What separates a good DJ from one who’s world-renowned?
If I had the answer to that, you’d know my music.
There seems to be a connection between the leading hip hop DJs and their passion for it as youths. They got the bug in high school and made the right connections.
That holy combination of talent and drive took them to the next level.
Check out these famous hip hop DJs – 7 influential artists that matter.
Mix Master Mike
Michael Schwartz, aka Mix Master Mike, is one of the most highly regarded DJs in history.
A key part of the Beastie Boys, he got his first international exposure through the beloved hip-hop group.
Mix Master Mike was always destined for solo greatness.
The first west coast born DJ to win the New Music Seminar in NYC, Mix Master Mike claimed three consecutive DMC World Championships.
Rumor has it that his 1992-1994 domination was so extreme that the DMC actually asked him to retire. I guess sharing really is caring.
His legendary turntable skills have continued to thrill audiences the world over.
DJ Qbert
What do Qbert and Mix Master Mike have in common? They had mano a mano turntable battles in their high school cafeteria.
Also from the West Coast, Qbert had DJing in his blood. He started playing in his early teens and by age twenty-three, he won the DMC world title with Mix Master Mike.
There’s a friendship for the ages.
DJ Qbert’s willingness to experiment and create led to the founding of the band Invisibl Skratch Piklz.
Diplo
Thomas Wesley Pentz, better known as Diplo, is an all-American artist. Born in Mississippi and raised in Miami, he conquered the music scene in Philadelphia before his meteoric rise around the world.
While studying at Temple University, Diplo threw successful parties under the mantra, ‘Hooked on Hollertronix.’ He exercised complete creative control over his music and recruited a following that would launch him to the next level.
When he met M.I.A. in London, things started to come together. The two artists gelled over their expansive, ‘homeless’ sound and made a mixtape that put them on the map.
In the last decade, Diplo founded his record label, Mad Decent, put out his first complete record as Major Lazer, and has headlined top festivals around the world.
He has worked with Britney Spears, Beyonce, Usher, Justin Bieber, Santogold and many others.
DJ Khaled
Khaled Khaled, who simplified his first name with the DJ moniker, got his start as a radio DJ in south Florida. In 2006, his debut album landed at number 12 on the Billboard 200.
Fast moves.
His 2007 follow-up, We the Best, cemented his star status. With hit singles featuring Birdman, Lil Wayne and Akon, DJ Khaled became a household name.
Since his third album, We Global, dropped in 2008, he has continued to work with the top artists, adding Snoop Dog, Ludacris and Nelly to his resume.
DJ Khaled has stayed prolific, releasing best-selling albums in 2012, 2013 and 2014. His latest album features Jeremih, Chris Brown and Jay-Z.
DJ Jazzy Jeff
It’s hard to talk about DJ Jazzy Jeff without including Will Smith in the conversation.
The two-time Grammy winner was an iconic part of ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,’ having starred in forty-sixty total episodes.
His collaborations with Will Smith, like the 1989 hit ‘Parents Just Don’t Understand,’ and their global smash, ‘Summertime,’ made him a fixture of the Billboard Hot 100.
Since working with Smith, DJ Jazzy Jeff has gone on to produce R&B and soul hits through his production company, A Touch of Jazz.
He has also continued to compose for film and TV.
Jam Master Jay
Jason Mizell might have lived his whole life in Queens, but his music reached far corners of the world.
Since he was a teenager, he had a fire under his feet. He had the confidence to DJ for audiences within a year of picking it up. While still in high school, he teamed up with Joseph Simmons and Darryl McDaniels and became the third wheel of Run-DMC.
Jason Mizell became Jam Master Jay solely because he wanted to have a central place in a band. He found his home in Run-DMC, the group that most widely influenced the development of hip-hop culture.
Grandmaster Flash
Joseph Saddler may be 56 years old, but he’s the granddaddy of modern hipvhop DJing. An unparalleled innovator, Grandmaster Flash developed the backspin technique, punch phrasing and helped take scratching to the next level.
When the key elements of the Furious Five came together in the late 1970s, Grandmaster Flash was on his way to superstardom.
After years of success, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five were inducted into the hall of fame in 2007. They had the honor of being the first hip-hop group of that distinction.
The post Famous Hip Hop DJs – 7 Influential Artists That Matter appeared first on DJ Master Course.