Oh yes, oh yes! Carl Cox has been presented with his OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire), with Prince William on royal duties.
The pioneering British DJ and record producer is recognized for his outstanding services to music, and was one of several music figures identified in the King’s Birthday Honours List back in June of this year.
King Charles’ first born, William, had the honor of presenting Cox with his award during a ceremony this week at Windsor Castle.
“I’m not quite sure I can put into words what today means to me,” Cox writes on his social channels. “Music has been my whole life. From those early days of falling in love with records and DJing, to travelling the world and sharing that love with so many people, I’ve never stopped being grateful that I get to do what I do.”
To receive his OBE from Prince William at Windsor Castle, “recognising nearly 50 years of doing something I absolutely love,” Cox writes, “is beyond anything I could have imagined.”
Cox isn’t just a DJ. He’s an institution, an integral part of the house and techno electronic music story, one of the first “superstar” DJs and a vinyl technician who mastered the three-deck and four-deck mixing techniques. He founded his label Intec Records in 1999, and is a familiar face behind the decks at the biggest festivals and clubs, everywhere.
As clubland remained in lockdown during the pandemic, Cox used the time wisely to complete his autobiography, “Oh Yes, Oh Yes!,” a reference to his catchphrase. The book dropped in August 2021, published by White Rabbit.
“I’ve been thinking a lot about my mum and dad today,” he says of his OBE. “I know just how proud they would have been, and I wish they could have been here to share this moment with me.
“This honour means so much, not just to me personally, but because of where our music has come from and how far it has travelled. To see dance music recognised in this way is something I’m immensely proud of.”
Signing off, he gives a shout out to “family, friends, everyone who has believed in me, supported me and danced with me over the years, thank you. You’ve all been part of this. My heart is very full today. I’m proud, humbled and deeply honoured. Thank you.”
