: ''"Beat Street" may also refer to Orange Street in Kingston, Jamaica.''

Coordinates	33°51′35.9″N151°12′40″N
Name	Beat Street
Director	Stan Lathan
Producer	Harry Belafonte David V. Picker
Writer	Andy Davis David Gilbert Paul Golding Steven Hager (story)
Starring	Rae Dawn Chong Guy Davis Jon Chardiet Leon W. Grant Saundra Santiago
Music	Arthur Baker Harry Belafonte Webster Lewis
Cinematography	Tom Priestley Jr.
Editing	Dov Hoenig Kevin Lee
Distributor	Orion Pictures
Released	June 6, 1984
Runtime	105 min.
Country
Language	English

''Beat Street'' is a 1984 drama film, following ''Wild Style'' in featuring New York City hip hop culture of the early 1980s; breakdancing, DJing, and graffiti.

Plot

Set in the South Bronx, the film follows the lives of a pair of brothers and their group of friends, all of whom are devoted to various elements of early hip-hop culture. Kenny Kirkland (Guy Davis) is a budding disc jockey and MC, and his younger brother Lee (Robert Taylor) is a hardcore b-boy who dances with Beat Street Breakers (the New York City Breakers). Kenny's best friends are Ramon (Jon Chardiet), a graffiti artist known by his tag, "Ramo", and Chollie (Leon W. Grant), his self-styled manager/promoter.

The film begins with the main characters preparing for a house party set in an abandoned apartment building, where Kenny is the featured DJ. An uninvited Lee and his break-dancing friends crash the party, and nearly get tangled into a battle with a rival troupe, the Bronx Rockers (the Rock Steady Crew). The battle of mostly words is broken up by Henri (Dean Elliot), a squatter who lives in the building and is befriended by Kenny, Chollie, Ramon, and Luis (Franc Reyes).

Kenny has dreams of performing in New York City's top nightclubs. No club is bigger than the Roxy, and on one visit he crosses paths with Tracy Carlson (Rae Dawn Chong), a collegiate music student and composer. A breakdance battle between the Breakers and Rock Steady ensues, and Tracy admires Lee's performance. She then invites him to audition for a television show focusing on dancing. Lee, Kenny, and their crew arrive during a dance rehearsal, and Lee gives his performance only to find out he won't be on television. Protecting his brother's interests, Kenny rips into Tracy for leading Lee on; Ramon steals a videotape of Lee's dance as the crew walk out.

A remorseful Tracy then shows up at the Kirkland home to apologize. Lee was not home but Kenny was, working on a mix tape. Tracy clarifies her story, saying that she did not promise to Lee that he was going to be on the TV show. She then takes an interest in Kenny's mixing and the two find common ground. Kenny and Tracy then head into the subway, where they meet up with Lee, Ramon, and Luis spray painting an abandoned station platform. They pack up and leave when they hear noises, thinking it may be the police; it turned out to be a rogue graffiti artist known as "Spit", who defaces Ramo's work (and the work of other artists) by spraying his tag over it. As the group take the train back uptown, Kenny and Tracy break away and spend the rest of the evening together, striking up a romance while walking and talking.

Chollie talks Kenny into a guest spot at the Burning Spear, a club run by DJ Kool Herc. Kenny not only spins but presents a special Christmas-themed skit performed by the Treacherous Three, Doug E. Fresh, and the Magnificent Force. The crowd's positive reaction convinces Kool Herc to invite Kenny back. But both Kenny and Chollie see the regular gig as a stepping stone to their bigger goal. They return to the Roxy, where auditions are being held for new talent. Chollie convinces Kenny to let him do the talking, and waits for the auditions to end before he succeeds in getting the talent scout to check out Kenny at the Burning Spear. The scout keeps his word, and is impressed enough that he offers Kenny a performance on New Year's Eve. Tracy offers to help Kenny out by allowing him to work on a computer keyboard system at her studio. But Kenny accidentally pressed a wrong button and deleted his work. A stubborn Kenny then leaves the studio, saying he had enough material for New Year's Eve.

