Steve Aoki, a well-known American DJ and record producer of Japanese origin, has made a significant impact on the music industry. From establishing his own record label, ‘Dim Mak,’ to touring across various countries and releasing his debut solo album, ‘Wonderland,’ Steve has continuously pushed boundaries and entertained audiences worldwide. Not only is he known for his electrifying performances and acrobatic stunts on stage, but he is also a philanthropist, running his own charitable fund and contributing to humanitarian relief and medical research. With his latest EP, ‘5OKI,’ Steve aims to showcase his diverse musical talents and give back to the world through his passion for music.
Quick Facts
- Also Known As: Steven Hiroyuki Aoki
- Age: 46 Years, 46 Year Old Males
- Family: Spouse/Ex-: Tiernan Cowling (m. 2015)
- DJs
- Record Producers
- Height: 5’9″ (175 cm), 5’9″ Males
- Ancestry: Japanese American
- U.S. State: Florida
- City: Miami, Florida
Childhood & Early Life
Steven Hiroyuki Aoki was born on November 30, 1977, in Miami, Florida, US. His parents, Rocky Aoki and Chizuru Kobayashi, were Japanese. His father was a wrestler who later opened the ‘Benihana’ chain of restaurants. Aoki has an elder sister named Kana, an elder brother named Kevin, and a half-sister named Devon Aoki, who is an actor and model. He was raised in Newport Beach, California, and graduated from ‘Newport Harbor High School’ in 1995. Aoki was a member of the school badminton team. He earned two BA degrees, one in feminist studies and the other in sociology, from the ‘University of California,’ Santa Barbara. Aoki started playing chess at the age of four and was a champion in school and college. While in college, he was part of the ‘Revolutionary Anti-Imperialist League,’ a clandestine Maoist organization in the US. He also ran underground concerts from his hostel room in the ‘Santa Barbara Student Housing Cooperative.’ Aoki produced do-it-yourself records and established his own record label, ‘Dim Mak,’ by the time he was 20 years old. His company released music by artists such as ‘The Bloody Beetroots,’ ‘Infected Mushroom,’ and the ‘Mystery Jets.’
Career
Aoki joined the Los Angeles-based band ‘Moving Units’ with Blake Miller and started his career by making remixes. He was part of a few other bands such as ‘This Machine Kills,’ with whom he released an album through ‘Ebullition Records.’ In 2006, he joined ‘MC5’ bassist Michael Davis’s ‘Music Is Revolution Foundation,’ a non-profit organization that provides music education support in public schools. Aoki released his debut mix album, ‘Pillowface and His Airplane Chronicles,’ in October 2008. He gained popularity through his remixes of various artists, which he made popular through his ‘YouTube’ channel and his ‘Twitter’ account. In 2010, he started touring with different artists and put up shows across the US, Canada, China, and Japan. Aoki became famous for performing acrobatic stunts on stage and interacting closely with the audience. He released his debut solo album, ‘Wonderland,’ in January 2012, which was nominated for the ‘Best Dance/Electronica Album’ at the ‘55th Annual Grammy Awards.’ Aoki has released four studio albums, including ‘Neon Future I’ and ‘Neon Future II,’ both of which peaked at number one on the ‘US Dance/Electronic Album’ list. He has also produced a number of singles with artists from around the world, including the Korean group ‘BTS.’
Major Works
Aoki has released four studio albums: ‘Wonderland’ (2012), ‘Neon Future I’ (2014), ‘Neon Future II’ (2015), and ‘Steve Aoki Presents Kolony’ (2017). He has appeared as himself in a number of films and TV episodes. Aoki won the ‘Best Set of the Season’ award at the 2007 ‘Ibiza (DJ) Awards’ ceremony and the ‘Best Mix Album of the Year’ at the 2008 ‘Billboard Awards’ for ‘Pillowface and His Airplane Chronicles.’ He was nominated for a ‘Grammy’ for his album ‘Wonderland’ in 2013 and was awarded the ‘Chiuku Award’ at the ‘MTV Latin America Awards’ ceremony in 2015.
Personal Life
Aoki married his long-time Australian girlfriend, Tiernan Cowling, in Hawaii in 2015, after being engaged to her for five years. Besides music, he runs his own clothing line called ‘The Dim Mak Collection’ and currently lives in Henderson, Nevada. Aoki is a devoted poker player and has played with celebrities such as Antonio Esfandiari and Joel Madden. He also co-owns two restaurants. Aoki has been a supporter of ‘People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals’ (PETA) since his teens and has appeared in their anti-fur campaign. He is also the founder of the ‘Steve Aoki Charitable Fund,’ which contributes to humanitarian relief and medical research.