Grandmaster Flash
Grandmaster Flash | |
---|---|
![]() Grandmaster Flash performing in 2014 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Joseph Robert Saddler[1] |
Born | Bridgetown,Barbados[2] | January 1, 1958
Origin | The Bronx,New York City,U.S. |
Genres | |
Occupations |
|
Years active | 1978–present |
Labels | |
Formerly of | Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five |
Spouse(s) | Brittany Williams
(m.1999; died 2015)Brittany Silver
(m.2018;div.2021) |
Website | grandmasterflash |
Joseph Robert Saddler(born January 1, 1958), known by his stage nameGrandmaster Flash,is an American musician and DJ. He created a DJ technique called the Quick Mix Theory.[3][4]This technique serviced the break-dancer and the rapper by elongating the drum breaks through the use of duplicate copies of vinyl. This technique gave birth to cutting and scratching. It also gave rappers better music with a seamless elongated bed of beats to speak on.[5]He also invented theslipmat.[6]
He is the founder and creator ofGrandmaster Flash and the Furious Five,the first rap group to be inducted into theRock and Roll Hall of Famein 2007.[7][8]In 2019 he became the first hip hop artist to be honoured with thePolar Music Prize.[9]On May 21, 2022, he acquired an honorary doctorate in Fine Arts fromBuffalo State University.On June 1, 2023, he was awarded an honorary doctorate in music fromLehman Collegein the Bronx, NY. On August 4, Grandmaster was issued a proclamation from the city of New York stating that August 4th is Grandmaster Flash Day.
Early life, family and education
[edit]Saddler's family immigrated to the United States fromBarbados.He was raised inthe Bronx,New York City, where he attendedSamuel Gompers High School,a public vocational school. There, he learned how to repair electronic equipment.[8]Saddler's parents played an important role in his interest in music. His father was a fan of Caribbean and African American recordings.[10]
During his childhood, Joseph Saddler was fascinated by his father's record collection. In an interview, he reflected: "My father was a very heavy record collector.... I used to open his closets and just watch all the records he had. I used to get into trouble for touching his records, but I'd go right back and bother them."[10]Saddler's early interest in DJing came from this fascination with his father's record collection as well as his mother's desire for him to educate himself in electronics.[11]After high school, he became involved in the earliest New York DJ scene, attending parties set up by early luminaries likeDJ Kool Hercand Disco King Mario.
Saddler's uncleSandy Saddlerwas afeatherweightbo xing champion.
Innovations
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/38/Hip_Hop_turntable%2C_National_Museum_of_American_History.jpg/220px-Hip_Hop_turntable%2C_National_Museum_of_American_History.jpg)
Grandmaster Flash observed the styles of the smooth transitions of a disco DJ versus the non-fluid non-BPM-matched transitions of early DJing. He chose to complete his studies with the former. Grandmaster Flash came up with a fingertip-to-vinyl and crossfader technique called the Quick Mix Theory. In doing this, he figured out a mathematical way to cut, paste, repeat, and extend a very minuscule piece of an existing composition.[12]This innovation took place in two places in the Bronx. The first location was his parents' house, 2730 Dewey Ave in the Throggs Neck Projects of the Bronx. The completion of the Quik Mix Theory was done at 927 Fox Street in the Hunts Point Area of the Bronx.
The Quick Mix Theory gave birth to techniques such as cutting, scratching, and transforming.
- Backspin technique(orquick-mix theory): Early New York party DJs came to understand that short drum breaks were popular with party audiences. Kool Herc began experimenting with the use of two identical tracks to extend the ‘break’, or instrumental section, resulting in what was known as ‘break-beat’. Grandmaster Flash perfected this technique where he could play the break on one record while searching for the same fragment of music on the other with the aid of his headphones. When the break finished on one turntable, he used his mixer to switch quickly to the other turntable, where the same beat was cued up and ready to play. Using the backspin technique (also referred to as beat juggling), the same short phrase of music could beloopedindefinitely.
In addition to Grandmaster Flash's on-time BPM-perfected technique, additional items were needed to pull this off. These items were felt and wax paper.[13]The combination of these two materials cut into the size of a record and placed on the turntable (at that time referred to as a "wafer" ) allowed the record to move fluidly. The end result of that was the creation of what we today call the Slipmat.[14]Another item that played a key role in the successful implementation of the quick mix theory is the needle/stylus.
