Diamanté Anthony Blackmon known as Carnage has announced his retirement from music and touring. After 14 years, the globally-renowned artist will say goodbye with a 5-show grand finale tour known as “Carnage & Rare Presents: Thank You.” His tour will be the last time fans can experience a CARNAGE performance. “Today marks the beginning of a new chapter in my life. After 14 years, CARNAGE has been put to rest and is officially dead,” he said in a press release.
© GettyImagesThe DJ’s career spanned more than a decade and is a testimony to his grind and hustle as a child immigrant who came to the U.S. without knowing English. “As many of you know, I grew up in Guatemala and came to the U.S. as a child who did not speak any English. The descendant of illegal immigrants, my family came to America to pave the way for a better life for me,” he explained.
“It’s honestly hard to describe the ups and downs in my life as Carnage over the past 14 years. Today you see all the success and the flash, but what you didn’t see was my struggle. Years of grinding trying to turn my dreams into reality, countless nights in the studio, sleeping on friends‘ couches, scraping money together to get by. I was just a kid with a dream and looking back I really do pinch myself,” the 31-year-old continued.
© GettyImagesAt the end of the road, this artist is thankful for the journey that began in 2008. “I started my journey as CARNAGE in 2008 and together, with the help of my loyal fans, have been able to achieve some of my wildest dreams. From working with music icons like Avicii, Drake, Swedish House Mafia, MIGØS, Tiesto, Young Thug, The Martinez Brothers, and Kanye West to selling out clubs, theaters, arenas, stadiums, and festivals around the world, all I can say is–THANK YOU–it truly means the world,” Carnage said.
He went on to aassure fans they hold a special place in his heart, “ASOC Family, you mean everything to me. I would be nothing without my fans, I can’t describe how many of you have touched my soul and changed my life, you are what kept me going these past 14 years. ASOC Family will live on forever,” the artist concluded.
Tickets go on sale this Monday, details can be found on ThankYouCarnage.com. To bring the evolution of Carnage around in a full circle, he is heading back to the venues and cities that catapulted his career. Taking over Avalon (LA) for the last time on May 26th, Carnage will pay homage to the west coast club that gave him his first headline booking before becoming one of the largest acts to ever grace the stage. On May 28th, Carnage will return to Webster Hall (NY), the venue that hosted his first sold-out show in New York. On May 30th, Carnage wraps up the North American leg at Stereo Live Houston. Carnage’s final performances will be in Australia for his two final festival performances on June 4th (Sydney) and 11th(Gold Coast) at Lunar Electric Festival