Meanwhile, Ramon is feeling pressure from two sources. His father Domingo (Shawn Elliot), who despises his graffiti, wants him to find honest work, while his girlfriend Carmen (Saundra Santiago), who's also the mother of his son, longs for them to be together as a family. Ramon eventually gets a job in a hardware store, and he then takes Carmen and their baby to live with him in Henri's building. But Ramon does not stop thinking of the subway trains that are his canvas. When he sees a white-painted one pass him by, he vows to put his mark on it. Later that evening, Ramon and Kenny find the train and proceed to paint one side of the lead car. When the get on the other side, their work is interrupted when Ramon hears noises—it is "Spit", defacing the completed side. Ramon and Kenny chase Spit through the tunnel and into a station, and a fight ensues. Spit sprays paint in Ramon's eye, and both men tussle on the roadbed before they roll onto the electrified third rail, which kills them instantly.

As the group mourn the death of their friend, Kenny considers not doing the New Year's Eve show at the Roxy. But with the help of Tracy and despite initial reluctance from Chollie, Kenny turns his big break into a celebration of Ramon's life. The show is the film's grand finale, starting with a rap performance by Kenny while slides of Ramon and his work were shown in the background. Kenny was followed by Grandmaster Melle Mel & the Furious Five, and a Bronx gospel choir backed by dancers and breakers.

Cast

Rae Dawn Chong - Tracy Carlson

Guy Davis - Kenny "Double K" Kirkland

Jon Chardiet - Ramon "Ramo"

Leon W. Grant - Chollie

Saundra Santiago - Carmen Carraro

Robert Taylor - Lee Kirkland

Mary Alice - Cora Kirkland

Shawn Elliot - Domingo

Jim Borelli - Monte

Dean Elliot - Henri

Franc Reyes - Luis

Tonya Pinkins - Angela

Lee Chamberlain - Alicia

Duane Jones - Robert

Afrika Bambaataa & the Soul Sonic Force - Themselves

Jazzy Jay - Himself

Doug E. Fresh - Himself

New York City Breakers - Themselves

Rock Steady Crew - Themselves

Clive "Kool Herc" Campbell - Himself

Treacherous Three - Themselves

Grandmaster Melle Mel & the Furious Five - Themselves

Kadeem Hardison was credited as "High School Student" in the director's cut of the film. However, his scenes were all cut from the final theatrical version.

Background

Some of the plot line was based on the New York City graffiti documentary ''Style Wars''. Most visibly, the antagonist Spit in ''Beat Street'' was lifted from the real-life graffiti artist CAP MPC, who was portrayed in ''Style Wars''. It was screened out of competition at the 1984 Cannes Film Festival.

Filming locations

''Beat Street'' was filmed entirely on location in New York City, in the boroughs of The Bronx, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. Several scenes were shot inside the city's subway system, both onboard trains and in stations, notably Hoyt-Schermerhorn Streets, 57th Street-Sixth Avenue, and Fresh Pond Road. Scenes were also filmed on the campus of the City College of New York, which includes the concert venue Aaron Davis Hall. Many of the internal dance sequences were filmed at the popular nightclub the Roxy, located in the Chelsea section of Manhattan.

Most of the graffiti art that was displayed all throughout the film was not done by real graffiti artists—it was airbrushed by set decorators.

Musical performances and soundtrack

There are several performances in the movie, notably from established early hip-hop groups Grandmaster Melle Mel & the Furious Five, Doug E. Fresh, Afrika Bambaataa & the Soul Sonic Force, and the Treacherous Three. As a member of the Treacherous Three, Kool Moe Dee also appeared in the film. It stands as one of the few media appearances he has ever made without his trademark sunglasses (a style he had not yet adopted at the time). In addition to these acts, Guy Davis, who played Kenny, is also a blues musician in real life.

The film also includes other musical performances from novice acts, such as Tina B and The System, both of whom appear on the soundtrack album. Though not featured on the album, there were also appearances by rapper Richard Lee Sisco and singers Bernard Fowler and Brenda K. Starr.

Contrary to popular (internet legend) belief, The RZA of Wu-Tang Clan was not actually in the movie. Some rumors have floated around the net stating that he is the guy in the black hat rhyming during the Roxy auditions scene. However, RZA has gone on the record stating he was ''not'' in the film. In fact, he would have only been 15 at the time ''Beat Street'' was filmed. The actor in the black hat appears to be markedly older than 15.

At least three breakdancing battles between the New York City Breakers and the Rock Steady Crew were also included in the film. In addition, the Roxy audition scene features a pair of breakdancing boys known as the Fantastic Duo.

