DJ AM facts for kids

Quick facts for kids DJ AM
Goldstein in December 2008
Background information
Birth name	Adam Michael Goldstein
Also known as	DJ AM
Born	(1973-03-30)March 30, 1973 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	August 28, 2009(2009-08-28) (aged 36) New York City, New York, U.S.
Occupation(s)	DJ remixer
Instruments	Turntables
Years active	1993–2009

Adam Michael Goldstein (born March 30, 1973 – died August 28, 2009) was an American DJ. He was known by his stage name, DJ AM. Adam was born in Philadelphia. He became interested in deejaying as a child. This happened after he saw Herbie Hancock perform his song "Rockit" in 1983.

Goldstein started deejaying in clubs in Los Angeles. In 1999, he joined the band Crazy Town. He left the group in 2001. After that, he focused on being a solo DJ. His career became very successful around 2003. In 2006, he signed a big contract. He would perform weekly at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. He also charged a lot for private events. In 2008, Goldstein and Travis Barker formed a duo called TRV$DJAM. They were the only two people who survived a plane crash in 2008. Four other people on the plane died.

Goldstein appeared as himself in several TV shows. He also made music mixes for the video game DJ Hero. He was even a playable character in that game. He filmed a small role for the movie Iron Man 2. On August 28, 2009, he was found dead in his New York City apartment. Iron Man 2, released in 2010, was dedicated to him.

Early Life of DJ AM

Adam Michael Goldstein was born on March 30, 1973. His birthplace was Philadelphia. His parents were Andrea and Herbert. They had adopted his older sister Lara before he was born.

In 1984, Adam watched Herbie Hancock perform "Rockit". This was at the 26th Annual Grammy Awards. After seeing this, Adam became very interested in deejaying. He knew then that he wanted to be a DJ. He went to a school called Friends' Central. When he was 14, his mother moved to Los Angeles. Adam and his sister moved with her.

DJ AM's Music Career

Goldstein in February 2007

Goldstein's stage name, "DJ AM", comes from his first and middle names. These are Adam Michael. He first played music for his friends and at private parties. His first paid DJ job was at an unlicensed club in Los Angeles. He was 21 years old. He earned $40 and some drinks for a night's work. He worked there for two years. A music promoter saw him play. The promoter was impressed. He offered Goldstein a DJ job at The Dragonfly club in Hollywood.

Goldstein met Shifty Shellshock through the nightclub scene. He was asked to join the rap/rock group Crazy Town in 1999. He helped with their 2000 hit song "Butterfly". This song became number one in many countries. Goldstein left the group in 2001.

In 2003, Goldstein had surgery for health reasons. He lost a lot of weight after this surgery. His DJ career became very popular around this time. An editor from Us Weekly magazine said he was talented. But she also said his fame grew because he was dating Nicole Richie.

Because of his relationship, Goldstein appeared on TV. He was in a 2005 episode of Punk'd. He also appeared in an episode of The Simple Life. This was a reality TV show about Nicole Richie and Paris Hilton. Goldstein and Richie got engaged in February 2005. But they broke up in late 2006. Goldstein was a guest DJ on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in May 2006.

He loved collecting sneakers. By 2007, he owned over 1,000 pairs. This led to him having a small role in the TV series Entourage. He played himself buying sneakers. In the same year, Goldstein started working at Caesars Palace. He became the main DJ at their Pure nightclub. He signed a contract for $1 million for the year. This was a very large amount for a DJ back then. By 2007, he was earning between $10,000 and $25,000 for each solo DJ event.

Goldstein performed scratching on albums for other artists. These included Papa Roach, Will Smith, and Babyface. He played at private parties for famous people. Some of these were Jennifer Lopez, Ben Stiller, and Leonardo DiCaprio. Goldstein was also good friends with DJ and producer Steve Aoki. Aoki later praised him in his 2016 documentary.

Surviving a Plane Crash

In June 2008, Goldstein and Travis Barker started working together. They called their duo TRV$DJAM. They performed at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards on September 7, 2008. On September 19, they were on a Learjet 60 plane. It crashed when taking off in Columbia, South Carolina. Both pilots and two other passengers died. Goldstein and Barker were badly hurt. Goldstein had serious burns on his arm and head.

Both he and Barker were taken to a special burn center. Goldstein was released on September 26, 2008. He was expected to get better completely. In December 2008, Goldstein filed a lawsuit. He sued the plane company and others. He asked for money for his pain and injuries. His family settled the lawsuit in 2010, after he passed away.

His Last Year and Projects

In December 2008, MTV announced that DJ AM and Barker would perform together again. This was their first show since the plane crash. They played at a New Year's Eve party in Los Angeles. In April 2009, Goldstein left Caesars Palace. He became the regular Friday night DJ at Rain Nightclub. This club is in the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

Goldstein filmed a small role for the movie Iron Man 2 in June 2009. He played himself deejaying at a party. Jon Favreau, the movie's director, was a fan of Goldstein. The director and actor Robert Downey Jr. liked Goldstein a lot. Goldstein even gave Favreau tips on how to DJ. Goldstein also worked on the DJ Hero video game by Activision. He made original mixes for the game. He also appeared as a playable character. Goldstein and Barker performed at a game event in 2009 to promote it.

Goldstein in June 2009

Remembering DJ AM

Goldstein was found dead in his New York City apartment on August 28, 2009.

After a memorial service, Goldstein was buried. This was at Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery. It is a Jewish cemetery near Los Angeles. On September 3, 2009, another memorial was held. This was at the Hollywood Palladium. Many people attended, including Nicole Richie, Travis Barker, and DJ Jazzy Jeff.

The director of Iron Man 2, Jon Favreau, talked to people close to Goldstein. They all agreed that his footage should stay in the movie. Favreau said the film would definitely be dedicated to him.

His Lasting Impact

The DJ AM Memorial Fund was started to honor him. In November 2009, many of Goldstein's sneakers were sold online. The money raised went to this fund. In August 2010, the fund gave money to a place in Los Angeles. This helped patients learn musical talents.

In August 2011, several DJs honored Goldstein. They played at a nightclub in Las Vegas. This helped raise more money for the fund. In May 2012, a special event honored the fund's launch. Moby deejayed at this event to pay tribute to Goldstein.

Goldstein won DJ of the Year in 2009. This was at the BET Hip Hop Awards. In October 2009, he was shown in a South Park episode. This episode featured other famous people who had passed away that year. Eminem honored Goldstein in his 2010 song "Talkin' 2 Myself". On the cover of Blink-182's 2011 album, "DJ AM" is written on a building. This is a memorial to him.

A documentary film about Goldstein was announced in 2013. It was called As I AM: The Life and Times of DJ AM. The film was directed by Kevin Kerslake. It was released in April 2015.

Music DJ AM Made

DJ AM on TV and Film

See also

In Spanish: Adam Goldstein para niños