DJ Paul Elstak is a Dutch hardcore, gabber and happy hardcore DJ and producer from Den Haag, Netherlands, often credited simply as DJ Paul. Born in 1966, he works across electronic styles including gabber, happy hardcore, hardcore techno and rave.

Career

Elstak begins his career in 1987, when he is accepted as a DJ at Rotterdam Discothèque Bluetiek-Inn. There he plays alongside Dutch house pioneer Peter Slaghuis. Around the same period, he forms Holy Noise with Rob Fabrie and Richard van Naamen, and the group releases a series of records on Hithouse Records, the label owned by Slaghuis.

He later uses his full name for happy hardcore and DJ Paul for hardcore gabber. From 2001, after starting Offensive Records, he uses both names for gabber releases. He continues to release hardcore on Offensive Records in a Rotterdam style.

Labels

In 1992, Elstak founds Rotterdam Records under the Mid-Town Records umbrella, using it to release hardcore and Rotterdam tekno. He later leaves Mid-Town and Rotterdam Records in 2001 to launch Offensive Records at Rige Entertainment. He also owns Forze Records, a sublabel of Rotterdam Records.

Groups, aliases and projects

Elstak is involved in a long list of projects and group names, including Bald Terror, Euromasters, Forze DJ Team, Holy Noise, Phatt Bastard, Rotterdam Terror Corps, The Global Insert Project, The Hitmen, The Unknown and Timedrillers. Other aliases listed for him include Da Warrior, Demo - 1, DJ Daddy, Iriz, Scrooge and Stek. He is also associated with Bald Maniax, Da Tekno Warriors, E-Wax, Evil Maniax, Hard Attack, Hardcore Fundamentalists, Men Of Steel, Rave Nation, The House Shaggers and The Sound Of Rotterdam.

Background

Elstak is of Indonesian origin and is related to jazz musician Nedley Elstak.