DJ Deeon - Low End Music Collection, Vol. 1 (Once and Future Classics) - Numbered edition

DJ Deeon's Legacy. In the beginning, there was Jack. From Jack, House was born and from House came some nasty, raw music that rattled the Low-End streets of Chicago's South Side. DJ Deeon was the architect of this style, dubbed ghetto house, due to its origins in the housing projects—where small, sweaty apartments would pack massive sound systems and hundreds of eager dancers. Hailing from the Wentworth Gardens estate, and later moving to Stateway Gardens, Deeon Boyd was part of the generation who saw the birth of house and hip-hop. His beats were indisputably house, but harder than his predecessors (the likes of Marshall Jefferson, Lil' Louis, Larry Heard) who, by then, were touring the other side of the Atlantic to meet a growing demand for house music. Boyd borrowed rap's rhythmic lyricism on his catchy anthems, always driven by his distinctive voice, deep and swaddled in a Great Lakes drawl.

The last two decades of Boyd's life were addled by chronic health issues. In 2002, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, a cancer that impacts the lymphatic system. After a year of chemotherapy, the cancer disappeared, only to return a decade later after Boyd underwent quadruple bypass surgery. His lower leg was amputated in that same year. In 2020, he launched a GoFundMe page that revealed the true extent of his health problems, including that he had endured several mini-strokes between 2018 and 2019. His musical output during these years remained consistent, but the productivity in his later years was likely out of financial necessity. Boyd faced the fate of many Black pioneers revered for their contributions, but still forced to face the harsh realities of a world, and medical industry, unforgiving to Black people.

"I'm not a money-for-nothing guy," he wrote in the crowdfunder description. "So in return, I'm offering up a series of unreleased edits and remixes, exclusive T-shirts and caps, even the chance for me to remix you." This year, he released 10 records on Bandcamp between February and May—eight of those releases came out in May. After he died last week, his close friends from Chicago and beyond spoke of a man who was tenacious and affable, carrying a permanent, infectious laugh despite his illnesses.

Boyd wasn't only the godfather of Ghetto House—he was a peacemaker within it. He acted as a bridge between different friend groups throughout Chicago. His presence demanded respect, and respect was something he returned generously. His endless creativity fueled his prolific output, which came in the form of countless cassettes, demos, and EPs spread out across four decades. He may have outproduced many of his peers, but in Chicago's competitive scene, he still managed to be a supportive figure, lending tips and guidance where he could. When a fresh wave of disciples came along with a new branch of the genre called footwork, he embraced them with open arms.