Ego Trip's Book of Rap Lists is more popular than racism!
Hip hop is huge, and it's time someone wrote it all down. And got it all right. With over 25 aggregate years of interviews, and virtually every hip hop single, remix and album ever recorded at their disposal, the highly respected Ego Trip staff are the ones to do it. The Book of Rap Lists runs the gamut of hip hop information. This is an exhaustive, indispensable and completely irreverent bible of true hip hip knowledge.
Ego Trip's Book of Rap Lists is more popular than racism!
Hip hop is huge, and it's time someone wrote it all down. And got it all right. With over 25 aggregate years of interviews, and virtually every hip hop single, remix and album ever recorded at their disposal, the highly respected Ego Trip staff are the ones to do it. The Book of Rap Lists runs the gamut of hip hop information. This is an exhaustive, indispensable and completely irreverent bible of true hip hip knowledge.
Ego Trip's Book of Rap Lists
352
Ego Trip's Book of Rap Lists
352eBook
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Overview
Ego Trip's Book of Rap Lists is more popular than racism!
Hip hop is huge, and it's time someone wrote it all down. And got it all right. With over 25 aggregate years of interviews, and virtually every hip hop single, remix and album ever recorded at their disposal, the highly respected Ego Trip staff are the ones to do it. The Book of Rap Lists runs the gamut of hip hop information. This is an exhaustive, indispensable and completely irreverent bible of true hip hip knowledge.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781466866973 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | St. Martin's Publishing Group |
| Publication date: | 03/25/2014 |
| Sold by: | Macmillan |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 352 |
| File size: | 19 MB |
| Note: | This product may take a few minutes to download. |
About the Author
Sacha Jenkins-much like rap great KRS One-is hip hip. Sachy-Sach, his sister Dominiqe, and their artistically inclined, Haitian-born mom-dukes, Monart, moved to Astoria, Queens, NY from Silver Springs, MD in the summer of 1977. Their Philadelphia, PA-reared, filmmaking/Emmy Award-winning pop-dukes, Horace was already living in NYC at the time (100th Street&Central Park West, to be exact...blocks away from the infamous Rock Steady Park). During the school week, young Sacha spent his post three o'clock days playing stickball and skelly. Then...1980: Sacha was blessed by an elder with an instrument of destruction that would forever change his life. "PK," a local subway scrawler with some inter-borough celebrity, handed the young boy a very juiced-up Pilot magic marker.
1988: Inspired by a the International Graffiti Times (a rag published by aerosol legend Phase 2 and David Schmidlap), Sacha would put together Graphic Scenes&X-plicit Language-a zine dedicated to, yep, graf. And poetry. And anti-Gulf War rants. And humor. And towards the end, in 1991, music. 1992: Beat Down, America's first hip hop newspaper, is launched by Sacha and a childhood friend have a falling out. Bye bye, Black bird.
June, 1994: Ego Trip magazine is born. 1996: Sacha writes for Vibe, Rolling Stone, and Spin. He gets a Writer-At-Large then Music Editor gig at Vibe.
Present: In his spare time, Sacha likes to play guitar, collect Planet of the Apes action figures and listen to rap that isn't wack. He's a Leo.
In the summer of 1992, armed with his worthless LaGuardia Community College Associate Arts degree, mulatto-born Elliot Wilson attempted to connect with The Source to no avail. Frustrated 20and full of half-black rage, Wilson vowed to one day show his smarmy colleagues in the world of hip hop journalism what a tragic mistake they had made.
Befriending fellow W.C. Bryant High School alum Sacha Jenkins and L.C.C. student Haji Akhigbade, Wilson became the Music Editor of the duo's burgeoning rap newspaper, Beat Down. After the trio disbanded in the fall of '93, Wilson encouraged Jenkins to give the publishing game another shot and the seasoned salt-and-pepper duo began to conceptualize Ego Trip.
