After his emotional farewell tour at Defqon.1 in 2023, DJ The Prophet is returning behind the decks. The Godfather of Hardstyle ended his career after more than 35 years, but quitting turned out to be harder than expected, and now he has officially announced his comeback. “I terribly miss performing.”
In 2023, Dov Elkabas, better known as DJ The Prophet, said goodbye with his From The Hard tour across the globe and even released a book. But after spending 35 years on stages worldwide, those feelings don’t simply disappear overnight. “I terribly miss performing. I miss the people,” DJ The Prophet explains in his announcement video.
“Not performing anymore feels like going through hell”
The SCANTRAXX label boss, who mentored artists such as Headhunterz, Wildstylez, and many others, felt like he had fallen into a black hole after retiring. Besides stepping away from the stage, he also lost several loved ones during that period. It felt as if a rib had been torn from his body, but he has since found his energy again. “I spent days making all kinds of music. Back in the studio, where it all started, and I feel like a fish in water again.”
Then came Australia’s HTID event, where DJ The Prophet made his first appearance since retiring earlier this year in Sydney. “I noticed it immediately: I’m full of energy again.” Now, in collaboration with Independent Artist Agency, he is deliberately choosing a limited number of shows, with quality and exclusivity taking center stage. The concept revolves around his complete musical legacy: from early hardcore and early rave to early hardstyle, including classics like ‘Wanna Play?’.
DJ The Prophet returns with Distorted Construct: does this also mean new music?
“I’m not going to make new hardstyle, I’m not going to make new hardcore. I’m doing this with the records I already have, because I have more than enough music.” On social media, DJ The Prophet describes his comeback as “a return to the core.” After spending two and a half years away from hardcore and hardstyle, he discovered that his love for the music had never disappeared. “Once a distorted kick truly gets into your soul, you never stop loving it.”
With Distorted Construct, DJ The Prophet brings his history back to the stage: no chasing trends, no edits, but a tribute to the music that shaped both him and the scene. When the first official Distorted Construct show will take place has not yet been announced.
View this post on Instagram
Footage via: DJ The Prophet / LorenzoTNC
