DJ Smurf is the alias of Michael Antoine Crooms, a hip-hop DJ and producer from College Park, Atlanta, born in 1970. He is associated with the V.I.P. Squad.

Career

He begins attending acid house and warehouse parties in England in 1989, and his tastes move from hip hop into acid house, techno, Belgium and European techno-rave, and then early Dutch gabber. He gets his first set of decks in 1992.

His first gig takes place on New Year’s Eve 1992 at Walkers in Newcastle, and his major break follows in 1994 at Judgment Day 4 in Whitley Bay, near Newcastle, where he DJs alongside Lenny Dee. At that point he uses a large sombrero hat decorated with cut-out pizzas, and his fast gabber set, around 200 BPM, becomes noted.

Work in the hardcore scene

By late 1994 and into 1995, he plays guest spots and major hardcore clubs across England and Scotland, with a monthly residency at Judgment Day in Newcastle, dates at the Fubar in Stirling, and a bi-monthly residency at Nosebleed in Rosyth. He later forms an alliance with two other Newcastle DJs under the name Geordie Gabba Mafia.

His records appear on DJ Freak’s Hard Of Hearing Records in the UK, Noizecreators Suburban Trash Industries, including the Killout Trax 2 and 3 releases, and Strike Records. His production work is put on hold because of work and DJ commitments.

International appearances

He plays at Operation Nordcore in Germany twice, Cold War 2 in Canada, Together As One NYE 2002 in Los Angeles, Electrophonies in France, Underconstruction and Hardcore Nation in Italy, Hellgate and Hardcore Will Never Die in Switzerland, and on the Industrial Strength European Tour in 2002 in Italy, Switzerland and Austria.

DJ style and promotion

His sets mix gabber and speedcore with unexpected pop records and death metal tracks, along with energetic behaviour behind the decks. He also co-promotes parties in the UK in unusual locations such as boats and barns, while bringing major names from the hardcore underground to the country.