Wilson soon realized, however, that one cannot eat off props alone. When not contributing toward ground-breaking. When not contributing toward ground-breaking Ego Trip scriptures, he actively freelanced for Vibe, Rap Pages, Rap Sheet, Time Out New York and Paper. In 1995, he endured a brief-but-successful stint as an Associate Editor at CMJ New Music Report where he solidified the indie rock trade rag's hip hop coverage.
But it was in 1996 that he would enjoy a particularly sweet payback when he was wooed from CMJ to become The Source's Music Editor. During his two-year tenure, he helped propel the already established publication to the country's top-selling music title.
From Q-borough underachiever to Big Willie publishing mogul and now author, Elliot Jesse Wilson Jr. is a living testament that dreams can and do come true.
Toiling for years as a truck-driving production assistant on the New York commercial filmmaking scene, New York University graduate Chairman Mao needed direction. An aspiring DJ, his addiction to acquiring wax had depleted his bank account. But in 1992, his chance meeting with an ambitious young publishing entrepreneur/film intern named Sacha Jenkins introduced an absurd solution to these fiscal woes-entering the world of music journalism! Mao began
contributing to Jenkins' Beat Down magazine in exchange for complimentary promotional copies of hip hop records. He couldn't believe his luck.
Mao eventually exploited this writing scam so well that he actually began earning rent money with his new vocation. While becoming a fundamental cog within Jenkins' and partner Elliot Wilson's next publishing foray, Ego Trip, Mao enlightened Rolling Stone, Spin, Entertainment Weekly and Vibe with his critical musings. Amongst his most noteworthy assignments: his guest editorship for Rap Pages acclaimed DJ Issue in April of 1996 and is profile of The
Notorious B.I.G. in April of 1997 for the cover of The Source shortly before the rapper's untimely death.
Currently Ego Trip's Editor-in-Chief and a Vibe Writer-at-Large, Mao still can't believe he possesses a job that doesn't require him to sweep floors and chauffeur ad agency assholes. When not clocking long-but-gratifying hours at ET's NYC HQ, he can be found in a record store near you digging for archival additions to his now 20,000-piece strong record library.
Gabriel Alvarez was a long-haired, 20-year-old, L.A.-born Mexican with glasses trying to find a job in 1991. The odds were against him. Nobody wanted him. The only alternative? Intern for gratis at the latest magazine acquisition of Hustler publishing magnate Larry Flynt. Film Threat was a cool, anti-Hollywood, punk rock-type rag that gave the mainstream film press the kind of kick in the ass it needed. Alvarez quickly elevated to the position of Associate Editor.
Two years later, however, it was time to move on and Alvarez began working for another Flynt publication. Rap Pages was a hip hop mag that needed new creative energies to help it realize its potential. As Managing Editor, Alvarez expelled plenty of blood, sweat and tears and featured special graffiti, DJ and breakdance issues that intrigued a growing readership. Another three years later, though, it was time to roll the dice again.
His next job opportunity came in 1996 in the enticing form of Ego Trip, and amazingly creative magazine outta New York City, that made him an offer he couldn't refuse: a Managing Editor position demanding lots of hard work but no money. Displaying the sage decision-making skills that have guided his entire career, Alvarez immediately packs his bags and heads for the Rotten Apple. He begins freelancing extensively for The Source and Vibe. His status as an
important critical voice grows. He even cuts his hair. He couldn't be happier. Or more broke.
Alternately known as Asparagus, Prima, Gor-gee, Half-Black, Kinda-Black, Brent Rollins or Milton Reese (depending on the time of day), Brent Rollins, ET's full-time Art Director and part-time scribe, is the original "Afrocentric Asian, half man/half-amazin'."
But whatever he's called, he's called often by the entertainment biz. Before graduating from UCLA with a BFA, Rollins had the fortunate opportunity to cut his teeth designing logos for films like Spike Lee's Mo Better Blues and John Singleton's Boyz N The Hood as well as interning at Fattal and Collins Design&Advertising. He punctuated his college career by creating graphics for a FOX Network variety show, revamping the identity for TV's historic Soul Train and studying for a French exam all during his senior finals week. C'est incroyable!
