At the age of 18, Eli acquired his first set of decks as a High School graduation gift from his parents in 1999. Having heard some Fatboy Slim mixes and Paul van Dyk, he worked tirelessly to try and figure out exactly what he was trying to do, teaching himself all he knows about DJing to the point which he is at today.

In college, Eli made a name for himself spinning parties in houses, apartments, and cafeterias at colleges throughout Minnesota. He held a residency at Temple in Minneapolis in addition to playing at various venues throughout Minneapolis and St. Paul, helping start his own school's radio station, and having a weekly show at a neighboring college's radio station.

Spending four years living in Japan, Eli made a name for himself in Kobe with a residency at Becak, which has since gone under. He also had the opportunity to play at Bar Mel, Troop Cafe, and numerous other small venues. In Tokyo he played out at Module, Aoyama-Hachi, and ended with a two night back-to-back stint at Rhythm Cafe, before heading back to the U.S.