Long Lake #58’s Classic Roots meets Academy Award-winning filmmaker
By Rick Garrick
TORONTO — Long Lake #58’s Classic Roots enjoyed meeting Academy Award-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro after his DJ set at the Canadian Film Centre’s 2026 Gala on April 10 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Toronto. The gala, which featured this year’s theme of Roots, brought together leading voices from across film, television, and digital media for a night that reflects on the origins, influences, and connections that define great storytelling.
“I’ve been watching his stuff since I was a kid,” says Classic Roots (Joshua DePerry). “My most favourite movie that he made was Blade II, so I was really star struck when I happened to hear that he was actually going to be at the Canadian Film Centre Gala where I was invited to play jazz house lounge music.”
Classic Roots says he saw del Toro bobbing his head to the music during his DJ set, where he played his own originals and a lot of “jazz house vibes.”
“It was really a wonderful night, I’d say, and he really did enjoy my music,” Classic Roots says. “After my set, we had a brief but really it was a genuine conversation, and his kindness and passion for arts was very inspiring. It also reminded me of how music and film connect in such meaningful ways; honestly, it was really an honour to play for someone who has shaped storytelling in such a powerful way.”
Classic Roots says he has been a DJ and a music producer for about 22 years.
“For me, it’s more like telling my story and telling a story throughout my music, especially the music that I buy and also integrating with my sounds and integrating with Indigenous sounds and adding vocals in the same time,” Classic Roots says. “Most of the time, I’ll have four decks playing, four songs playing all together sometimes, and most of the time, it’s all about telling that story throughout the music — it’s like integrating with Indigenous storytelling but also integrating with house music and techno culture.”
Classic Roots says he first started out as a hip hop producer.
“I fell in love with electronic dance music after 2010,” Classic Roots says. “I really got interested in learning about the history of house and hip hop and techno music.”
Classic Roots says he moved to Toronto about 13 years ago to pursue his career as a DJ and a dancer.
“I was just enjoying it and learning new experiences and networking with good people, collaborating with other artists,” Classic Roots says. “I literally started from Thunder Bay to Toronto, and then here I am, travelling all over the world. I went to Japan a few weeks ago for 21 days just to do a vacation, but also DJing, also a panel discussion about Indigenous literature and culture.”
Classic Roots says it took a few years to achieve success after moving to Toronto, noting that he was recognized with the Best Pop CD award for Hack the Planet at the Indigenous Music Awards in 2015.
“It didn’t happen overnight, it didn’t happen over a few months or six or seven months, it took quite a few years actually, probably after my success with the (Best Pop CD) award,” Classic Roots says. “For me, it was just more like building content and staying active on social [media], like Facebook or Instagram. Most of the time, I had my website on and my Instagram on very frequently, and literally I stayed consistent and kept grounded, but over time, people started to reach out to me through my website. Most of the time, my bookings come through the website, and it’s really about aligning with the right people and the right mindset.”
Classic Roots says playing at big techno festivals such as Time Warp in Germany or Awakenings in the Netherlands are among his future goals.
“But not only that, my future goal is to encourage Indigenous and non-Indigenous producers out there [to] keep going,” Classic Roots says. “Once you put your music out there, you’re building your catalogue, you’re building yourself, you’re building your storytelling.”
Classic Roots adds that being sober for the past 20 years has had a big impact on his life.
“Being sober really clears my mind, especially when I’m working on music and collaborating with people, especially music workshops or just performing on stage,” Classic Roots says. “I have a clear mindset when it comes to being a performer and a DJ and just living a good life.”