This was the first American film to feature more than one soundtrack album. Originally, Atlantic Records, which released the soundtrack albums, had three volumes planned, but only two of these were released. The second volume was never released on compact disc.

The trailer includes an alternate version of the title song performed by Kool Moe Dee, a version that was not featured in the movie or on the original soundtrack albums.

Impact

The film is mentioned in episode 12 of ''The Boondocks'' while Robert "Granddad" Freeman discusses Riley's graffiti masterpiece.

Legendary Rapper AZ mentions the film in his song "The Come Up", in the line "Before Beat Street, streets was heavily in deep with the ryders."

The Notorious B.I.G in his song "Suicidal Thoughts" said, "Should I die on the train tracks like Ramo in Beat Street/People at my funeral frontin' like they miss me."

Jay Electronica mentions the film in his song "Exhibit A (Transformations)" in the line "Who gone bring the game back/who gone spit that Ramo on the train tracks".

Rapper Ras Kass in his song "Won't Catch Me Runnin'" said, "When my voice hits the mike, I electrocute Spit like Beat Street."

Mr. Lif, on "Elektro", rapped the lines: "So I use the same flow to put niggas under in The Serpent and the Rainbow/Go back to Beat Street and resurrect Ramo knock the shit out of Spit verbal eclipse"

Lines from the film were mentioned in Lost Prophets song "Five is a Four-Letter Word."

1200 Techniques sampled lines from the film in the song "Battlemaster."

50 Cent from G-unit references Spit and Ramo in "Hustlers Ambition."

Portions of the Beat Street Breakdown scene can be downloaded from the video-sharing sites YouTube and MySpace.

Beat Street's impact was felt internationally as well as throughout the United States. In Germany, for example, movies such as ''Beat Street'' and ''Wild Style'' are credited with introducing the hip hop movement to the country. Because movies are so easily distributed over borders, part of the importance of this movie lay in its ability to influence both East and West Germany, which at the time were still divided. ''Beat Street'' was of particular importance in the East, where it is said to illustrate for young people the evils of capitalism. Because the film focused so heavily on the visual aspects of hip hop, such as breaking and graffiti, these aspects had the heaviest influence on the emerging German hip hop scene. It was precisely these visual aspects that helped bring hip hop culture to Germany, rather than simply a genre of music. ''Beat Street'' appeared in the German Democratic Republic at almost the same time as in the West. Dresden, the center of the Beat Street scene was geographically out of western media range, making it a perfect center to explore this genre of music. The hip hop scene for the entire public would meet at breakdancing competitions, emceeing competitions, and graffiti spraying. Puerto Rican and African American breakdancing, hip hop and Latin freestyle dance sounds, and inner-city American graffiti made up what Germans knew as hip hop culture. The aftermath of ''Beat Street'' propelled events such as competitions in emceeing, break dancing, and graffiti spraying throughout Germany.

See also

List of American films of 1984

References

External links

Official site

Category:1984 films Category:1980s drama films Category:1980s musical films Category:American dance films Category:American musical drama films Category:American teen drama films Category:English-language films Category:Films set in New York City Category:Films shot in New York City Category:Films directed by Stan Lathan Category:Hip hop films Category:Orion Pictures films

de:Beat Street es:Beat Street fr:Beat Street it:Beat Street ja:ビート・ストリート no:Beat Street pt:Beat Street sv:Beat Street zh:熱街小子

Coordinates	33°51′35.9″N151°12′40″N
Name	Grandmaster Flash
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Joseph Saddler
Birth date	January 01, 1958
Origin	South Bronx, New York
Genre	Hip hop, old school hip hop, funk
Years active	1970–present
Label	Sugar Hill Records, Enjoy Records, Elektra Records
Associated acts	Grandmaster Flash and the Furious FiveThe Sugarhill Gang }}

Joseph Saddler (born January 1, 1958 in Bridgetown, Barbados) better known as King Grandmaster Flash, is an American hip hop musician and DJ; one of the pioneers of hip-hop DJing, cutting, and mixing.

Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007, becoming the first hip hop/rap artists to be so honored.

