In 2019, mounting health issues forced DJ Deeon to forego touring for an indefinite period of time. With the COVID-19 eliminating all of his gigging prospects, the Chicago DJ and producer has launched a crowdfunding campaign to help cover his expenses. In return for donations, he is offering merchandise and packages of unreleased music.
According to 5 Magazine, DJ Deeon (full name Deeon Boyd) won a battle against fourth-stage Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 2002. He then underwent quadruple bypass heart surgery a few years ago, followed by a recurrence of lymphoma forcing him to have his leg amputated.
His recent crisis stems from a series of mini-strokes that began in December of 2018, though. By the end of 2019 Boyd was forced to temporarily discontinue touring, and the coronavirus pandemic of 2020 has only extended his hiatus.
“I’m not one to ask for help – it doesn’t sit comfortably with me – and i believe you should never get something for nothing so here I am offering to you what I can,” Boyd writes. “Unreleased remixes, back catalogue material, exclusive merch, video messages, remixes, you name it.”
The lowest tier of reward packages is £25, which entitles a donor to a T-shirt, cap or folder of unreleased remixes, edits and alternate versions of DJ Deeon releases. In the £2,500-£3,000 range is a private performance or official remix of a song of the donor’s choosing.
Boyd cut his teeth in dance music DJing at Chicago nighclub Fort before climbing the music industry ladder while selling mixtapes on cassette. Songs like “Work This MF” and “Let Me Bang” have earned him an international audience and afforded him opportunities to work with the likes of Daft Punk and deliver official remixes for Wehbba, Riva Starr and Catz N’ Dogz.
Donate to DJ Deeon and learn more about his fundraising campaign via Crowdfunder.