However, it was his subsequent two-year bid (1994-1996) as Art Director for Rap Pages magazine which honed Rollins' talents. Since then, he's serviced clients such as Miramax Films, ICM, A&M, Mo' Wax and SoleSide Records. Along the way, he's also created art for the Pharcyde, The Notorious B.I.G., Gang Starr, Sir Menelik, Black Star, and The Refugee Project charity organization. Between maintaining the 24/7 grind that has put food on his table and made his mom proud, the design veteran continues to champion the maligned and forgotten genre of "weirdo-
rap." Big time.
Sacha Jenkins—much like rap great KRS-One—is hip hip. Sachy-Sach, his sister Dominiqe, and their artistically inclined, Haitian-born mom-dukes, Monart, moved to Astoria, Queens, NY from Silver Springs, MD in the summer of 1977. Their Philadelphia, PA-reared, filmmaking/Emmy Award-winning pop-dukes, Horace, was already living up in NYC at the time (100th Street&Central Park West, to be exact . . . blocks away from the infamous Rock Steady Park). During the school week, young Sacha spent his post three o’clock days playing stickball and skelly. Then...
1980: Sacha was blessed by an elder with an instrument of destruction that would forever change his life. ‘PK,’ a local subway scrawler with some inter-borough celebrity, handed the young boy a very juiced-up Pilot magic marker.
1988: Inspired by a the International Graffiti Times (a rag published by aerosol legend Phase 2 and David Schmidlap), Sacha would put together Graphic Scenes&X-plicit Language—a zine dedicated to, yep, graf. And poetry. And anti-Gulf War rants. And humor. And towards the end, in 1991, music.
1992: Beat Down, America’s first hip hop newspaper, is launched by Sacha and a childhood friend. Ten issues in, Sacha and childhood friend have a falling out. Bye bye, Black bird.
June, 1994: ego trip magazine is born.
1996: Sacha writes for Vibe, Rolling Stone and Spin. He gets a Writer-At-Large then Music Editor gig at Vibe.
Present: In his spare time, Sacha likes to play guitar, collect Planet of the Apes action figures and listen to rap that isn’t wack. He’s a Leo.
In the summer of 1992, armed with his worthless LaGuardia Community College Associate Arts Degree, mulatto-born Elliot Wilson attempted to connect with The Source to no avail. Frustrated and full of half-Black rage, Wilson vowed to one day show his smarmy colleagues in the world of hip hop journalism what a tragic mistake they had made.
Befriending fellow W.C. Bryant High School alum Sacha Jenkins and L.C.C. student Haji Akhigbade, Wilson became the Music Editor of the duo’s burgeoning rap newspaper, Beat Down. After the trio disbanded in the fall of ’93, Wilson encouraged Jenkins to give the publishing game another shot and the seasoned salt-and-pepper duo began to conceptualize ego trip.
Wilson soon realized, however, that one cannot eat off props alone. When not contributing toward ground-breaking ego trip scriptures, he actively freelanced for Vibe, Rap Pages, Rap Sheet, Time Out New York and Paper. In 1995, he endured a brief-but-successful stint as an Associate Editor at CMJ New Music Report where he solidified the indie rock trade rag’s hip hop coverage.
But it was in 1996 that he would enjoy a particularly sweet payback when he was wooed from CMJ to become The Source’s Music Editor. During his two-year tenure, he helped propel the already established publication to the country’s top-selling music title.
From Q-borough underachiever to Big Willie publishing mogul and now author, Elliot Jesse Wilson Jr. is a living testament that dreams can and do come true.
Toiling for years as a truck-driving production assistant on the New York commercial filmmaking scene, New York University graduate Chairman Mao needed direction. An aspiring DJ, his addiction to acquiring wax had depleted his bank account. But in 1992, his chance meeting with an ambitious young publishing entrepreneur/film intern named Sacha Jenkins introduced an absurd solution to these fiscal woes—entering the world of music journalism! Mao began
contributing to Jenkins’ Beat Down magazine in exchange for complimentary promotional copies of hip hop records. He couldn’t believe his luck.
