Detroit has never been a stranger to innovation, our most iconic sound is proof. The heartbeat of Detroit and one of our most legendary and current soundtracks, welcome to Techno City -- from the perspective of a few DJs on the scene.

Saybin Samone Roberson and Catie Goins

February 27, 2026

The Cool Kids were, and still are, a throwback and a breath of fresh air in hip hop. A healthy blend of a nod to the Golden Era of Hip Hop, sharp punchlines, creative visuals, and a fresh style that puts The Cool Kids in a league of their own. Sir Michael Rocks hails from Matterson, Illinois(just south of Chicago), and Chuck Inglish from Detroit, Michigan.

E-Man Bates

January 5, 2026

It’s hard not to feel lucky to exist early in a musical genre’s timeline. With the birth of techno occurring almost half a century ago, we as clubbers and fans of techno have a rare opportunity to engage with this genre’s pioneers, many of whom are still among us. However, as most discussions about techno history tend to center on the musicians and DJs behind the decks, we often overlook the larger forces that shape the culture; it’s time to shift our attention to the dancers, the voyeurs, the bartenders, the door attendants, the designers – all techno enthusiasts who play a crucial role in sustaining and evolving the scene...

Tara Shafa

April 14, 2025

Social theorists around the world acknowledge Detroit as a complex place that was once built as a “utopian vision of the future” and now exists as utopia’s perfect antithesis. The city’s time-line has followed the devolution of many cities depicted in science-fiction tales, giving rise to cyberpunk, a subgenre of science fiction that focuses on a future of advanced technological and scientific accomplishments...

Ashley Cook

February 19, 2024

music, culture

From 2009 and up through our current situation, there have been a slew of underground hip hop artists in Detroit that are innovating and creating in their own lane, with little professional guidance; Sheefy McFly was one of the artists at the forefront of this Renaissance...

Brian H. Newman

September 21, 2020