Biography

Joseph Saddler's family migrated to the United States from Barbados, in the Caribbean, and he grew up in the Bronx, New York. He attended Samuel Gompers High School, a public vocational school, where he learned how to repair electronic equipment. Saddler's parents played an important role in his interest in music. His parents came from Barbados and his father was a big fan of Caribbean and black American records. As a child, Saddler was fascinated by his father's record collection. In an interview, he reflected: "My father was a very heavy record collector. He still thinks that he has the stronger collection. I used to open his closets and just watch all the records he had. I used to get into trouble for touching his records, but I'd go right back and bother them." Saddler's early interest in DJing came from this fascination with his father's record collection as well as his mother's desire for him to educate himself in electronics. After high school, he became involved in the earliest New York DJ scene, attending parties set up by early luminaries.

He is also a nephew to the late Former Feather Weight Champion of the World Sandy Saddler.

Innovations

Grandmaster Flash carefully studied the DJing styles and techniques of earlier DJs, particularly Pete Jones, Kool Herc, and Grandmaster Flowers. As a teenager, he began experimenting with DJ gear in his bedroom, eventually developing and mastering three innovations that are still considered standard DJing techniques today.

Backspin Technique ("Quick-Mix Theory") a.k.a. Beat Juggling: Early New York party DJs came to understand that short drum breaks were popular with party audiences. Aiming to isolate these breaks and extend them for longer durations, Grandmaster Flash learned that by using duplicate copies of the same record, he could play the break on one record while searching for the same fragment of music on the other (using his headphones). When the break finished on one turntable, he used his mixer to switch quickly to the other turntable, where the same beat was queued up and ready to play. Using the backspin technique, the same short phrase of music could be looped indefinitely.

Punch Phrasing ("Clock Theory"): This technique involved isolating very short segments of music, typically horn hits, and rhythmically punching them over the sustained beat using the mixer.

Scratching: Although the invention of record scratching is generally credited to Grand Wizzard Theodore, Grandmaster Flash perfected the technique and brought it to new audiences. Scratching, along with punch phrasing, exhibited a unique performative aspect of party DJing: instead of passively spinning records, he actively manipulated them to create new music.

Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five

Grandmaster Flash played parties and collaborated with rappers such as Kurtis Blow and Lovebug Starski. In the mid 1970s, he formed his own group. The original lineup consisted of Cowboy (Keith Wiggins), Melle Mel (Melvin Glover) and Kid(d) Creole (Nathaniel Glover), and the ensemble went by the name "Grandmaster Flash & the 3 MCs". Two other rappers briefly joined, but they were replaced more permanently by Rahiem (Guy Todd Williams, previously in the Funky Four) and Scorpio (Eddie Morris, a.k.a Mr. Ness) to make Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. Quickly gaining recognition for their skillful raps, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five pioneered MCing and freestyle battles. Some of the staple phrases in MCing have their origins in the early shows and recordings of the group. In 1977, the new group began performing regularly at Disco Fever in the Bronx, one of the first times a hip-hop group was given a weekly gig at a well-known venue. In fact, it is claimed that Cowboy created the term "Hip hop" while teasing a friend who had just joined the US Army by scat singing the words "hip/hop/hip/hop" in a way that mimicked the rhythmic cadence of marching soldiers.

Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five were signed to Bobby Robinson's Enjoy Records and in 1979 released their first single, "Superrappin'." The following year they signed to Sugar Hill Records and began touring and releasing numerous singles. The seminal "The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel", released in 1981, is a 7-minute solo showcase of Grandmaster Flash's virtuosic turntable skills, combining elements of Blondie's "Rapture," Michael Viner's Incredible Bongo Band's "Apache," Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust," Chic's "Good Times," and the group's own "Freedom." It is also the first documented appearance of record scratching on a record. That year, the group opened for The Clash and were poorly received by an audience unaccustomed to the new style. The group's most significant hit was "The Message" (1982), which was produced by in-house Sugar Hill producer Clifton "Jiggs" Chase and featured session musician Duke Bootee. Unlike earlier rap tunes, "The Message" featured a grim narrative about inner city violence, drugs, and poverty. Critics praised the song's social awareness, calling the chorus "a slow chant seething with desperation and fury." Other than Melle Mel, however, no members of the group actually appear in the song. Rahiem lip-synced Duke Bootee's vocal in the music video. The same year, Grandmaster Flash appeared in the movie "Wild Style" and sued Sugar Hill over the non-payment of royalties. Tensions mounted as "The Message" gained in popularity, eventually leading to a rupture between Melle Mel and Grandmaster Flash. Soon the group disintegrated entirely. Grandmaster Flash, Kid Creole, and Rahiem left Sugar Hill, signed with Elektra Records, and continued on as simply "Grandmaster Flash" while Melle Mel and the others continued on as "Grandmaster Melle Mel & the Furious Five"

