Icon Collective
MAKJ: I Wouldn’t Be a DJ If It Wasn’t for Hip-Hop

MAKJ performing at Control’s six-year anniversary at Avalon in Hollywood. (Oh Dag Yo)
Most people think of MAKJ as an electro house artist, but the California native is an open-format DJ at heart and cut his teeth opening for genre-benders like AM and Vice. A prime example of MAK’s versatility was his performance at this year’s Ultra Music Festival. To close his set, he brought out rapper O.T. Genasis to perform “CoCo” for unsuspecting EDM fans.
And as the lines between hip-hop and dance music continue to blur, MAK is set on showing the world that he can not only mix multiple genres, but also produce them.
DJcityTV’s Styles Davis spoke with MAK at Los Angeles’ Icon Collective Music Production School about his love for open-format DJs and his new musical direction. He also played an unreleased song which can be heard exclusively in the interview below.
Follow MAKJ: Facebook | Instagram | SoundCloud | Twitter
Related: MAKJ Discusses Collaboration with Hardwell
Capturing Perfect MIDI Loops in Ableton Live
Paul Laski of Icon Collective demonstrates how to record perfect MIDI loops every time, without ever missing a beat, to help capture your creative flow in Ableton Live.
Icon Collective is a music production school based in Los Angeles. Their alumni includes MAKJ, Protohype, Slander, Loczi, and more. Check out their website for more information.
Related: Resampling MIDI Tracks in Ableton Live
Resampling MIDI Tracks in Ableton Live
Icon Collective’s Paul Laski is back with a new tutorial which explains how to resample MIDI tracks in Ableton Live. Paul demonstrates how to creatively use Ableton’s MIDI effects to recapture performances and create new musical ideas from past inspiration.
Related: How to Sample Analog Sounds with Ableton Live
How to Sample Analog Sounds with Ableton Live
In the latest video from Los Angeles’ Icon Collective, Stormy Logan from At Dawn We Rage demonstrates how to sample a Moog hardware synth and manipulate it with Ableton Live.
Related: How to Use Follow Actions in Ableton Live
How to Use Follow Actions in Ableton Live
Icon Collective’s Chris Gibson demonstrates how to use the Follow Actions feature in Ableton Live to quickly create new loops and phrases.
Related: Getting the Most Out of Ableton Live’s Drum Racks
Getting the Most Out of Ableton Live’s Drum Racks
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Chris Gibson of Icon Collective demonstrates how to get the most out of Ableton Live’s powerful drum rack feature.
Related: Programming a TB-303 “Acid” Bass
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