Deadmau5 Slams Fellow DJ 3LAU for Playing Donald Trump's Inauguration Ball: 'You Nepo Pissbaby'

The DJ deadmau5 has sharply criticized fellow dance music producer 3LAU after 3LAU performed at a ball celebrating President Donald Trump's second inauguration.

The fiery exchange began after 3LAU, whose real name is Justin Blau, posted in a celebratory manner on Instagram about his involvement in the event.

In the post, 3LAU called playing Trump's Starlight Ball an honor, writing, "Playing Starlight Ball was not on my 2025 bingo card, but I mean, wow, what an honor."

He added that he was "so nervous" and only performed for 30 minutes but described the experience as "achievement unlocked."

Deadmau5 Blasts 3LAU

The post quickly attracted criticism from fans and fellow musicians alike. Among the most vocal was deadmau5, who blasted 3LAU in a scathing comment.

In full, deadmau5 wrote, "Here's the best takeaway, not a single person in that entire dumbf**k administration has ever known who the f**k you were, cared about you, or even gives the remotest s**t about you, and you certainly won't be remembered by any of em."

He added, "But everyone in this business will remember that you stood behind nazis and convicted felons who would further marginalize the very people who gave you a platform."

Ending his thought, deadmau5 concluded, "What very little respect I had for you is gone. So glad you got some drink tickets out of the deal, enjoy them, you nepo pissbaby."

The reference to being a nepo baby likely connects to conjecture around 3LAU's background suggesting he comes from an extremely wealthy family, as one recent Reddit thread pondered.

3LAU appeared unfazed, responding sarcastically, "I feel like I just unlocked another achievement! Thank you for this one."

The exchange has since gone viral, igniting debates across social media.

Critics of 3LAU's decision to perform at the ball questioned his motives. The DJ defended himself in a comment, as Mixmag reported, insisting he wasn't paid, saying, "The government only covered my travel." Still, many saw the performance as an endorsement of the controversial former president.

3LAU has built a reputation with pop remixes and ventures like his blockchain-based music platform Royal. But his involvement with Trump's inauguration event has sparked backlash, adding to a career already marked by controversy.

This isn't the first time 3LAU has faced scrutiny. In 2022, he was sued by artist Luna Aura over licensing issues related to his NFT album, "Ultraviolet," a case that settled the following year.

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