‘We had to create something new — and we did’
When hip-hop was young, there were many avenues for artists to get involved: graffiti, break dancing, MC-ing. With extra ambition, they could even work at becoming one of the genre’s real stars: a DJ.
There was just one thing an emerging hip-hop performer could never be: a copycat.
“We couldn’t bite each other’s moves,” said DJ Afrika Islam, the Bronx-born innovator who remembers participating in battles as a member of the foundational group Zulu Nation. Competing against Grand Wizzard Theodore, the DJ who originated scratching circa , pushed Afrika Islam to devise his own techniques.
“Now everything is Xeroxed and copied and imitated,” Afrika Islam added in a recent phone interview.
“Now you push a button,” said his friend Ice T. “Let AI do it.”
Back then things were different, they agreed. As Afrika Islam put it: “We had to create something new — and we did.”
In “Day One DNA: 50 Years in Hiphop Culture,” opening Friday at the Ethelbert Cooper Gallery of African and African American Arts, objects collected by Ice T and Afrika Islam evoke a time when originality ruled. That ethos was central to the rise of hip-hop, the
Zulu Beat
In late /early , DJ Afrika Islam (aka "The Son of Bambaataa") launched the Zulu Beat show on New York's WHBI, making it one of the first pure hip-hop shows on the radio. Along with his co-host Donald D, Afrika Islam would spin the same heavy breaks and hip-hop from am on Wednesday mornings that he'd spin at the Roxy on Friday night.
Zulu Beat was on WHBI until
More:
7 Episodes in the Archive
| Date | Station | Location | Guests |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 24, | WHBI ( FM) | New York, NY | |
| June 8, | WHBI ( FM) | New York, NY | Frosty Freeze, Rock Steady Crew |
| December | WHBI ( FM) | New York, NY | |
| June 1, | WHBI ( FM) | New York, NY | |
| August 10, | WHBI ( FM) | New York, NY | |
| August 3, | WHBI ( FM) | New York, NY | |
| July 6, | WHBI ( FM) | New York, NY |
Afrika Bambaataa
Posted on Jan 7,
Afrika Bambaataa is undoubtedly one of hip hop&#;s godfathers.
As a teenager in the mid&#;s, he fell into the Black Spades gang, but had a different interest than causing trouble.
Bam started deejaying in
He had a passion for buying records (he would later be known as the &#;Master of Records&#;) and his tastes were very diversified from rock to r&b to African sounds to Latin, calypso, and classical. Although Kool Herc was the top DJ at the time, Bam knew he owned most of the same records as Herc so he decided to start playing on his own.
His ideological influences ran the gamut of the black political leaders of the time. He saw the film Zulu which depicted the battle between British troops and the Zulu tribe in The British seem victorious before they are overwhelmed by the numbers of Zulus who spare their lives. He took his name &#;Afrika Bambaataa&#; which meant &#;affectionate leader&#; from the movie. In Bam decided to form his own Zulu Nation to help assemble what he referred to as &#;the elements&#; of the culture into organization. He original crew was called The Organization, but after two years he changed it int
Donald: Biography of Donald, Age, Career, Music & Net Worth,
Donald (born 7 February ), is a South African Afro-soul singer, songwriter, recording artist and entertainer.
| Full Name | Donald |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 7 February (age 36 years old) |
| Place of Birth | Kraalhoek, North West |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Afro-soul singer, songwriter, recording artist and entertainer |
| Nationality | South African |
| Net Worth | $, |
Donald Age
Donald was born in the village of Kraalhoek in the North West province on 7 February He is 36 years old as of
Donald Career
He began singing at a young age in the church choir, and this is where his musical talent was discovered.
In the year , he inked a recording deal with South African DJ Cleo on his Will of Steel imprint. The label released his debut album, which received a lukewarm reception. He departed from the DJ Cleo’s label, and started his own imprint, D-Exclusive in , and began production on his second album Train of Love there.
He rose to fame in with his Album greatest single I Deserve, which later appeared on his much anticipated and critically acclaimed second album Love Train, which was released in He released thr
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