He realized that the stylus came in two classes: elliptical, which sounded better but would not stay in the groove, and spherical. The spherical needle, although making the song sound worse, would stay inside the groove. This, in turn, allowed Flash to turn the vinyl counterclockwise to re-arrive at the top of the break.[13]
- Punch phrasing(orclock theory): This technique involved isolating very short segments of music, typically horn hits, and rhythmically punching them over the sustained beat using the mixer.
- Scratching:Although the invention of record scratching as a form of adding to the musical entertainment is generally credited toGrand Wizzard Theodore,Grandmaster Flash perfected the technique and brought it to new audiences. Scratching, along with punch phrasing, exhibited a unique aspect of party DJing: instead of passively spinning records, he manipulated them to create new music.[15]
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five
[edit]1970s
[edit]Grandmaster Flash played parties and collaborated with rappers such asKurtis BlowandLovebug Starski.In the late 1970s, he formed his own group. The original lineup consisted of Cowboy (Keef Cowboy),Melle Mel(Melvin Glover), andKidd Creole(Nathaniel Glover), and the ensemble went by the name "Grandmaster Flash & the 3 MCs". Cowboy created the termhip hop.[16][17]He created the term while teasing a friend who had just joined the U.S. Army, byscat singingthe words "hip/hop/hip/hop" in a way that mimicked therhythmiccadence of soldiers marching.[16][17][18]Cowboy later worked the "hip hop" cadence into a part of his stage performance.[16][17][19]
Mel was the first rapper to call himself "MC" (Master of Ceremony). Two other rappers briefly joined, but they were replaced more permanently by Rahiem (Guy Todd Williams, previously in theFunky Four) and Scorpio (Eddie Morris, a.k.a. Mr. Ness) to make Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. Quickly gaining recognition for their skillful raps, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five pioneered MCing and freestyle battles. Some of the staple phrases in MCing have their origins in the early shows and recordings of the group. In 1978, the new group began performing regularly at Disco Fever in the Bronx, one of the first times a hip-hop group was given a weekly gig at a well-known venue.[20]
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Fivewere signed to Bobby Robinson'sEnjoy Recordsand in 1979 released their first single, "Superrappin'".
1980s
[edit]In 1980 they signed to Sugar Hill Records and began touring and releasing numerous singles. The seminal "The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel",released in 1981, is a 7-minute solo showcase of Grandmaster Flash's virtuosic turntable skills, combining elements ofBlondie's "Rapture", Michael Viner's Incredible Bongo Band's "Apache", Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust", Chic's "Good Times", and the group's own "Freedom". It is also the first documented appearance of scratching on a record. That year, the group opened forThe Clashand were poorly received by an audience unaccustomed to the new style.[21] The group's most significant hit was theelectrorap song "The Message"(1982), which was produced by in-house Sugar Hill producer Clifton" Jiggs "Chase and featured session musician Duke Bootee. Unlike earlier rap tunes," The Message "featured a grim narrative about inner city violence, drugs, and poverty. In 2002, it was one of 50 recordings chosen by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry, the first hip hop recording to receive this honor. Critics praised the song's social awareness, calling the chorus" a slow chant seething with desperation and fury. "[22]
Other than Melle Mel, no members of the group actually appear in the song. Rahiem lip-synced Duke Bootee's vocal in the music video. The same year, Grandmaster Flash appeared in the movie "Wild Style"and sued Sugar Hill over the non-payment of royalties. Tensions mounted as" The Message "gained in popularity, eventually leading to a rupture between Melle Mel and Grandmaster Flash. Soon the group disintegrated entirely. Grandmaster Flash, Kidd Creole, and Rahiem left Sugar Hill, signed withElektra Records,and continued on as simply "Grandmaster Flash", while Melle Mel and the others continued on as "Grandmaster Melle Mel & the Furious Five".
Grandmaster Flash was also interviewed in the 1986 cult documentaryBig Fun in the Big Town.[23]
Although frequently credited on the records, Grandmaster Flash does not actually appear on "The Message", "Freedom", or many of the other Furious Five songs.[15]Although Grandmaster Flash provided the central element of the group's sound when performing live (in addition to giving the group its name), there was little room for his turntablism in early singles driven by the grooves of live session musicians. Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five reformed in 1987 for a charity concert, and in 1988 they released a new album. The group reunited again in 1994, although Cowboy died in 1989.
