Turntablism is the art of manipulating sounds and creating new music, sound effects, mixes and other creative sounds and beats, typically by using two or more turntables and a cross fader-equipped DJ mixer. The mixer is plugged into a PA system for live events and/or broadcasting equipment so that a wider audience can hear the turntablist's music. Turntablists manipulate records on a turntable by moving the record with their hand to cue the stylus to exact points on a record, and by touching or moving the platter or record to stop, slow down, speed up or, spin the record backwards, or moving the turntable platter back and forth, all while using a DJ mixer's crossfader control and the mixer's gain and equalization controls to adjust the sound and level of each turntable. Turntablists typically use two or more turntables and headphones to cue up desired start points on different records.
Mantronix was an influential 1980s hip hop and electro funk music group from New York City. The band was formed by DJ Kurtis Mantronik and rapper MC Tee. The group is primarily remembered for its pioneering blend of old school hip hop, electronic, and club music. They underwent several genre and line-up changes during its seven-year existence between 1984 and 1991, and released five albums beginning with their 1985 debut Mantronix: The Album.
Christopher Edward Martin, known professionally as DJ Premier, is an American record producer and DJ. He is considered one of the greatest hip hop producers of all time. He was half of the hip hop duo Gang Starr—alongside the rapper Guru—and presently forms half of the hip hop duo PRhyme, together with Royce da 5'9".
Labor Days is the third studio album by American hip hop artist Aesop Rock. It was released by Definitive Jux on September 18, 2001. It is a concept album about work. The album's production was handled by Aesop Rock, Blockhead, and Omega One.
Joseph Anthony Hernandez, professionally known as Tony Touch, is an American hip hop break dancer, rapper, Record producer and DJ of Puerto Rican descent.
George Spivey, professionally known as DJ Scratch, is an American three-time Grammy-nominated hip hop disc jockey (DJ) and multi-platinum record producer from Brooklyn, New York.
Deadringer is the debut solo studio album by RJD2. It was released on Definitive Jux on July 23, 2002. It features vocal contributions from Blueprint, Jakki da Motamouth, and Copywrite. Some editions include a hidden song on the last track, titled "Here's What's Left." The album was reissued in 2009 with two additional tracks.
Take Me to Your Leader is the second studio album by British-American MC/producer MF Doom, released under the alias King Geedorah via Big Dada on June 17, 2003. King Geedorah is the alias MF Doom used as part of the underground super group Monsta Island Czars. The album features guest appearances from MF Grimm as well as other MIC members. The character is based on the three-headed King Ghidorah, a fictional monster who appears as Godzilla's enemy in the Godzilla films.
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five were American hip hop group formed in the South Bronx of New York City in 1978. The group's members were Grandmaster Flash, Melle Mel, The Kidd Creole, Keef Cowboy, Scorpio and Rahiem. The group's use of turntablism, breakbeat DJing, and conscious lyricism were significant in the early development of hip hop music.
The Message is the debut studio album of American hip hop group Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, released in October 1982 by Sugar Hill Records. It features the influential title track and hip-hop single "The Message".
Dr. Octagonecologyst is the debut solo studio album by American rapper and Ultramagnetic MCs member Kool Keith, released under the alias Dr. Octagon. Originally titled Dr. Octagon, it was released on May 7, 1996, on Bulk Recordings in the United States and Mo' Wax in the United Kingdom. The album was later reissued with a different track listing by DreamWorks Records in 1997 under the title Dr. Octagonecologyst. The album was produced by Dan "The Automator" Nakamura and featured the work of turntablist DJ Qbert. KutMasta Kurt provided additional production work. The artwork for Dr. Octagonecologyst was drawn by Brian "Pushead" Schroeder.
Rob Swift, is an American hip hop DJ and turntablist. He was an original member of the turntablist group The X-Ecutioners until 2004. He has also released numerous solo albums and collaborated with various artists, including Mike Patton, Patton's project Peeping Tom, Dan the Automator and Handsome Boy Modeling School, Lords of Acid, Portugal. The Man, and Herbie Hancock.
Essential Mix: Classic Edition is an album released by Grandmaster Flash. It was released in 2002 and features Grandmaster Flash remixing classic club and dance tunes into a constant megamix.
Def Jux Presents is a 2001 compilation album released by American hip hop record label Definitive Jux.
Definitive Jux Presents II is a 2002 compilation album released by American hip hop record label Definitive Jux. It peaked at number 37 on the Billboard Independent Albums chart.
Big Apple Rappin' is a 2006 compilation album released on Soul Jazz Records. The album is a compilation of the early days of New York hip hop by Johan Kugelberg, who had collected early hip hop material, specifically records flyers and fanzines and other memorabilia with the idea to donate them to an academic institution. The music Kugelberg gathered for the compilation surrounded hip hop music released around the period "Rapper's Delight" became a hit song. The music is predominantly hip hop with a disco backing tracks which Kugelberg described as "the first great records." Along with the music, photography and flyers were compiled from the era, as well as interviews with DJs and rappers such as Grandmaster Caz and Glen Adams.
Mr. Dibbs is an American DJ and hip hop producer. He is the Founder of 1200 HOBOS [dj/graff collective]. He was also one of the founders of Scribble Jam.
Clive Campbell, better known by his stage name DJ Kool Herc, is a Jamaican-American DJ who is credited for originating hip hop music in the Bronx, New York City, in the 1970s through his "Back to School Jam", hosted on August 11, 1973, at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue. After his younger sister, Cindy Campbell, became inspired to earn extra cash for back-to-school clothes, she decided to have her older brother, then 18 years old, play music for the neighborhood in their apartment building. Known as the "Founder of Hip-Hop" and "Father of Hip-Hop", Campbell began playing hard funk records of the sort typified by James Brown.
Joseph Saddler, popularly known by his stage name Grandmaster Flash, is a Barbadian-American DJ and rapper. He is considered to be one of the pioneers of hip hop DJing, cutting, scratching 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 act to be honored. In 2019 he won the Polar Music Prize.
Jerome Hewlett, better known by his moniker DJ Cash Money is a Philadelphia-based American turntablist, hip-hop artist, and record producer. He was the first inductee into the DJ Hall of Fame.
