Frequency Spotlight

Chancellor Tre’

Drum & Bass

From St. Louis (grew up in St. Charles)

Crew: Faded

Chancellor Tre’ is a St. Louis neurofunk and halftime DJ with Faded.

Chancellor Tre’ is a neurofunk and halftime DJ from St. Louis who grew up in St. Charles and reps Faded. His love for this music was built at Deep Grooves, the original St. Louis electronic record store, where he hung out so often that people thought he worked there. It was his personal getaway, digging through the new music that came in and making sure he got his records.

He’s old school about the craft: he sticks to one genre per set, because to him the delivery is what separates a skilled DJ from someone with a collection of tunes. The goal is a seamless journey through technique, mixing and blending. He’s played for crowds as big as 10,000.

If his set were a movie soundtrack, it would be Star Wars: aggressive, techy neurofunk that sometimes comes in like Stormtroopers. Catch Chancellor Tre’ at Frequency, and check out his mix The Renegade Steppa below.

In Their Words

Who in your city first put you onto this music?

The original St. Louis electronic record store, Deep Grooves. I used to hang out there every day, to the point that people thought I worked there. It was my personal getaway, listening to the new music that came in all the time and making sure I got my records.

Do you stick to one genre or mix across styles?

I always stick to one genre because I believe mixing too many styles takes away from the vibe. A good liquid DJ plays liquid, and a good neurofunk DJ plays neurofunk. The goal is to take the listener on a journey through technique, mixing, and blending. I’m old school. I want to hear the tracks and how a DJ presents them. We can all play the same music, but it’s how you deliver those tracks that separates a skilled DJ from someone who simply has a collection of tunes. DJ culture isn’t about proving you can play everything. It’s about creating a vibe, maintaining the energy, and taking people somewhere musically. When you’re doing it right, your mixing and blending should be seamless. Not everybody can do that, and that’s what separates a great DJ from the rest.

What's the biggest crowd you've ever played for?

10,000.

Do you take requests?

I don’t take requests, and I’d say 90% of electronic music DJs don’t either. We’re hired for our musical knowledge, mixing skills, and ability to read and control a crowd. Taking requests puts you in a different category, more like a wedding or open-format DJ. Electronic music has its own culture, where the DJ is trusted to create a journey through music, not simply play whatever someone asks for. That’s what separates this culture from other forms of DJ entertainment.

If your set were a movie soundtrack, which movie would it be?

It would totally be Star Wars, because I’m primarily a neurofunk DJ and the way I present the tracks can be very aggressive. I try to keep it techy, but it does come in sometimes like Stormtroopers.