Born and raised in San Francisco, DJ Sake One established himself in the Bay Area hip-hop explosion of the late 1980s and early 1990s as a graffiti artist with the legendary CFD crew. His interest in music grew and he began DJ'ing in earnest in the mid-1990s, making usage of an already impressive music collection he had accumulated as a hip-hop fiend. His development as a DJ dovetailed with his involvement in Bay Area social justice and cultural activism in the 1990s, eventually leading him to co-found the (((Local 1200))) DJ crew and throw politically-edged parties and shows with fellow DJs Namane, Eleven and Tim Diesel as well as graphic artist Theo Rodrigues and singer Goapele Mohlabane. Sake One later went on to found Souldeluxxe Snd, LLC which became his music and event production brand -- leading to mix CDs, remixes and legendary Bay Area parties such as Fabric, Oakland Reggae, Church, Feelgood, and Pacific Standard Time. With a series of groundbreaking mix CDs (including a mix for the Suite 903/Fader Magazine series) and gigs, Sake One became a national and international presence in the early 2000's, and continues to cement his legacy as one of the world's foremost urban music tastemakers and DJs.