Ian MacKaye nasceu o 16 de abril de 1962 em Washington, Distrito de Columbia, EUA. É compositor e ator, conhecido pelo seu trabalho em SLC Punk! (1998), Chain (2004) e Pariah (1998).
While in Minor Threat, he wrote the song "Straight Edge" after one of his best friends, a drug addict, died as he overdosed on heroin. In swearing off drugs, alcohol, smoking, and promiscuous sex, McKaye unintentionally invented a life-style still strictly led by thousands of people to this day.
