Talk to us about your Japanese roots. How was it growing up as a first-generation American?

Steve Aoki: “I grew up first-generation American, so I was born in the states. My parents immigrated over from Japan and set up shop here. My dad has a pretty cool story, he set up shop at a time when Japanese people weren’t really in a good space. It was about 20 years after internment camps, the time when he was trying to start his own business was very difficult but he was able to cut through that.”

Your father was known for being a boxer and participating in extreme stunts. He seems to be as wild and outrageous as you are. Is that where you get your exhilarating performance style from?

Steve Aoki: “He’s an adventure extremist, he pushed it to the limit from all sides whether it’s business, physical, sports, mental, all that and above. So that definitely runs through my veins too.”

Your new album Kolony drops this Friday. Congrats! What can we expect?

Steve Aoki: “The most important project right now is my album, it’s called #Kolony. The first single off the album was “Without U” featuring 2 Chainz, and it sets the pace for the album. I brought Mase back. I also did a song with Wale and he just recently dropped his new album, SHINE too. I got T-Pain out to do a song with Gucci, so I got both of them on a song together, which is interesting because we have never seen that done before. There’s a lot of different artist on the new album, Lil Uzi Vert, Migos, and Lil Yachty. Going to be great.”