Mao eventually exploited this writing scam so well that he actually began earning rent money with his new vocation. While becoming a fundamental cog within Jenkins’ and partner Elliot Wilson’s next publishing foray, ego trip, Mao enlightened Rolling Stone, Spin, Entertainment Weekly and Vibe with his critical musings. Amongst his most noteworthy assignments: his guest editorship for Rap Pages’ acclaimed DJ Issue in April of 1996 and his profile of The Notorious B.I.G. in April of 1997 for the cover of The Source shortly before the rapper’s untimely death.
Currently ego trip’s Editor-in-Chief and a Vibe Writer-at-Large, Mao still can’t believe he possesses a job that doesn’t require him to sweep floors and chauffeur ad agency assholes. When not clocking long-but-gratifying hours at et’s NYC HQ, he can be found in a record store near you digging for archival additions to his now 20,000-piece strong record library.
Gabriel Alvarez was a long-haired, 20-year-old, L.A.-born Mexican with glasses trying to find a job in 1991. The odds were against him. Nobody wanted him. The only alternative? Intern for gratis at the latest magazine acquisition of Hustler publishing magnate Larry Flynt. Film Threat was a cool, anti-Hollywood, punk rock-type rag that gave the mainstream film press the kind of kick in the ass it needed. Alvarez quickly elevated to the position of Associate Editor.
Two years later, however, it was time to move on and Alvarez began working for another Flynt publication. Rap Pages was a hip hop mag that needed new creative energies to help it realize its potential. As Managing Editor, Alvarez expelled plenty of blood, sweat and tears and featured special graffiti, DJ and breakdance issues that intrigued a growing readership. Another three years later, though, it was time to roll the dice again.
His next job opportunity came in 1996 in the enticing form of ego trip, an amazingly creative magazine outta New York City, that made him an offer he couldn’t refuse: a Managing Editor position demanding lots of hard work but no money. Displaying the sage decision-making skills that have guided his entire career, Alvarez immediately packs his bags and heads for the Rotten Apple. He begins freelancing extensively for The Source and Vibe. His status as an important critical voice grows. He even cuts his hair. He couldn’t be happier. Or more broke.
Alternately known as Asparagus, Prima, Gor-gee, Half-Black, Kinda-Black, Brent Rollins or Milton Reese (depending on the time of day), Brent Rollins, et's full-time Art Director and part-time scribe, is the original “Afrocentric Asian, half man/half-amazin’.”
But whatever he’s called, he’s called often by the entertainment biz. Before graduating from UCLA with a BFA, Rollins had the fortunate opportunity to cut his teeth designing logos for films like Spike Lee’s Mo’ Better Blues and John Singleton’s Boyz N The Hood as well as interning at Fattal And Collins Design&Advertising. He punctuated his college career by creating graphics for a FOX Network variety show, revamping the identity for TV’s historic Soul Train and
studying for a French exam all during his senior finals week. C’est incroyable!
However, it was his subsequent two-year bid (1994-1996) as Art Director for Rap Pages magazine which honed Rollins’ talents. Since then, he’s serviced clients such as Miramax Films, ICM, A&M, Mo’ Wax and SoleSides Records. Along the way, he’s also created art for the Pharcyde, The Notorious B.I.G., Gang Starr, Sir Menelik, Black Star and The Refugee Project charity organization. Between maintaining the 24/7 grind that has put food on his table and made his mom proud, the design veteran continues to champion the maligned and forgotten genre of “weirdo-rap.” Big time.
Read an Excerpt
Ego Trip's Book of Rap Lists
By Sacha Jenkins, Elliott Wilson, Chairman Mao, Gabriel Alvarez, Brent Rollins
St. Martin's Press
Copyright © 1999 Ego Trip Publications, Inc.All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4668-6697-3
CHAPTER 1
STILL #1:
Important Firsts.
