DJ Mehdi began crossing over into electronic dance music in 2000 with the release of Espion le EP, an Espionnage compilation that included a diverse array of styles that blurred the lines between hip-hop and dance. A couple more years of production work on albums including Karlito's Contenu Sous Pression (2001) and 113's Fout la Merde (2002) led to (The Story Of) Espion, his full-length debut album, released by the EMI sublabel Delabel. In search of management, DJ Mehdi turned to Pedro Winter (aka Busy P), a fellow DJ whom he had known for years and who not only was well known for successfully managing the career of Daft Punk but was in the process of founding his own label, Ed Banger Records. Under the moniker of Espion, DJ Mehdi made his Ed Banger debut in 2003, producing Anything Is Possible, the B-side of Justice's Never Be Alone.
DJ Mehdi's next release on Ed Banger, I Am Somebody (2006), a four-track EP featuring remixes by Kenny Dope of Masters at Work, was billed to himself and became an underground sensation, later being licensed for use in a 2007 commercial for XM Satellite Radio in the United States. A full-length album on Ed Banger, Lucky Boy (2006), followed the release of I Am Somebody, as did Loukoums (2006), a rare outtakes mix album released as a tribute to the late J Dilla, whose Stones Throw album Donuts (2006) was its inspiration. In the wake of this success, DJ Mehdi released Lucky Boy at Night (2007), a remix edition of its predecessor; Lucky Girl (2007), a four-track EP; Your Way or Mine? (2007), a blue-vinyl split 7" on Arcade Mode with Kavinsky; and Mixmag Presents: Ed Banger Ménage-à-Trois (2008), a mix CD also featuring Feadz and Pedro Winter. Mehdi died in 2011 when he fell to his death after a roof collapse. He was 34. ~ Jason Birchmeier, Rovi