1990s
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/Dj_Grandmaster_Flash-01-mika.jpg/260px-Dj_Grandmaster_Flash-01-mika.jpg)
In 1999, Grandmaster Flash recorded withDJ TomekkandFlavor Flavthe single "1, 2, 3,... Rhymes Galore".The single stayed for 17 weeks in the TOP ten of the German charts.[24]
2000 and beyond
[edit]In 2008, he released a memoir,The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash: My Life, My Beats,[25]in which he talks about the origins of his fascination with scratching records and creating new beats. From a young age, Flash talks about how he would sneak into his father's record room to watch the record player spin, and then get punished for touching the records. He found inspiration even from things not associated with music. The spokes of his bicycle caused an interest in how record players create music just by rotating a grooved disc. Flash continued to experiment by taking apart any machine he could get his hands on to figure out how it worked. His early work shows the innovative ways in which his artistic abilities led to what is considered the first evolution of hip hop culture.[26]
He hosted a weekly show onSirius Satellite Radio(Friday Night Fire with Grandmaster Flash) and was presented with the BET "I Am Hip Hop Icon" award in 2006.[27]
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five were the first hip-hop/rap group inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on March 12, 2007, byJay-Z.[28]In 2008, he remixed the single "Into the Galaxy" by the Australian group,Midnight Juggernauts.[4]
It has been said that "his pioneering mi xing skills transformed the turntable into a true 'instrument', and his ability to get a crowd moving has made his DJ sets legendary."[29]
Grandmaster Flash appears in the video gameDJ Heroas a playable character along with original mixes created for the game.[30]
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/Grandmaster_Flash_%40_Wellington_Square_%281_3_2009%29_%283336272277%29_%28cropped%29.jpg/220px-Grandmaster_Flash_%40_Wellington_Square_%281_3_2009%29_%283336272277%29_%28cropped%29.jpg)
In December 2011, Grandmaster Flash was reported to be at work on his 12th album.[31]
Aired in 2016, theNetflixoriginal seriesThe Get Downfeatures a version of Grandmaster Flash that is played byMamoudou Athie.The series takes place in 1977 New York City and follows the genesis of theDJing,B-boying,graffiti, and emceeing, the four element cultures of hip-hop. After the premiere ofThe Get Down,Netflix premieredHip-Hop Evolution,a music documentary discussing the history of hip hop in which Grandmaster Flash talks about the evolution of his art.
In 2023, Grandmaster Flash competed inseason nineofThe Masked Singeras "Polar Bear". He was eliminated on "New York Night". As part of his encore, some DJ equipment was brought out so that Grandmaster Flash can scratch along toChic's "Good Times".
Discography
[edit]Albums
[edit]Album information |
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The Message
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Greatest Messages
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They Said It Couldn't Be Done
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The Source
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Ba-Dop-Boom-Bang
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On the Strength
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Salsoul Jam 2000
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Flash Is Back
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The Official Adventures of Grandmaster Flash
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Essential Mix: Classic Edition
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The Bridge (Concept of a Culture)
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Singles
[edit]- 1979 – Superappin' (Enjoy6001) Side A – Superappin'; Side B – Superappin' Theme
- 1980 – Freedom (Sugar HillSH-549) Side A – vocal; Side B – instrumental
- 1981 –The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel(Sugar Hill SH-557)
- 1981 – Scorpio (Sugar Hill SH 118) Side A – vocal; Side B – instrumental
- 1982 – Flash To The Beat (Sugar Hill SH 574)
- 1984 – Jesse (Sugar Hill SH 133) Side A – vocal; Side B – instrumental
- 1984 – We Don't Work For Free (Sugar Hill SH 136) Side A – vocal; Side B – instrumental
- 1988 – Gold (edit) (Elektra EKR 70)
- 1996 – If U Wanna Party (feat. Carl Murray) (JAM 1002-8)
Honors and awards
[edit]Grammys
Global Spin Awards
- Lifetime Achievement Award
RIAA
- Hip-hop honoree award - RIAA Lifetime Achievement Award[9]
- 2009, Lifetime Achievement Award
- 2007, Inductee
- 2006, I Am Hip Hop Icon Award
- 2019, awarded Sweden's Polar Prize
Honorary Doctorates Degree
- 2022, Buffalo State University
Filmography
[edit]![]() | This sectionneeds expansion.You can help byadding to it.(May 2024) |
References
[edit]- ^"BIG BLACK CADDY".ASCAP.American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.RetrievedApril 28,2023.
- ^"Grandmaster Flash - Biography".Allmusic.RetrievedJune 17,2024.
- ^ab"Grandmaster Flash".Biography.RetrievedMarch 15,2018.