1. First hip hop DJ: Kool Herc
2. Location of Kool Herc's first party: 1520 Sedgewick Avenue, Bronx, NY, 1973
3. First emcee: Coke La Rock
4. First recorded rap song: "King Tim III (Personality Jock)" — Fatback (Spring, 1979)
5. First recorded rap hit: "Rapper's Delight" — Sugarhill Gang (Sugar Hill, 1979)
6. First hip hop radio show:Mr. Magic's Disco Showcase, WHBI 105.9 FM, New York City, circa 1979
7. First rap artist signed to a major label: Kurtis Blow (Mercury)
8. First rap group signed to a major label: Fearless Four (Elektra)
9. First rap album on CD:King Of Rock — RunD.M.C. (Profile, 1984)
10. First rap double album:He's The DJ, I'm The Rapper — -DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince (Jive, 1988)
11. First rap double CD:Master P Presents Down South Hustlers — Various Artists (No Limit, 1995)
12. First rap LP to receive an Explicit Lyrics Warning sticker:Move Somthin — 2 Live Crew (Luke Skyywalker, 1988)
13. First rap artist to release two albums on the same day: DJ Magic Mike — Bass The Final Frontier, This Is How It Should Be Done (Magic, 1993)
14. First artist to reach #1 with two albums in the same year: DMX — It's Dark And Hell Is Hot, Flesh Of My Flesh, Blood Of My Blood (Def Jam, 1998)
15. First Hollywood feature film to feature b-boying:Flashdance (Rock Steady Crew) (Paramount, 1983)
16. First rap artist to make a national TV appearance: Kurtis Blow on Soul Train, October, 1980
17. First rap group to make a national TV appearance: Funky 4 + 1 on NBC's Saturday Night Live, February, 1981
18. First major network news program to document hip hop: ABC's 20/20, July, 1981
19. First music video TV show dedicated to hip hop:Video Music Box featuring Ralph McDaniels & Lionel Martin, WNYC, New York City, April, 1984
THEY GOT A BOX OF NEWPORTS & PUMA SWEATS:
First Hip Hop Signees To 22 Renowned Labels.
1. Afrika Bambaataa: Tommy Boy
2. Biz Markie: Prism
3. Cheba: Ruffhouse
4. Craig Mack: Bad Boy
5. Eazy-E: Priority
6. Fearless Four: Elektra
7. Gang Starr: Wild Pitch
8. Funky 4 + 1: Enjoy
9. Heavy D: Uptown
10. Kurtis Blow: Mercury
11. LL Cool J: Def Jam
12. Lonnie Love (b/k/a Mr. Hyde): Profile
13. Master O.C. & Krazy Eddie: Next Plateau
14. The Real Untouchables (b/k/a TRU): No Limit
15. The Rose Family: Rawkus
16. MC Shan: Cold Chillin'
17. Smooth Rhyme Criminals: Suave House
18. The Sounds Of JHS 126 Brooklyn: Sleeping Bag
19. Tung Twista: Loud
20. U.T.F.O.: Select
21. Vertical Lines featuring Phase 2: Tuff City
22. Whodini: Jive
Lauryn Hill's Greatest Musical Influences.*
1. Nina Simone
2. Al Green
3. Stevie Wonder
4. Aretha Franklin
* In no particular order.
Refugee Camp All-Superstar Lauryn Hill is the first lady of hip hop. She can sing, rap, dance, write and produce, and she's got five (count 'em) Grammy Awards to her credit. And she's got so much soul, she only listens to old music.
Afrika Bambaataa's Blues & Soul List.
The August 1988 edition of England's Blues & Soul magazine featured a profile of Afrika Bambaataa in which the hip hop godfather presented an extensive list of important old school breakbeat records. This list was the first published record of breakbeat information to ever hit Europe, thus it set off a continent-wide beat-hunting craze for nations of aspiring hip hop DJs that lasted for years. Collect 'em all!
