Joseph Hahn is best known as the DJ/turntablist for Los Angeles rap-metal group Linkin Park. Born March 15, 1977, in Dallas, TX, Hahn was raised in California and while growing up had a strong interest in the visual arts and music, throughout his high-school years aspiring to be a comic-book artist. Following graduation, he enrolled at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena to study illustration, but wound up dropping out after only a year to work on film and television special effects, eventually lending his talents to movies like the 1998 sci-fi thriller Sphere and TV shows like The X-Files. While at art school, however, he also became friends with fellow student and musician Mike Shinoda, and soon joined the band Shinoda had started with some high-school buddies, Xero. That band would eventually become named Linkin Park, earn a deal with Warner Bros. in 1999, and rise to be one of the most popular rock groups in the early 2000s, effortlessly melding elements of rock, rap, electronics, and nu metal into its own distinct sound. Hahn -- who sometimes goes by Mr. Hahn and Chairman Hahn, among other names -- was able to balance music with his continued love of visual effects, directing most of Linkin Park's music videos, in addition to videos for other bands like Static-X and Alkaline Trio. ~ Corey Apar, All Music Guide
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