MK's latest single is called “Piece of Me” for a reason: everyone's been wanting a piece of him for more than two decades now. Ever since the Detroit-born house producer stepped into the electronic scene back in the late '80s, he’s been doing big things—from scoring No. 1 hits on the Billboard Dance Chart to working with the likes of Will Smith, Celine Dion, Pitbull and Quincy Jones.

With the release of a new album and a busy festival schedule, MK was expected to be hard to nab for an interview, but we still managed to discuss missing flights, arguing with management over a rider and why he hates writing and touring simultaneously.

How are you, where are you and what are you up to right now?

I’m in LA working on my album.

Do you remember the moment you realized your life is gonna revolve around music?

No [laughs]. Uh… no. You don’t really know. You hope it does. I remember being 17 and making music and thinking that even if I wasn’t going to be successful, it would still be something that I wanted to do. I always felt that certain gratification. If people didn’t like it, I would still be okay.

How did you settle down with the moniker MK?

I was going to the studio every day. And it was hard saying Marc Kinchen every time. It’s a long name to say. So my friend was like ‘Hey, MK,’ and I liked it.

So there were no other options?

Well I didn’t think about it that hard.

Well it’s catchy, so why bother, right.

It works out, so yeah, whatever. I’m not the type of person that gets hung up on names. I like to let the music speak.

You’ve been in the house game long enough to see it evolve and change over the decades. How would you describe this shift? What’s the state of house music in 2016?

I think it’s really good. I can actually pull up a file that I made in ’91 and play it now. And people are open to good music.

Do you have any advices for the younger generation of producers?

Yeah, of course. You can’t go by what you read or what you see or what people say. All that “you should make music like this or that.” You have to do it for yourself.

I’m sure there are a lot of perks of being a DJ, but what’s the least fun about being a DJ?

Traveling. Getting to the airport at 6am.

You probably have the loudest alarm.

I know, I know. Seriously, it’s the worst thing about DJing: traveling.

Did you ever oversleep your flight?

Haha, yes. From London to LA I fell asleep in the airport. A lot of times I play at Pacha and it’s literally play, fall asleep, miss my flight, get home by myself.

I bet it’s a quite a challenge for the promoter to get you to the venue!

Ha. No, it usually works out fine. If I miss my flight, it’s my fault, so I deal with it.

What does your creative/writing/producing process look like? Any studio rituals?

I have a full studio at my house, so I usually sit at my studio, play music and go from there. It doesn’t have to be something that I’m working on. Just music. Seeing where it takes me.

What’s always on your rider?

I’m actually very easy. I’m all about vodka and Red Bull. I think my management goes harder than me. And I keep having arguments with my managers about not adding so much to the rider.

Well, the managers need treats, too.

Yeah, but sometimes they’re not even there!  

What’s the best thing to do on a plane?

Sleep. I’m really into sleeping. Before I couldn’t sleep on planes, but now I’m really good at it. I’ve mastered it!

What’s the most fun party you’ve had recently?

The most fun I have is at Hideout festival in Croatia. It’s like the first party of the summer; it’s so much fun.

You’re playing a lot of festivals this summer, including Parklife in the UK. What are your festival must-haves?

You need a battery charger. 100%. There are some that can last the whole day, so get those.

Do you prefer playing festivals or clubs?

I like both. I’ve got songs that work in the festival environment but that won’t work in the club. And vice versa. So I definitely like both.

What should we expect from your sets?

I have some very pretty girls who are great dancers who I bring with me on stage. And I try to incorporate all the music I’ve done.

When should we expect the album you’re recording to drop?

I’ve been home for the past five months working on it. It’s hard working on the album when you’re on the road. You go on the road for 3-4 days, you come home and you don’t wanna work for 3-4 days. And then the last two days you work. It’s really difficult. It’s coming soon though—May 29.

Cool, we’ll be waiting.

Haha, thanks for the pressure.

What else are you excited about this year?

Songs that I’ve done over the past year that you haven’t heard yet. I enjoy producing more than DJing. I really enjoy producing music and then playing the music that I produce. Thankfully this summer I’ll be able to play all the music that I’ve produced. Last year I couldn’t play anything: record company and management told me I couldn’t play anything new, so my hands were tied. But this year I’m excited.

You’re gonna finally open that Pandora’s box, right?

Finally!