1. "Apache" — Incredible Bongo Band (Pride, 1973)
2. "Jam On The Groove" — Ralph MacDonald (TK, 1976)
3. "Theme From Star Wars"— Dave Matthews (CTI, 1977)
4. "Catch A Groove" — Juice (Greedy, 1976)
5. "Reach Out In The Darkness" — Friend & Lover (Verve, 1968)
6. "Minimum Wage" — Rock 'N Roll**
7. "Give It Up Or Turn It Loose" — James Brown (King, 1969)
8. "Get Up I Feel Like Being A Sex Machine" — James Brown (King, 1969)
9. "Sing A Simple Song" — Sly & The Family Stone (Epic, 1969)
10. "You're The One" — Little Sister (Stoneflower, 1970)
11. "It's Just Begun" — Jimmy Castor Bunch (RCA, 1972)
12. "Dance To The Drummer's Beat" — Herman Kelly & Life (TK, 1976)
13. "Scorpio" — Dennis Coffey (Sussex, 1971)
14. "Ride Sally Ride" — Dennis Coffey (Sussex, 1972)
15. "Son Of Scorpio" — Dennis Coffey (Sussex, 1972)
16. Willie Dynamite Soundtrack — J.J. Johnson & Various Artists (MCA, 1974)
17. "Take Me To The Mardi Gras" — Bob James (CTI, 1975)
18. "Let A Woman Be A Woman (Let A Man Be A Man)" — Dyke & The Blazers (Original Sound, 1969)
19. "Funky Broadway" — Dyke & The Blazers (Original Sound, 1967)
20. "The Champ" — The Mohawks (Cotillion, 1968)
21. "Tramp" — Otis Redding & Carla Thomas (Stax, 1967)
22. "Groove To Get Down" — T-Connection (TK, 1977)
23. "Get Off Your Ass And Jam" — Funkadelic (Westbound, 1975)
24. "Give The Drummer Some" — Little Milton**
25. "Get On The Good Foot" — James Brown (Polydor, 1972)
26. "Funky Drummer" — James Brown (King, 1970)
27. "Keep On Doin' What You're Doin'" — Bobby Byrd (Brownstone, 1971)
28. "I Know You Got Soul" — Bobby Byrd (King, 1971)
29. "Think (About It)" — Lyn Collins (People, 1972)
30. "It's My Thing" — Marva Whitney (King, 1969)
31. "Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved" — James Brown (King, 1970)
32. "Honky Tonk Women" — Rolling Stones (London, 1969)
33. "Hot Stuff" — Rolling Stones (Rolling Stones, 1976)
34. "Dance To The Music" — Sly & The Family Stone (Epic, 1968)
35. "Family Affair" — Sly & The Family Stone (Epic, 1971)
36. "Jam" — Grand Central Station (Warner Bros., 1975)
37. "Joyous" — Pleasure (Fantasy, 1976)
38. "Rock Creek Park" — The Blackbyrds (Fantasy, 1976)
39. "Happy Music" — The Blackbyrds (Fantasy, 1975)
40. "Africano" — Earth Wind & Fire (Columbia, 1975)
41. "Shining Star" — Earth Wind & Fire (Columbia, 1975)
42. "Power" — Earth Wind & Fire (Columbia, 1972)
43. "Ring My Bell" — Anita Ward (TK, 1979)
44. "The Funk Is On" — Instant Funk (Salsoul, 1980)
45. "Funky Stuff" — Kool & The Gang (De-Lite, 1973)
46. "Jungle Boogie" — Kool & The Gang (De-Lite, 1973)
47. "Flashlight" — Parliament (Casablanca, 1977)
48. "More Bounce To The Ounce" — Zapp (Warner Bros., 1980)
49. "Dancin' Kid" — Disco Tex & The Sex-O-Lettes (Chelsea, 1976)
50. "The Breakdown" — Rufus Thomas (Stax, 1972)
51. "Do The Funky Penguin" — Rufus Thomas (Stax, 1972)
52. "Shakara" — Fela Ransome Kuti (Editions Makossa, 1974)
53. "Brother Green (The Disco King)" — Roy Ayers Ubiquity (Polydor, 1975)
54. "Lonesome Cowboy" — Roy Ayers Ubiquity (Polydor, 1976)
55. "Yellow Sunshine" — Yellow Sunshine (Gamble, 1973)
SUCK MY KOCH: A New York kingpin shows rap some love.
WE'RE ON OUR OWN DICK:
Rap Celebrates Itself.
