What’s up peeps? It’s your team at Itch FM, and today we’re here to talk about one of the true legends of hip hop culture, DJ Kool Herc.
Now, when we talk about the birth and evolution of hip hop, we can’t forget about the contributions of DJ Kool Herc. He’s the man who laid down the foundation for the whole movement, and without him, who knows where we’d be today?
In this article, we’re gonna take a deep dive into the life and legacy of DJ Kool Herc. We’ll explore his background, his unique DJing style, and of course, the party that started it all back in 1973.
But it’s not just about history – we’ll also look at the lasting impact that DJ Kool Herc has had on hip hop culture, and how he continues to inspire new generations of artists to this day.
So get ready to take a trip back in time with us , your fam at Itch FM, as we pay homage to the one and only DJ Kool Herc – the hip hop legend who started it all.
Background and Early Life:
Herc was born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1955, and he moved to the Bronx in the late 1960s with his family. Growing up, he was surrounded by music – his father was a DJ, and his mother played a variety of instruments.
It was in the Bronx that Herc really discovered his love for music, and he began experimenting with his own DJing style at block parties and community events. He quickly became known for his innovative techniques.
But it wasn’t just about the music for Herc – he was also deeply influenced by the culture and politics of his time. He saw the struggles that his community faced on a daily basis, and he used his music as a way to bring people together and promote positivity and unity.
As quickly the gangs increased havoc that ran throughout the Bronx in the early 70s, was as quickly as gang activity decreased in the late 70s, as the same gang members became more interested in being a part of the hip hop movement in the form of DJing, dancing, graffiti or rapping.
The Birth of Hip Hop:
On August 11, 1973, Herc hosted a back-to-school party at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the Tha Boogie Down Bronx, which is widely considered the birthplace of hip hop culture.
His sister Cindy came up with the idea as she wanted to raise some funds to buy some new clothes for the start of the new school term, and asked Herc if he could be the DJ. And that party was like nothing anyone had ever seen or heard before.
The flyer for the event was hand-drawn on lined index file cards, with a graffiti spray can style, that you could witness right throughout the Bronx at the time.
Herc and Cindy’s father got the drinks for the party from a local cash-and-carry store, while their Mother made the food.
At the party, Herc used his unique style of DJing and mixing records in a way that was totally new and exciting by using two turntables, and using his ability to get the crowd moving with his infectious beats.
The way he blended different genres of music and created a seamless flow was simply groundbreaking. Before the party started, nobody had even heard of DJ Kool Herc.
Herc noticed that the crowd erupted when they heard a specific part of a track, coined the break, so Herc decided to isolate that part of the track and prolong it by cueing up a second back-cued record to continue the beat as the first record reached its end.
This technique was called ‘The Merry-Go-Round’. This allowed the break boys and girls, as Herc called them, to have breakdance battles. They would later be known as B-Boys and B-Girls.
The Merry-Go-Round
Breakers
The influence of Herc’s parties on the development of hip hop culture cannot be overstated. They inspired a whole host of DJs and MCs such as Grandmaster Flash, Afrika Bambaataa and Coke La Rock to name a few.
He and the army of DJs and MCs went on to lay the foundation for the entire hip hop movement. Herc’s contributions to hip hop culture are immeasurable, and his legacy lives on to this day.
DJ Kool Herc’s Legacy:
DJ Kool Herc’s legacy is one that will forever be remembered and celebrated in the world of hip hop and music in general. Herc’s influence on other hip hop pioneers and DJs, like Grandmaster Flash and Afrika Bambaataa, cannot be overstated.
They were inspired by his sound and style and went on to create their own unique contributions to the movement. In 2017, Herc was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in recognition of his contributions to music and culture.
He has also received other awards, like the BET Hip Hop Lifetime Achievement Award, for his groundbreaking work. DJ Kool Herc’s legacy will continue to inspire future generations of musicians and artists for years to come.
The Birth of Hip Hop
Herc and his sister’s legendary back-to-school party in 1973 is widely considered the birthplace of hip hop culture, and his innovative techniques and equipment set the stage for a whole new sound and style.
It wasn’t just about the music for Herc – he used his parties to bring people together and promote positivity and unity.
The impact of Herc’s parties on the development of hip hop culture cannot be overstated. They inspired countless other DJs and MCs to create their own sounds and styles, and they built the foundation for a movement that would go on to have a profound impact on music, fashion, and art.
So let’s give it up for DJ Kool Herc and his legacy. His contributions to hip hop culture have been immense, and we wouldn’t be where we are today without him.
If you’re reading this and you’re not familiar with Herc or the history of hip hop culture, I encourage you to do some more research and learn about the pioneers who paved the way.
This is your team at Itch FM signing off – until next time, keep it real!