MikeQ recently infiltrated pop culture with production credits for stars like Beyoncé and Kelela, and as the resident DJ on HBO’s reality ballroom battle ‘Legendary’. The real resume of this artist, however, goes way back. Born and raised in New Jersey, Michael Cox started making music and scoring his first DJ gigs in the mid 2000s, notorious for his highly infectious and ‘spine-snapping’ take on ballroom house. In 2012 he founded his own label, Qween Beat, through which he has released music from artists including LSDXOXO, Byrell The Great, Ash B and Zebra Katz. Both a full-fledged global ambassador for ballroom and an outspoken critic of those who appropriate the culture without fully grasping or crediting its Black and LGBTQIA+ essence, we’re honoured to welcome the legend himself to Dekmantel Festival ’23.

Friday, August 4