Although frequently credited on the records, Grandmaster Flash doesn't actually appear on "The Message," "Freedom," or many of the other Furious Five songs. Although Grandmaster Flash provided the central element of the group's sound when performing live (in addition to giving the group its name), there was little room for his turntablism in early singles driven by the grooves of live session musicians. Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five reformed in 1987 for a charity concert, and in 1988 they released a new album. The group reunited again in 1994, although Cowboy died in 1989.

Today, Grandmaster Flash is the owner of a clothing line, "G.Phyre." In 2008 he released a memoir, ''The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash: My Life, My Beats''. He hosts a weekly show on Sirius Satellite Radio (Friday Night Fire with Grandmaster Flash) and was presented with the BET "I Am Hip Hop Icon" award in 2006.

Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five were the first hip-hop/rap group inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on March 12, 2007 by Jay-Z. In 2008, he remixed the single "Into the Galaxy" by the Australian group, Midnight Juggernauts.

It has been said that "his pioneering mixing skills transformed the turntable into a true 'instrument', and his ability to get a crowd moving has made his DJ sets legendary."

Grandmaster Flash appears in the video game DJ Hero as a playable character along with original mixes created for the game.

On his last album, The Bridge, appears the Spanish hip hop group Violadores del Verso.

Awards

Urban Music Awards

2009, Lifetime Achievement Award

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

2007, Inductee

BET Hip Hop Awards

2006, I Am Hip Hop Icon Award

Discography

Albums

Album information
align="left"	* Released: 1982	* Last RIAA certification: Platinum	The Message (Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five song)>The Message", "It's Nasty"
	* Released: 1984	* Last RIAA certification:	* Singles:
	* Released: April 26, 1985	* Chart Positions: #35 Top R&B;/Hip Hop	* Last RIAA certification: Gold	* Singles: "Girls Love The Way He Spins", "Sign Of The Times", "Alternate Groove", "Larry's Dance Theme"
align="left"	* Released: 1986	* Chart positions: #145 US, #27 Top R&B;/Hip-Hop Albums,	* Last RIAA certification: Gold	* Singles: "Style (Peter Gunn Theme)", "Behind Closed Doors"
	* Released: 1987	* Chart positions: #197 US, #43 Top R&B;/Hip-Hop Albums	* Last RIAA certification: Gold	* Singles: "U Know What Time It Is", "All Wrapped Up"
	* Released: 1988	* Chart positions: #189 US	* Last RIAA certification: Gold	* Singles: "Gold", "Magic Carpet Ride"
	* Released: 1997	* Chart positions: Did Not Chart	* Last RIAA certification:	* Singles: "Spring Rain"
	* Released: 1998	* Chart Positions: Did Not Chart	* Last RIAA certification:	* Singles:
	* Released: January 29, 2002	* Chart positions: Did Not Chart	* Last RIAA certification:	* Singles:
	* Released: May 7, 2002	* Chart positions: Did Not Chart	* Last RIAA certification:	* Singles:
	* Released: February 24, 2009	* Chart positions:	* U.S. Sales: 2,607	* Last RIAA certification:	* Singles: Swagger feat. Red Cafe, Snoop Dogg & Lynn Carter	* Singles: Shine All Day feat. Q-Tip, Jumz & Kel Spencer

Singles

1979 - Superappin' (Enjoy 6001) Side A - Superappin'; Side B - Superappin' Theme

1980 - Freedom (Sugar Hill SH-549) Side A - vocal; Side B - instrumental

1981 - The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel (Sugar Hill SH-557)

1981 - Scorpio (Sugar Hill SH 118) Side A - vocal; Side B - instrumental

1982 - Flash To The Beat (Sugar Hill SH 574)

1984 - Jesse (Sugar Hill SH 133) Side A - vocal; Side B - instrumental

1984 - We Don't Work For Free (Sugar Hill SH 136) Side A - vocal; Side B - instrumental

1988 - Gold (edit) (Elektra EKR 70)

1996 - If U Wanna Party (feat. Carl Murray) (JAM 1002-8)

