I was into video game music cover bands (The Megas, Metroid Metal) in late high school. While in college, the bands to which I listened weren't releasing anything new, so, hungry for more, I asked on the forum of Starmen.net if anyone knew of any groups/artists who made "video game music". Someone there linked me to the page on 8bitpeoples for Anamanaguchi's Power Supply album, and my mind was blown.
Within a year, I was tracking on NerdTracker II. After about a year, I had borrowed an R4 from a friend on campus, downloaded the LSDJ demo, and was making Game Boy music on a DS lite. Eventually, I graduated to a DMG, bought an EMS cart, and bought the full version of LSDJ (that $2 really broke me for sure).