Erick Morillo

Born March 26, 1971 in New York City, Erick Morillo was a DJ and music producer who is globally recognized for his 1993 hit, "I Like to Move It". Raised in Cartagena, Colombia, Morillo returned to the US aged 11 and first began DJing at weddings before graduating from Emerson High School, Union City in 1989. "I Like To Move It", his second single under the pseudonym Reel 2 Real, was a massive worldwide hit, reportedly earning Morillo an estimated $2 million. He released his debut album, Move It!, in 1994 and scored hits with singles "The New Anthem" (1992) and "Move Your Body" ("Mueve la Cadera") in 1996. He also released music as Ministers de la Funk, The Dronez, and Li'l Mo Ying Yang, as well as creating his own label Subliminal Records and management company, Double Platinum, in 1998. Morillo toured internationally for a number of years during his career including residencies in Greece, Malta, Amsterdam, London, and Ibiza. He won Best House DJ at the DJ Awards three times (1998, 2001, and 2003) as well as Best International DJ in 2002, 2006, and 2009. Aged 49, Morillo was found dead at his home in Miami Beach, Florida, on September 1, 2020, of a drug overdose after being arrested for sexual battery.