Born: 22 May 1969 in Detroit, USA.
Carl Craig is a Detroit electronic music pioneer and the founder of Planet E Communications, a platform that has supported a diverse array of international artists for over 30 years, spanning hip-hop, jazz, funk, and esoteric electronic sounds.
Operating under multiple aliases—69, Paperclip People, and C2, among others—Carl has produced six albums and over 600 remixes for artists like Depeche Mode, Tori Amos, Kenny Larkin, and Kevin Saunderson. In 2008, his remix of Junior Boys’ “Like A Child” earned him a Grammy nomination. He also launched the Detroit Love event series and played a pivotal role in the city’s electronic music festival at the millennium’s turn.
Carl created the “All Black Vinyl” Instagram series, which evolved into the “All Black Digital” partnership with Beatport and Qwest TV in 2022, featuring discussions with Black artists and live streams from South Africa. This partnership continued with a Black History Month DJ mix for Apple Music and educational talks at NYU and Michigan State University.
In 2020 Carl created Party/After-Party, an immersive sound and light installation that premiered at DIA:Beacon before moving to MOCA in Los Angeles, where it became part of the museum’s permanent collection. The installation was accompanied by performances featuring Carl alongside artists like Moodymann, DJ Minx, and DJ Holographic. In 2022, Carl performed his Synthesizer Ensemble at Carnegie Hall’s AFROFUTURISM Festival and at the 59th Venice Biennale to honor Stan Douglas’s work in the Canada Pavilion.
In 2024, Carl’s life and career became the subject of Desire: The Carl Craig Story, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. Directed by Jean-Cosme Delaloye, the documentary features interviews with family and notable music figures, chronicling Carl’s journey from Detroit’s middle-class roots to global renown.
