[1] Prior to joining LiveStyle, he was the founder and CEO of HARD Events,[2] a brand which has put on popular music festivals since 2007 and was subsequently purchased by Live Nation Entertainment in 2012.

He received significant exposure to the music industry as a child as his father, Barry "Reazar" Richards worked on the radio and in concert promotion.

Entranced by the early 1990s warehouse scene, Richards hosted a weekly event of his own called "The Sermon"[15] and helped bring attention to many L.A. nightlife hotspots including the Standard Hotel – Downtown.

[17][18] In 1997, Richards allowed promoter Pasquale Rotella to use the "Electric Daisy Carnival" name for a series of music festivals he was producing.

[20] He followed "Electric Daisy Carnival" with presenting "RaveAmerica" at Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, CA on New Year's Eve, 1993.

[26] He is quoted as saying that the Destructo name derives from his "goal to play the hardest and most gnarly techno out there" stating that he would "blow up the sound system and the mixer at clubs if I could".He listed electronic artists Kraftwerk and Daft Punk as inspirations along with metal bands Metallica and Black Sabbath.

As the music industry continued to change at the turn of the century, Richards returned to his roots as a concert promoter, launching the very first HARD Events festival in 2007.

[35] Past performers at HARD Events festivals include Deadmau5, Skrillex, Underworld, Diplo, M.I.A., Justice, A-Trak, Steve Aoki, Busy P, Boys Noize, N.E.R.D., Crystal Castles, Digitalism, and many more.