Juan Atkins, the influential electronic producer revered worldwide as a founding father of techno music, has died at the age of 64. His talent agency, Greensmith Artists, confirmed the news on social media, as reported by Billboard.
Atkins was found unresponsive in his hotel room in Mexico City on October 31 ahead of a scheduled set at YuYu Cine Club. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where medical staff pronounced him dead shortly after arrival, with no cause of death immediately released.
Born in Detroit in 1962 and raised in Belleville, Michigan, Atkins shaped the landscape of modern electronic sound alongside high school peers Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson. Together known as the Belleville Three, the trio created the foundation for Detroit techno by blending futuristic European synthesizers with American funk traditions.
In 1980, Atkins teamed with synthesizer musician Rik Davis to launch Cybotron, issuing the landmark 1983 LP Enter and its pioneering track 'Clear.' Following the group's 1985 dissolution, Atkins established Metroplex Records, building an enduring independent platform that cemented Detroit as a global hub for dance music.