It’s no surprise that plenty of electronic musicians have a deep love for the game of poker. Whether as players, spectators, or hosting musicians, DJs are known to frequent not just private poker rooms but also the most popular poker tournaments in the world.
Across the different music genres from which DJs take inspiration, a wide variety of songs make references to poker rules or use the game to tell stories about love, fortune, and risk. In many ways, poker is a fundamental part of the American psyche, and it’s only natural for highly creative minds to navigate towards the game. If you’re interested in joining professional poker games yourself, here are some of the DJs you might run into.
Kim Lee
CREDIT: @kimlee on Instagram
Although she’s more famously known as the host of MTV Asia’s Yo! MTV Raps, Kim Lee is also an international DJ with a love for poker. In fact, Lee once served as the DJ in an all-female poker event with a huge $150 million guarantee. As the host DJ, Lee provided the beats for the event and rubbed elbows with female pro poker players. She’s also been known to spend time at the tables herself, and it won’t be surprising if she decides to take the game more seriously.
Steve Aoki
CREDIT: @dansenagram on Instagram
Apart from being one of the most successful and prominent big room house DJs on the planet, Steve Aoki not only plays poker but has hosted his own charity poker tournaments. As a self-described poker fanatic, Aoki has also spent some time commentating on some World Series of Poker games. In fact, poker legend Phil Ivey considers him a friend. Aoki has definitely made a name for himself in the poker world.
Roger Sanchez
CREDIT: @djrogersanchez on Instagram
House music veteran DJ Roger Sanchez is a well-respected man in the world of EDM. While he occasionally plays at the tables, in the poker world, Sanchez is mostly known for providing the beats to different legs of the European Poker Tour. He’s also the most experienced DJ on this card-slinging roster.
Skrillex
CREDIT: @skrillex on Instagram
Prominent dubstep artist Skrillex has also been known to dabble in poker. When Steve Aoki hosted his own poker tournaments during Holy Ship, an EDM-driven cruise ship to the Bahamas, Skrillex was there at the tables duking it out with pros and other celebs. They were even joined by Hollywood legend Tommy Lee, who’s also well known for his love of the game.
These are just some of the more famous electronic musicians who either play poker or host poker tournaments. Whether you’re just curious about your favorite EDM musicians or looking to play in the pro leagues yourself, these are just some of the DJs you can expect to see or even play against. Much like electronic music production, poker is a game of skill and creativity, which is why the list of poker-playing DJs continues to grow.
