DJ Minx on Detroit’s Legacy, Coming Out, and Carving Space for Women
- Filip
- May 14
- 2 min read
DJ Minx is more than a Detroit icon — she’s a pioneer, a label head, and a voice for queer, Black, and femme communities in dance music.
With three decades behind the decks, DJ Minx has witnessed the evolution of techno and house from warehouse subcultures to global stages — and she’s still pushing boundaries.
Named one of Mixmag’s “20 Women Who Shaped the History of Dance Music” and one of TimeOut New York’s “Best House Music DJs of All Time”, Minx isn’t just history — she’s the moment.
We sat down with the powerhouse behind Women on Wax to trace her story, from underground sets in 90s Detroit to leading today’s conversations around representation, equity, and queerness in the club.
“Back Then, We Were Doing It for the Love”
Minx started spinning in an era where being a woman behind the decks was still a rarity — and being a Black queer woman? Practically unheard of.
“It wasn’t about followers or streams,” she tells us. “It was about the music, the community, and getting lost in that moment.”
Her early days in Detroit weren’t all smooth — but they were formative. And the spirit of those underground parties still pulses through her sound.
Techno's Roots Run Deep
Detroit isn't just a city. It's a birthplace — of techno, resistance, and Black creativity.
Minx reflects on the cultural erasure that often happens as the genre goes global:
“People dance to techno today without knowing where it comes from. But this music is ours. It came from Black queer and working-class communities who needed an outlet. Techno was the escape.”
As commercialization crept in, she adapted — without compromise.
“You can grow and still keep your integrity. That’s what I try to do every time I step into a booth.”
Women on Wax & Coming Out
In 2001, she launched Women on Wax, both a DJ collective and label platforming femme talent in a male-dominated scene. It was radical then — and it still is.
“It was about creating space,” she says. “If the doors weren’t opening for us, we’d build our own damn house.”
Her journey also included publicly coming out later in life — a moment she describes as “liberating, terrifying, and necessary.”
The support she received reminded her why visibility matters:
“People reached out saying they finally saw themselves in someone like me. That’s when I knew I was doing the right thing.”
Watch the full interview: Where does techno and house come from? – DJ Minx on Playful Podcast
