Paul Johnson, widely regarded as an essential house artist whose influence will continue to make an impact, has died following a serious COVID-19 battle. He was 50 years old.
“Our greatness passed away this morning at 9am,” a statement shared to Johnson’s official Facebook page on Wednesday read. “The house music legend we all know as PJ aka PAUL JOHNSON has passed away [on] this day of AUGUST 4th 2021. Rest In Heaven Paul.”
Johnson’s agent later confirmed the news to Mixmag’s Patrick Hinton. Complex has reached out to a rep for additional comment.
Back in 1997, Johnson co-founded the Dust Traxx label with Radek Hawryszczuk. The label went on to release projects from Frankie Bones, Robert Armani, Stacey Kidd, Johnson himself, and many more.
The DJ and producer’s “Get Get Down,” released in late 1999 as a single from his The Groove I Have project, quickly became a global hit and at one point hit the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Hot Dance/Club Play song chart.
Last month, Johnson—who got his start at 13 years old and more recently was seen spinning at Le Nocturne in Chicago—was reported to be recovering after being placed on a ventilator from COVID-19. At the time, Block Club Chicago’s Jamie Nesbitt Golden reported, Johnson had been admitted to a hospital and had informed fans “Shits Taken a TURN for The Worse” before a longtime friend confirmed he was again breathing on his own.
In a 2014 interview shared by S&S Records, Johnson spoke on how his health issues took up a large part of his life, and how some people didn’t understand the private struggle. A shooting in the late 1980s, notably, left him paralyzed from the waist down.
“I still got this part of my life to deal with and this part of my life takes over 80 percent of anything,” Johnson said at the time. “The other 20 percent is friends, bookings, and music. 80 percent of my life is my health, and ever since I got shot, my health has been [up and down]. And I don’t ever take that out on the street with me. I’m always smiling when I’m out on the street. Im always doing everything everybody wants. But when I go home, I’m hurting.”
Rest in peace.
Below, revisit a Paul Johnson set from earlier this year:
