed) and together, naturally formed a strong bond. They discovered many parallels and similarities, both in terms of DJing and other aspects of life. King found inspiration in his new-found friend, Saeed. This new inspiration and motivation provoked King to transform and find his true self. And with it, his sound had evolved dramatically. Suddenly, King was performing on a significantly higher level, worthy of other Toronto nightclub DJs. Saeed recognized this and provided King with his Toronto nightclub debut opportunity on January 23, 2010 at LOL Lounge on Toronto's College Street. The following week at the same club, the opportunity to live out his seven-year dream came true. King opened (as well as closed for) his long time idol, Deko-ze, on January 30, 2010.

Ryan King is becoming a name known throughout Toronto's electronic dance music scene and is always finding more DJing opportunities coming his way. Be on the lookout for his name on the flyers, his music on the airwaves, and him rocking many more dancefloors.

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