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We take this time to salute a Hip-Hop pioneer, Grand Mixer DXT, formerly known as Grand Mixer D.ST, credited for being the first to establish the turntable as a fully performable and improvisational musical instrument. By performing the scratches on Herbie Hancock's 1983 single "RockIt", DXT helped to popularize DJ culture. "RockIt" is cited as being the first popular song to feature a DJ scratching and using turntablism techniques.
DXT has appeared as himself in several movies throughout his career, such as performing with Rammellzee and Shock Dell at the Amphitheatre in Wild Style (1983), Fast Forward (1985) (writer: "Hardrock" - as Derek Showard), Scratch (2001) (performer: "Rockit 2.000"), Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap (2012) (performer: "Megamix 2 (Why Is It Fresh)"), Sound and Chaos: The Story of BC Studio (2014) (Himself), and Art Officially Favored (Himself), which is currently in production. Television appearances include The 26th Annual Grammy Awards and Saturday Night Live where both appearances were performances with Herbie Hancock in 1984.
Happy Birthday to a pioneer in Hip-Hop, DJ Lady Love! She's been rockin' beats non-stop from way back and continues to blaze it on the 1's and 2's with her radio shows on Fonye Radio (Sundays), Flex 103 FM (Fridays) and plenty of parties and live shows. Time to grab your headphones or turn up your speakers for her Strictly Hip-Hop podcast. ENJOY!
Grandmaster Roc Raida
(May 17, 1972 – September 19, 2009)
We pay our respects and say happy birthday to Anthony Williams, better known as Grandmaster Roc Raida, the greatest turntablist of all time. Winner of the 1995 DMC World DJ Championship and was inducted into the DMC Hall of Fame in 1999, he was also a DJ and producer for the DJ group The X-Ecutioners. Raida produced songs for artists including Ill Al Skratch, Showbiz and A.G., the Jungle Brothers, Mad Skillz, Smif-n-Wessun, Jehst and Big Pun, and served as the DJ for MF Grimm (in the mid-1990's) and Busta Rhymes.
Nearly three decades ago, a neat little invention called the compact disc player was introduced to consumers as a new format of playing music to help the listener continue to enjoy without hearing worn out or abused records skip. When CD players became more available and affordable, the sale of records declined, therefore manufacturing of vinyl came close to a halt and the life of records was at death's door. Advocates of vinyl continued to fight for their beloved black discs and after seeing sales increase in vintage shops or stores who still carried vinyl, the recording industry decided to once again make vinyl records more available to DJs, collectors, and enthusiasts.
With the introduction of mp3 players, music formats were once again at war with each other to survive, with digital formats gaining ground. As the saying goes..."If you can't beat'em...join'em", CD players took a turn to attempt to run along side digital formats by making players that centered around the DJ, complete with pitch controls and many features that turntables have. With technology readily available for anyone to burn their own CDs, this took the pressure off of DJs having to carry loads of records to gigs when they could lighten the load by carrying CDs and CD players fit for DJs.
Turntablists continued to have their say-so in the matter and still chose to use vinyl. Many would criticize other DJs for being lazy because they chose to use CD format. I was one of those who pointed the finger as well because of my roots in being a Hip-Hop DJ. After my house was broken into and my record collection stolen, I had to use the very thing I criticized. Years later I found out about a revolutionary program and interface called Serato Scratch Live, which was introduced in 2004. This brought about the merging of mp3 files and turntables, as well as eliminating the need to carry all your precious vinyl to gigs. However, technology can still have it's drawbacks and record sales started to decline again, as well as many DJs started selling or got rid of their collections.
In 2008 a student named Scott Hobbs at Dundee University in the UK introduced the Attigo touchscreen "turntables". It uses the same touchscreen technology as a Nintendo DS. As far as creativity for inventing this, I give an "A" for effort. But this crafty invention is nothing compared to seeing a DJ in action manipulating vinyl. After watching the video demonstration, I was not impressed and felt it was along the lines of Virtual DJ and other "laptop alone" type programs. The only exception is, you use two of these touchscreens with a traditional DJ mixer.
Stanton also introduced a pad that's similar.
I've had several discussions and debates with other DJs on the art of being a DJ. Most of the veterans who spent years perfecting their craft have the same to say. It takes good selection, timing, creativity, style, and a perfect mix to rock the crowd. I close with a comment and question asked in the title of an article I came across that asks: Is Technology Destroying The Art of DJing?
It seems that with the nightly dance parties in heavy supply, anyone, and I do mean anyone, with a laptop and i tunes is now a DJ. So where does that leave the DJs who have been doing it for years? What does it mean to be a DJ? Is it style? Are you a DJ if you can scratch? Is it substance? Does being a DJ constitute having a good selection and crate digging your heart out? Or can you get by if you get the crowd to dance by playing Thriller and Justice off your Nano? And is it any great feat to get a bunch of kids cracked out on Sparks to sway and slam to a beat? Ugh.
