DJ, producer and icon of the ballroom scene, Vjuan Allure, has reportedly passed away. No official statement or details surrounding the death have been issued yet, but sources close to the Washington D.C.-based artist, who was in his late 30s, seemed to confirm his passing on social media early March 16th.
Allure is credited as being an innovator in the ball scene and largely regarded as one of the originators of the contemporary ballroom sound. He's specifically famous for his 2000 remix of Masters at Work's "The Ha Dance," which helped cement the song as one of the most sampled tracks across ballroom and define the sound of vogue over the next two decades.
"The Allure Ha," as it came to be known, originated from the DJ's frustration with younger crowds that would seemingly only respond to "The Ha Dance," speeding and chopping up the then already decade-old cut into a battle-ready crowd pleaser. Even more frustrating, Allure never officially released the rework, making it impossible to hear outside of the balls.
Over the course of his career, Allure had worked with the likes of Missy Elliott, Ashanti, Lenny Kravitz, Ultra Nate, CeCe Peniston and was heavily featured on RuPaul's 2016 album, Butch Queen, giving us tracks like "Category Is..." and "Feel Like a Woman."
A champion of vogue's original icons and an icon unto himself, Allure is being remembered not only for his impact on the sound of ballroom but for his much-beloved presence behind the decks. See some artist tributes, below, from Leonce to Qween Beat.
Photo via Getty/ FilmMagic/ FilmMagic for Bonnaroo Arts And Music Festival