MATT DIKE,
1962-2018

Producer, DJ and Delicious Vinyl co-founder Matt Dike, a key figure in the burgeoning Los Angeles hip-hop community in the 1980s, died in mid-January after battling salivary gland cancer. He was 56.

The label announced his death via social media on Tuesday.

Dike produced or co-produced hits such as Tone Loc's "Wild Thing" and Young MC's "Bust a Move," played a key role on The Beastie Boys' groundbreaking Paul's Boutique and filled clubs with a DJ style that fused, rap, hard rock, funk and jazz .

A Nyack, N.Y. native—he was once Jean-Michel Basquiat's roommate—he moved to Los Angeles in 1980, DJ’d at Rhythm Lounge and then founded the clubs Nairobi Room and Power Tools, which packed in the crowds in the mid-80s when it was held at the Park Plaza Hotel in in the Westlake section of L.A. He had a day job as a gallery assistant for Larry Gagosian.

An avid record collector, he formed Delicious Vinyl with Mike Ross in 1987, scoring with Tone Loc’s "Wild Thing" and “Funky Cold Medina.” The Beastie Boys were looking for new ideas and after receiving demos from Dike and sound engineer Mario Caldato Jr., they set up shop in L.A. with them and The Dust Brothers. Dike contributed to the production and had a strong influence over the approach to sampling.

Following his success in music, he relinquished control of Delicious Vinyl to Ross in 1992, moved into a mansion once owned by Fatty Arbuckle and stayed out of the public eye for more than 25 years.