Kevin Saunderson
The most commercially successful of the Belleville Three, born in Brooklyn in 1964 where as a thirteen-year-old he sneaked into the Loft and the Paradise Garage with his elder brothers. Moved to Belleville at age ten and became friends with Derrick May through school sports teams (after knocking May unconscious). Studied telecommunications at Eastern Michigan University and played college football while Atkins and May were already making records. First release was "Triangle of Love" as Kreem on Metroplex in 1987—ideas he'd wake up in the middle of the night to record. Created Inner City with vocalist Paris Grey, recording "Big Fun" and filing it away before Neil Rushton pulled it from a drawer for the Virgin compilation; it became a worldwide smash. Inner City sold over six million records across three albums with nine UK top 40 hits. Also released harder underground material as E-Dancer, including the critically acclaimed album "Heavenly" (1998) that Spin named "one of the ten best albums you've never heard." Created the influential "Reese bassline" on his 1988 track "Just Want Another Chance" using a Casio CZ-1000, which became foundational to jungle and drum and bass. Founded KMS Records to develop new talent. AllMusic called him "easily the most dexterous in the stable of Detroit techno pioneers."