Nearly one year ago to the day, DJ Rebekah launched a campaign called #ForTheMusic. The idea was simple. It was to fight against sexual harassment and assault in the world of dance music. And she was going to be the figurehead helping bring about real change to a scene that desperately needs it.

But nothing much happened with this campaign. Rebekah mentioned it a few times and then appears to have forgotten it existed. Indeed, the campaign’s Instagram account has not published anything since February. Exactly why the DJ appears to have lost interest in the campaign she started in a blaze of publicity isn’t clear.

In November 2020, Ellie Flynn wrote an article for DJ Mag detailing a number of allegations of sexual assault by Derrick May. The utterly charmless Annabel Ross also wrote about it for Resident Advisor. Rebekah also wrote on her Facebook page, astonished at the allegations.

So when I discovered earlier today, courtesy of Michael James, that DJ Rebekah is now working with Francesco Tristano, I was disheartened but not entirely surprised. The business techno world that these two inhabit is all about money and being seen with the “right” people.

And what’s problematic about working with Tristano? Well, he’s collaborated with Derrick May in the past – but this gets worse. You see, he effectively helped cover up the fact May cannot play the piano. Tristano travelled with Derrick May to perform orchestral versions of his music.

May would have had to make such an admission to him at some point, yet Tristano was still happy enough to use May’s name to make one for himself. So for Rebekah to now collaborate with one of May’s enablers – that’s a bit of a problem…

Hat tip goes to Michael James for this one...