1. "Ego Trippin' (Part Two)" — De La Soul (Tommy Boy, 1993)
2. "Going Way Back" — Just-Ice (Fresh, 1987)
3. "Hip Hop" — Jigmastas (Beyond Real, 1996)
4. "Hip Hop" — LL Cool J (Def Jam, 1995)
5. "Hip Hop Hooray" — Naughty By Nature (Tommy Boy, 1993)
6. "Hip Hop It Is Kind Of Different" — Tone-Loc (Delicious Vinyl, 1991)
7. "Hip Hop Music" — Groove B Chill (A&M, 1990)
8. "Hip Hop vs. Rap" — KRS-One (Jive, 1993)
9. "I Don't Like Rock 'N Roll" — Schoolly D (Jive, 1988)
10. "i used to love h.e.r." — Common (Relativity, 1994)
11. "Living In The World Of Hip Hop" — MC Shan (Cold Chillin', 1987)
12. "Manifesto" — Talib Kweli (Rawkus, 1998)
13. "The Meaning" — The High & Mighty (Eastern Conference, 1997)
14. "Old School" — 2Pac (Interscope, 1995)
15. "Rap Is Here To Stay" — Spyder-D (Profile, 1985)
16. "Return Of The B-Boy" — The Pharcyde (Delicious Vinyl, 1992)
17. "South Bronx" — Boogie Down Productions (B-Boy, 1986)
18. "They Used To Do It Out In The Park" — MC Shan (Cold Chillin', 1988)
19. "This Is Called Hip Hop" — Q.B.C. (Capitol, 1988)
20. "Wheelz Of Steel" — OutKast (LaFace, 1996)
Kool DJ Red Alert's Essential Old School DJ Round-Up.
1. Kool Herc
If you're talking about the mid '70s, you're talking about relief from the gang days and relief from how people were living in fear in the South Bronx. People came out to enjoy parties, a lot of them never knew about coming downtown or to midtown to clubs. They stayed up in their area. When Here came here from Kingston, Jamaica, all he knew about from back home was toasting and dubbing — what eventually became rapping and mixing. He expressed his own way of playing music. He studied a lot of alternative type records, certain rock records, records that people would never have in mind to dance to or relate to — a Baby Huey or a Babe Ruth or certain LP cuts such as "'T' Plays It Cool" off of Marvin Gaye's Trouble Man.
At that time, nobody knew what these beats were. Herc was known for washing off the labels and changing the labels onto other records. People would come over and look at it and go, "Oh, that's that record!" And if they'd go to the store thinking they had that record, they got the wrong record.
Herc also introduced the very first emcee by the name of Coke La Rock. Coke La Rock was only saying certain phrases like, "You rock and you don't stop" or "Rock on, my mellow." Herc would also get on the mic and he would say various phrases. As he was introducing his sense of music, all of the elements of the culture were built around it: the lingo, the style of clothing — the whole awareness of what it was like growing up in the South Bronx at that particular time.
2. Afrika Bambaataa
The people that were coming to hear, dance to and enjoy Herc are some of the old schoolers who became DJs later on — people like Bam. Bam discovered hip hop in his own way. He was influenced by winning a trip to Africa when he was in school and from that he learned about the culture and everything. When he came back, his mother bought him a set of turntables. Bam started to introduce his own style of music — similar to Herc's — but he brought it out in the Afrocentric style and within the neighborhood of Bronx River.
Bam had females and males down with him and he called them Shaka Zulu Queens and Shaka Zulu Kings. Bam was the type of person who, no matter if you were a DJ or an emcee, if he liked you, he'd put you on. One time there used to be three DJs and 10 emcees down with him. Everybody said, "Bam, you got too many!" But Bam did not care. It was in his heart. They were who he loved and this is what he loved to do. I remember up in the center, if we only made a certain amount of money at a party, he'd go send my man, Monk (rest in peace), and a couple of friends to White Castle and we all had White Castle. That's how it was with Bam.
