Contrary to popular belief, coming up as a DJ wasn’t handed to you, and you even did some free gigs in the beginning. What’s some advice you have for young creatives trying to succeed in this entertainment world?

Steve Aoki: “Well, the way I see it is that it doesn’t matter if you make money or if you make a lot of money or whatever it is. You can’t think about the money as the main goal. You have to think about whatever you’re doing, whether it’s music, fashion, or art. You have to make sure that everyone in that room and everyone that’s surrounding you is having the best experience that you’re giving them, every single time. If you really do that, and you enjoy what you do, [money] doesn’t matter. For me I just want to make a real connection with people.”

Let’s talk about the Aoki Foundation, which funds research for brain health. Can you tell us more about that?

Steve Aoki: “Okay, first of all the most important phenomenon in the universe is the human brain. The most important thing in the world is what is in our heads, it’s what makes us an intelligent species. This is where our civilization is developed from and yet we know very little about the brain.”

Right. We know a lot about the body, but the brain is tricky and very complicated to figure out.

Steve Aoki: “It’s not only about understanding the brain and learning it and being able to use that understanding to better ourselves and the planet, but there is also brain degenerative diseases that are killing our family members. If it’s not cancer or a heart disease, it’s going to be some type of brain degenerative illness like Alzheimer’s. So the foundation raises money for different organizations that do research on brain health, brain science and make benchmarks on finding cures and finding new ways to use our brain in a more effective and creative way.”

What mark do you want to leave on the industry and the world?

Steve Aoki: “Well, I’m still trying to figure that out. I’m going to continue doing what I do everyday. I am focused on “the now” more than ever, and “the now” is pretty f*ckin’ lit. Go get Kolony!”