Derrick May

Derrick May

Derrick May, also known as Mayday and Rhythim is Rhythim, is an electronic musician from Detroit, United States. Born in 1963, he grows up in Detroit and later explores electronic music from an early point in his life.

Detroit techno and the Belleville Three

May works alongside his Belleville, Michigan high school friends Juan Atkins and Kevin Saunderson, who are known as the Belleville Three. He is credited with helping to develop the futuristic form of house music that becomes known as techno. His styles are associated with Detroit techno, techno, electronic and abstract hip hop.

Recordings and releases

May’s recording career begins in 1987 with Nude Photo, a record co-written with Thomas Barnett that helps establish the Detroit techno scene. In 1988 he follows it with Strings of Life, a track that becomes one of techno’s best-known anthems. He has no original solo recordings after 1993, but continues to produce remixes and to rework earlier material for video game and film soundtracks, including music for the film adaptation of the combat game Tekken.

Aliases, labels and projects

He records under the names Derrick May, Mayday and Rhythim is Rhythim. He is associated with the labels Transmat and Mayday Music. His related projects include The 10th Planet, X-Ray, R-Tyme, Intercity, Cosmic Twins and Idol Making.

Live work and festivals

May continues to perform internationally on a regular basis. He also takes control of Detroit’s annual electronic music festival for two years in 2003 and 2004, names the event Movement, and replaces the Detroit Electronic Music Festival on the city’s riverfront.

Style

He describes his music as Hi-Tek Soul, and as “George Clinton meeting Kraftwerk in an elevator”.