And Bam was the master of records. He had all the different styles that everybody just grooved to. It was funny because at one time, Bam and Herc didn't get along with each other. I remember when Herc brought it upon himself to play in Bronx River and the plug got pulled. They said, "You steppin' in this house?" It got deep at one point, B!
3. Disco King Mario
Herc was known for the respect he got for his sound system. At that time, the major amplifier was called the Macintosh. If you had a Macintosh, you were well respected. People didn't care about the speakers or the turntables or nothing. It was that amp that gave you that respect. There were only two people who had that amp: Kool Herc, and then later on, my man. Disco King Mario (rest in peace).
I consider Mario one of the pioneer DJs at that time. The funny part about it was that Disco King Mario and Bam worked a lot of the same sections within the Soundview part of the Bronx. There was a gym at Junior High School 123, and you had the big divider in the gym separating one side of the gym from the other. Mario and Bam used to play at the same time. Disco King Mario had the sound system. But Bam had the records and the emcees.
4. Grandmaster Flash
On the West side of the Bronx you had Herc and on the other side you had Bam. Flash was somewhere up around the middle area. I remember when scratching came out, people used to go, zoom-zoom, zoom-zoom, and that's all it was. You were hearing the same basic chopping. But Flash was very fast in cutting. Cutting was perfected by Flash and later by many other DJs. He took it to another level. Flash started seeing how fast he could catch the movement from one record into another, decreasing the number of bars he spun back on. And that's what he started being known for.
5. Grand Wizard Theodore
I remember hearing Mean Gene and Flash playing together before Flash's sideman, Disco B, came along. Gene didn't play that much. But when Flash and Gene broke up there was some dispute. That's when Gene started bigging up his brother. Theodore.
While I think Flash is the first person I seen spinning back a record instead of dropping the needle, Theodore was the person I always saw dropping needles. Dropping needles like a muthafucka! Theodore was also known for the "back door" thing. The "back door" is bringing the beat in a second before the other record. In the past, you saw DJs with doubles backspinning on the one. But Theodore took it back — b-boom!
He was a short little muthafucka who'd be standing on top of a milkcrate, bending over and just catching it. Theodore formed the L Brothers with his brothers. Mean Gene and Claudio Livingston. Theodore was the flashiest person out of the three because he was the smallest, youngest and most appealing. So they always showcased him. And he would rock. Oh my God!
6. Jazzy Jay
My cousin, Jazzy, moved up to the Bronx after I taught him the basics and he got his own set. But Jazzy wasn't on with Bam yet because Bam already had two DJs — Sinbad and Zombu. Since Disco King Mario didn't have his own turntables and had heard so much about Jazzy, Mario said, "Yo, come on over and join me." Jazzy let Mario use his turntables, then Mario had Jazzy checking to see the titles of Bam's records. Jazzy eventually acknowledged that Mario was jerking him around.
Bam said to Jazzy, "Yo man, I'm cuttin' off one of my DJs, you come over." I guess Bam felt he needed to step up. Jazzy was the new "flashy" DJ. He was another little guy standing on top of a milkcrate, getting low over the records and cutting it up. And later Bam asked Jazzy about me. I wasn't really playing that much because I wasn't into cutting, I was more into mixing. For me, the highlight of the evening was standing right next to Jazzy and watching him play. Bam would warm it up, Jazzy would rock it on and at the end of the night I'd play a couple of records. Me and Jazzy knew how the records looked and we knew where to put the needle. But we still don't know the names of the records after all this time. There's still a whole bunch of different beats that Bam got that nobody knows.
Jazzy was also known for building speakers in high school. He was the first one to build the big, double scoop Collins. And then, little by little, he kept building speakers until we had a massive sound system.
7. Grandmixer D.ST
One thing you could always say about Zulu was Zulu had some DJs. D.ST had a very unique style to himself. The way he showcased his talent when he was mixing was very sharp. To a tee.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Ego Trip's Book of Rap Lists by Sacha Jenkins, Elliott Wilson, Chairman Mao, Gabriel Alvarez, Brent Rollins. Copyright © 1999 Ego Trip Publications, Inc.. Excerpted by permission of St. Martin's Press.
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