DJ Slugo aka Thomas Kendricks is one of the founding figures of Chicago’s ghetto house and juke. Since the 1990s, the South Side producer and DJ has shaped the sound of the Dance Mania label, and in 1995 he started his own imprint, Subterranean Playhouse. For this GROOVE mix, he focuses on his own material: almost all of the roughly 30 tracks are his, many of them available only on vinyl. They sit alongside remixes and nods to the Chicago scene, including a refix of Cajmere & Dajae’s „Brighter Day” and DJ Deeon’s „South Side”.
GROOVE: What did you have in mind when recording this mix?
DJ Slugo: Showcasing a lot of my new music that’s on vinyl only. You can purchase them on djslugomusic.com.
Where did you record it and which setup did you use?
My Rane one controller.
What’s the most memorable gig you played so far?
Chosen Few Music Festival 2026 (Chicago)
Can you name a secret weapon that you use frequently?
A record I made called „ghetto robots”.
Three recent releases that caught your attention?
2LM, Sage Armstrong, DJ Slugo – Freaky Ride Remix
DJ Slugo – Throw That (Slug Dub)
ChristinaTheSaint, DJ Slugo, DJADELAIDE, Pooh – Juking For Live 26
What do you have coming up?
My new vinyl album CHICAGO drops 12/26/2026, I have a new EP called OxAgen dropping in November 2026 on Fool’s Gold. And I’m also traveling to play in the UK for the first time ever in October 2026.
Tracklist:
1) Cajmere & Dajae – Brighter Day Remix (Its Me Jt Refix)
2) DJ Slugo – How We Do
3) DJ Slugo – Ghetto Robots
4) DJ Slugo – DJLB6 (Break Yo Back)
5) DJ Slugo – Let The Bass Go
6) DJ Deeon – South Side
7) DJ Slugo – GOTFNW
8) Seymour Bits – Put It Back Down (DJ Slugo Remix)
9) DJ Slugo – Slugzilla 247925
10) DJ Slugo – Twerk
11) Nanoos, Bodhi Z, DJ Slugo – Arjuuk
12) DJ Slugo, John Blu – Wanna Strip
13) DJ Slugo – WTB2
14) Martyn Bootyspoon – These Nike Shox (DJ Slugo Remix)
15) DJ Slugo – French Fries
16) DJ Slugo ft. PAMP – Juke Like Me
17) DJ Slugo – Juke It Up
18) DJ Slugo – Freak It
19) DJ Slugo – Cycle Zone
20) DJ Slugo – JukeOlogy 101
21) DJ Slugo – Just Like That
22) DJ Slugo – Pump
23) DJ Slugo – I’m A Freak
24) DJ Slugo – Juke, Pop, Work It
25) DJ Slugo – Its Acid
26) DJ Slugo – Slug-U-Later
27) DJ Slugo – From The Back
28) DJ Slugo – Juke That Back Low
29) DJ Slugo – In The Middle
30) DJ Slugo – Work That Big Booty
31) DJ Slugo – Work It (Like This)