References

External links

Grandmaster Flash Official Page

Official website of 2009 album The Bridge

Grandmaster Flash Biography

Grandmaster Cuts Faster

Grandmaster Flash interview from Chaos Control Digizine

Davey D of Hard Knock Radio Interviews Grandmaster Flash

Grandmaster Flash interview on Fresh Air

Grandmaster Flash interview April 2009

Interview

Article

Pop Matters: interview

Brian S Redd Interview

Category:1958 births Category:Living people Category:American hip hop record producers Category:Hip hop DJs Category:American people of Barbadian descent Category:Barbadian musicians Category:People from Bridgetown Category:African American rappers Category:Musicians from New York City Category:People from the Bronx Category:Fury Records artists Category:Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five members

da:Grandmaster Flash de:Grandmaster Flash es:Grandmaster Flash fr:Grandmaster Flash it:Grandmaster Flash nl:Grandmaster Flash pl:Grandmaster Flash pt:Grandmaster Flash ru:Грэндмастер Флэш sv:Grandmaster Flash tr:Grandmaster Flash

Jazzy Jay'' was born in Beaufort, South Carolina, United States, November 18, 1961), also known as The Original Jazzy Jay or DJ Jazzy Jay''', is a pioneering American hip hop DJ and producer. He has collected roughly 400,000 records.

Background

Jazzy Jay was born into a Gullah family in coastal South Carolina. He moved with his family to New York City at a young age and took up the drums, his first instrument. He began his career in hip hop in the 1970s in The Bronx, New York, the epicenter of hip hop culture during the first decade of its development, at the age of 13. An early member of Afrika Bambaataa's Universal Zulu Nation, he was a protege of Bambaataa as well as his older cousin, Kool DJ Red Alert. Beginning as a Zulu King dancer in the early 1970s, Jay later became a Universal Zulu Nation DJ and was a member of the Zulu group Jazzy Five, with which he recorded the single "Jazzy Sensation."

Although Jazzy Jay began performing primarily at street parties, in the 1980s he began DJing in New York clubs such as Negril, the Roxy, the Ritz, and Danceteria. He also hosted a hip hop radio program on KISS FM and in 1984 he played himself as The Roxy's DJ in the influential hip hop film ''Beat Street''.

some of the first DJ team routines, and teamed up to battle both Grandmaster Flash (solo) and Grand Wizard Theodore (solo).

Origin of Def Jam Recordings

Around 1984, Jay met Rick Rubin and assisted him in laying the foundation for what would become Def Jam Recordings. The label's first official single was the single "It's Yours" by T La Rock and Jazzy Jay. Jay later introduced Rubin to Russell Simmons, creating one of the most important partnerships in hip hop production. Jazzy Jay also put out Def Jam's third 12" in 1985, entitled "Def Jam" b/w "Cold Chillin' In The Spot," which featured Russell Simmons on vocals.

In 1986, he participated in the recording ''Planet Rock - The Album'', which was certified gold.

Also a producer, Jay founded Jazzy Jay's Studio in the Bronx, where he produced early recordings by Diamond D, Fat Joe, Brand Nubian, A Tribe Called Quest, and others. He also began his own label, Strong City Records, through a partnership with Rocky Bucano.

Recent times

More recently, Jazzy Jay was featured in the 2001 turntablism documentary ''Scratch''. In the film, he displays his extensive LP collection (kept in the basement of his home), which he claims comprises at least 300,000 to 400,000 records.

In 2000, Jazzy Jay was inducted into the Technics/DMC DJ Hall of Fame. He sometimes performs together with another hip hop pioneer, Grand Wizard Theodore.

He was featured in the 2004 song "Rock And Roll (Could Never Hip Hop Like This) Part 2" by Handsome Boy Modeling School giving a background on himself and on rap as an art form.

He narrated a walking tour of The Bronx, "Hip Hop," by Soundwalk, that won the 2004 Audie award for Best Original Work.

He lives with his wife and three children in Brooklyn, New York. In 2011, his older daughter, Jazmine Byas, graduated from the prestigious Eastman School of Music and is pursuing a career with her oboe.

External links

The Original Jazzy Jay - profile

Jazzy Jay interview

Notes

Category:1961 births Category:Hip hop DJs Category:Living people Category:American record producers Category:Hip hop record producers Category:African American musicians Category:People from Beaufort, South Carolina Category:Musicians from New York Category:People from Brooklyn Category:Gullah