Grandmaster Flash
Bronx DJ pioneer who perfected cutting and scratching, and leader of the Furious Five behind "The Message".
Who is Grandmaster Flash?
Grandmaster Flash (Joseph Saddler) is a DJ who was born in Barbados and grew up in the Bronx, New York, where hip-hop was born in the '70s.
Known for
With his group Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five he released "The Message" (1982), one of the first rap songs about the harsh reality of city life. "The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel" (1981) showed his DJ skills on record. In 2007 they became the first hip-hop act inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Style
Lightning-fast mixing, cutting and backspinning to extend and remix breakbeats live. He worked out these techniques like a scientist, with headphones and precise timing.
Impact
Flash laid the technical foundation of DJing and turntablism, and "The Message" showed that rap could also be social commentary.
Influences
- DJ Kool Herc
