Few artists have navigated the evolution of electronic music quite like Loco Dice. From his early roots in hip-hop to becoming one of house and techno’s most distinctive figures, the Düsseldorf-born DJ and producer has built a career defined by curiosity, culture, and an unwavering commitment to doing things his own way.
In conversation with Dancing Astronaut, Loco Dice reflected on what first drew him to electronic music, the energy that continues to fuel his connection to the dance floor, and why discovering the next generation of artists remains essential to his creative world.
Liana Stern: You talk about your hip-hop era and working with artists like Ice Cube, Usher, and Snoop Dogg. What ultimately led you into house and techno, and what did you take with you from the hip-hop world?
Loco Dice: There came a point where hip-hop wasn’t giving me the feeling of exploring new sounds and going in new directions anymore. After Biggie and Pac passed away, the music started becoming more about recycling older records, and that wasn’t really my vibe.
At the same time, I started exploring electronic music through friends and parties, and I realized how much you could create as a producer and DJ. You can touch people’s feelings, tell a story, and you’re not limited to a certain number of records or a specific formula.
It was a slow process that brought me from hip-hop into electronic music. But don’t get me wrong, I’m still hip-hop. You don’t grow up with a culture and then just leave it.
LS: After spending years playing clubs around the world, what has kept you connected to the dance floor, especially as nightlife continues to change?
LD: Before the music, I think it’s the energy. I’m a DJ. That’s why you don’t really find radio sets or things like that from me. I’m not someone who can just sit in a room and play music for myself.
I moved into electronic music because of the energy and because of the dance floor. Playing something and receiving a reaction gives me inspiration for what could come next. Then I go home with that energy and bring it back into my music. That’s what still keeps me going.
LS: Your life between different cultures has always been a part of your identity. How has that shaped your approach to music?
LD: I grew up with Tunisian folk music, which is very drum-driven, and I think you can still hear that in my sound today. When you hear my sets, they always reflect my life and my musical journey.
There are also usually hip-hop beats and drums, but I also grew up very open-minded musically. My mom used to play Julio Iglesias, and with my family, I grew up listening to Stevie Wonder, Bob Marley, and Michael Jackson. All of those influences are inside me, and I think they reflect who I am now.
LS: Do you notice a difference between younger audiences today and when you first started?
LD: It’s always a new challenge, and I love that. People always say things are different now, but I’ve been through a lot of generations, and there’s always a different way of approaching a younger generation.
Obviously, now you don’t have record stores or magazines in the same way, but with the internet, you can get information faster and go incredibly deep. You could do a 24-hour Detroit crash course and understand the culture and the vibe seamlessly.
For me, it’s always about how the DJ approaches the dance floor. I’ve always loved the new generation because that was my competition. I’m always exploring new things, and you can see that in my lineups and on my label. I love having young, upcoming, and unknown artists involved.
LS: How do you discover the emerging artists you want to support?
LD: Honestly, it’s everywhere and nowhere. Back in the day, somebody would give you a demo or send you an email. Now there are a million channels, and it’s hard to keep up. The truth is, it’s like a lottery.
Sometimes I’ll find a WhatsApp message from a young artist I met six months ago and ask if the track is still available. Sometimes my artists ask why I discovered something so late, but music is timeless. It can sit there for a while.
LS: Touring can be physically and mentally demanding. How do you maintain your energy?
LD: Staying healthy is a big part of it. I do a lot of sports, and I have my routine. Without that routine, I think I would crumble. I also do martial arts like Muay Thai. Mainly, it gives me peace and quiet. Even though training can be stressful and intense, it’s a completely different world. When I’m there, I’m another person. I’m not Loco Dice. I’m not Dice. Nobody cares who I am or what I do.
The culture is peaceful and beautiful, and the people there have nothing to do with nightlife. The conversations are different. Everything is different. It’s like having another persona, and you need that away from music.
LS: Your creative world extends beyond music into spaces like fashion. What draws you to those other forms of creativity?
LD: Everybody knows I have that name for a reason because I can’t stand still. I’m always trying to explore new things. I made my hobby my job, and it’s also how I make my living. But I’ve never been someone who follows trends or jumps on a bandwagon. If something interests me, I explore it and try it.
I love different worlds of creativity, and I love being around creative people and talking about ideas or creating things together. That’s where my love for fashion comes from.
LS: How is your sound evolving, and what does your creative process look like?
LD: It’s always based on how I feel. I’ve never followed trends. If somebody tells me, “This is the kind of music we’re playing now,” I’m probably the first person asking where the exit is. Maybe I would have been more successful if I followed the right path, but I’ve always gone the other way. Sometimes I was ahead of my time with my music, and sometimes I just took a completely different path. But that’s who I am.
The people who connect with the Loco Dice sound and movement are down with that. They don’t want to hear the same thing that five other DJs have already played.
A lot of the music I’m playing comes from young artists nobody knows yet. Sometimes it isn’t even released, so I can’t put it on a chart. And my own productions work the same way. It’s never about saying, “We have to make this.” It’s always about what I’m feeling in the moment.
For Loco Dice, longevity has never come from chasing whatever is next. Instead, his career has been shaped by an openness to music, culture, people, and new experiences.
Whether he’s searching through messages for an unknown producer or stepping into a Muay Thai gym where nobody knows him as Loco Dice, that curiosity continues to push him forward. And decades into his career, his approach remains remarkably simple: follow what feels right, take the unexpected path, and never stand still.
Listen to his new single, “Eyes On Me,” out now.