Paul Elstak

Paul Roger Elstak, born January 14, 1966, in The Hague, Netherlands, is a Dutch hardcore and happy hardcore DJ and record producer of Surinamese descent. His career began in 1987 at Rotterdam's Discotheque Bluetiek-Inn, where he played alongside Dutch house music pioneer Peter Slaghuis. He co-founded Holy Noise with Rob Fabrie and Richard van Naamen, releasing tracks on the Hithouse record label before establishing his own Rotterdam Records label in 1992 to release hardcore and Rotterdam Tekno. Elstak is widely regarded as one of the founders of the gabber and hardcore techno movements. His 1995 debut single under his own name, "Life Is Like a Dance," achieved massive commercial success, followed by iconic hits including "Luv U More," "Rainbow in the Sky," and "Promised Land." In 2001, he launched Offensive Records, where he continues to release hardcore music. With a career spanning nearly four decades, DJ Paul Elstak remains one of the most recognizable and enduring figures in European hardcore and gabber music.