Few individuals can claim to have done so much for musical exchange across the globe as Berlin based DJ, producer and label boss Daniel Haaksman. With the release of his 2004 compilation Rio Baile Funk Favela Booty Beats he introduced the sound of Rio ́s favelas for the first time to a global audience, parallely creating the genre term „Baile Funk“ (in Brasil, the music is called „Funk Carioca“).

From 2005 Daniel gave the sound of Rio De Janeiro its own platform and the Berlin treatment and started Man Recordings, today considered one of the leading international labels in tropical bass music. Man Recordings has released countless records by artists such as such as Diplo, Schlachthofbronx, Crookers, Bert On Beats or Daniel Haaksman himself amongst others, as well as the creme of Brazilian artists such as Deize Tigrona, Mulú, Cibelle, Edu K, MC Tha, João Brasil, Lovefoxxx or Marina Gasolina.

Daniel ́s own musical output includes four albums (Rambazamba (2010), African Fabrics (2016), With Love, From Berlin (2019), Sonido Lava (2023), as well as countless compilations (Black Atlantica Edits on BBE (2020) as well as official remixes for artists such as Gotan Project, Dom Salvador, Lord Nelson or Pinduca amongst others. As a DJ, he has travelled the world and played numerous clubs, festivals and events, such as Glastonbury, Womad or Tim Festival. His party friendly mix of baile funk, house, trap, bubbling, kuduro and everything in between has excited audiences everywhere. Daniel knows no musical rules, except for one: A DJ has to rock the party.

From 2013 to 2016 Daniel hosts the weekly radio mix show „Luso FM“ on German public radio „WDR Funkhaus Europa“. He also writes as a freelance music journalist for various German language dailies and weeklies.