Q&A: DJ Sneak

When a 14-year-old named Carlos Sosa moved from Puerto Rico to Chicago in 1983, it set the wheels in motion for one of the most influential careers in house music. Initially getting work in Chicago record shops as a graffiti artist (he earned his nickname for his ability to evade the law), he eventually became general manager and buyer at Hip House and went on to work at Gramophone Records where he met Green Velvet who signed three of his tracks. And during his 25-year career, Sneak's vision of what 'real music' should be has never faltered. Be it timeless house anthems such as 'Can't Hide From Your Bud' and 'Fix My Sink', writing lyrics for Daft Punk or, more recently, his I'm A House Gangster imprint, Sneak's sermons come from the heart and tap deep into the roots of the mother genre. While his passion can sometimes end up causing a few beefs – Swedish House Mafia, Seth Troxler and Joris Voorn have all been in his firing line – one thing is certain: Sneak is fearless, frank and goodfun to talk to. Get acquainted.

You're in Ibiza right now?

I am. Staying out the whole season to focus on European shows throughout the summer. We've been doing this for a few years now.

I'm picturing a gangster villa…

Ha! I got my family here and my parents and in-laws are coming over so it's kinda somewhere between a G house and a family house.

Perfect. We wanted to start with a thanks. Through records you've sampled we've learnt about the likes of Teddy Pendergrass and Lonnie Liston Smith.

My pleasure. I was just a kid working in a record shop, I'd hear something I loved, take it home and make a record. Discoveries, man… I'd be playing a record to someone, a song would pop up and I'd be like 'Oh shit!' I'd grab a copy and sample it that night. Record stores were my libraries and I was lucky to work in some of Chicago's most important stores. They shaped what was going on in the city; it was incredible to be there right in the middle of everything.

Was this around '89/'90?

Bang on. I started at The DJ Shop as a graffiti artist in 89, airbrushing T-shirts in front of the store. That was my way in. Then I worked at the Hip House; I went in as an airbrush guy and left as the general manager and buyer. It was a very inspirational time in my life. Right place, right time. I wasn't afraid to take chances when others were too afraid to damage their look or career. I didn't give a shit. I was having fun. If people liked it, great. If they didn't, fuck 'em.

That sums up the Sneak vibe!

It's what I stand for. I'm a straight shooter. If I see shit I don't like, I'll shit on it! I'm not trying to be best mates with everybody. I'm older now, and I'm trying to be more diplomatic as a father and everything, but if shit bothers me I'll say something. A lot of people seem to turn a blind eye to shit but I'm like, 'Hey! Stand up for what's right! Don't fucking ignore it.'