Joaquin "Joe" Claussell was born in Brooklyn to a large and diverse Puerto Rican family with deep musical roots. Throughout his life, music was Joe's shelter, family, food, comfort, escape and love. His first exposure to entertaining audiences was in his own neighborhood at block association events, musically led by one of his elder brothers Larry Claussell. Not long after he hit the club and began collecting vinyl at the age of 15 and his diverse taste for music and dance led him from a Disco at a club called The Inferno to Punk music’ s sanctuary CBGBs, the alternative driven Mudd Club, the more mainstream Underground, and the legendary Paradise Garage. While living in the East Village in the early 90s, he found and fell in love with a record store called Dance Tracks. He formed a friendship with the owner, which became the foundation of his musical career. Joe became the store’s DJ and called weekly parties that drew a diverse and increasingly devoted crowd of music lovers. All in the name of fun he received an invitation from owner and good friend Stan Hatzakis he began producing: and did his first remix “Over” and his produced first track "Awade,” both becoming instant underground classic. Over time he learned the music business and eventually took over the Dance Tracks.