DJ Deeon’s passing follows a long struggle with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, among other issues.
The dance music world is grieving the passing of DJ Deeon, widely considered a pioneer of the ghetto house style. The Chicago DJ and producer passed away on Monday after dealing with chronic health issues for more than two decades.
“I am sorry to announce the legendary artist, producer, DJ, label owner, and my friend Deeon “DJ Deeon” Boyd gained his wings today,” wrote the admin of Boyd’s Facebook page in a post. “The family thanks you for your support and will announce arrangements in the coming days. Thank you for your understanding.”
Boyd’s cause of death has not been shared with the public at the time of writing. Over the weekend, he posted a photo of himself in a hospital bed with the caption “PRAY FOR ME PLEASE” via Instagram.
Remembering DJ Deeon
Having come up in Chicago’s world-famous house scene in the mid-’90s, Deeon Boyd differentiated his releases as DJ Deeon with the stripped-down production values and raunchy vocals long associated with ghetto house. His breakout 1996 single was arguably “Freak Like Me,” with additional standouts like “2 B Free,” “House-O-Matic,” and “The Freaks” studding his long and celebrated discography.
According to 5 Magazine, Boyd was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma — a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system — in 2002. He underwent triple-bypass heart surgery in 2015, shortly before a recurrence of the lymphoma required him to have his leg amputated. A series of strokes beginning in 2018 forced him to quit touring by 2019.
To help cover the costs associated with his treatment and sidelined tour schedule, Boyd launched a fundraiser in 2020, offering merch and unreleased music in return for donations. He remained a prolific artist until the end; his final release was DJ DEEON-DEBO COMETH, which arrived via Bandcamp on May 27.
No memorial details have been made public for Deeon “DJ Deeon” Boyd at the time of writing.