- ^ab"Grandmaster Flash's Midnight Juggernauts remix on".Inthemix.au. Archived fromthe originalon June 9, 2011.RetrievedMay 15,2012.
- ^Bethonie Butler.Grandmaster Flash on ‘The Get Down’ and how he used science to pioneer DJ techniques.The Washington Post. Retrieved 28-03-23.
- ^ab"How Grandmaster Flash created The Slipmat".hiphophero.November 14, 2022.RetrievedMarch 28,2023.
- ^ab"Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 2007 Inductees".RetrievedSeptember 3,2017.
- ^abRose, Tricia (1994).Black Noise: Rap Music and Black Culture in Contemporary America.Hanover: Wesleyan University Press. p. 35.
- ^ab"Hip hop DJ pioneer Grandmaster Flash wins Polar Music Prize".The Jakarta Post.RetrievedMarch 28,2023.
- ^abGrandmaster Flash (January 1982). "Spin Art".New York Rocker(Interview). Interviewed by Steven Harvey.
- ^Forman, Murray; Neal, Mark Anthony, eds. (2004).That's the Joint!: The Hip-Hop Studies Reader.New York:Routledge.ISBN978-0415873260.
- ^Bethonie Butler. "Grandmaster Flash on ‘The Get Down’ and how he used science to pioneer DJ techniques."Washington Post. Retrieved 06-0402023.
- ^abBanks, Alec."The Definitive Grandmaster Flash Interview".rockthebells.RetrievedJune 20,2023.
- ^"How Grandmaster Flash created The Slipmat".hiphophero.November 14, 2022.RetrievedJune 20,2023.
- ^abZachary Wallmark, "Grandmaster Flash," inMusicians and Composers of the 20th Century(Pasadena: Salem Press, 2008), 531–533.
- ^abc"Origins of Hip Hop with Busy Bee Starski".YouTube.March 3, 2010.Archivedfrom the original on December 21, 2021.
- ^abc"Keith Cowboy – The Real Mc Coy".March 17, 2006. Archived fromthe originalon March 17, 2006.RetrievedJanuary 12,2010.
- ^"Afrika Bambaataa talks about the roots of Hip Hop".YouTube.November 27, 2012.Archivedfrom the original on December 21, 2021.
- ^JET,(April 2007), 36–37.
- ^"Fever Records".Fever Records. Archived fromthe originalon July 4, 2012.RetrievedMay 15,2012.
- ^Jeff Chang,Can't Stop Won't Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation(New York: Picador, 2005), 155.
- ^Vince Aletti, "Furious,"Village Voice(July 20, 1982), 64.
- ^"Big Fun in the Big Town".IMDb.RetrievedJanuary 26,2019.
- ^Dj Tomekk (February 11, 2009),DJ TOMEKK "1,2,3 RHYMES GALORE" NEW YORK TO GERMANY HI QUALITY,archivedfrom the original on December 21, 2021,retrievedJune 27,2019
- ^Grandmaster Flash and David Ritz,The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash: My Life, My Beats(New York: Doubleday, 2008).
- ^Grandmaster Flash and David Ritz, The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash: My Life, My Beats.New York: Doubleday. 2008.
- ^"BET Awards Honor Grandmaster Flash".Softpedia. November 13, 2006. Archived fromthe originalon June 12, 2011.RetrievedMay 15,2012.
- ^"Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five: inducted in 2007".The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.RetrievedMay 15,2012.
- ^[1]ArchivedFebruary 14, 2006, at theWayback Machine
- ^Christopher R. R. Weingarten (July 1, 2009)."Inside DJ Hero: Grandmaster Flash on Game's Big Names, Ideas".Rolling Stone.Archived fromthe originalon July 4, 2009.RetrievedMay 15,2012.
- ^Latifah Muhammad Comments (December 1, 2011)."Grammy Nominations 2012: Grandmaster Flash Felt 'Cool'".The Boombox.RetrievedMay 15,2012.
- ^"GRAMMY Hall Of Fame".GRAMMY.October 18, 2010.RetrievedMarch 3,2021.
- ^"2012 GRAMMY Hall Of Fame Selections Announced".GRAMMY.December 2, 2014.RetrievedMarch 3,2021.
- ^Leland, John (August 26, 2016)."Grandmaster Flash Beats Back Time".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.RetrievedMarch 15,2018.
- ^"50 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time".Rolling Stone.RetrievedMarch 15,2018.
Further reading
[edit]- Grandmaster Flash; David Ritz (2008).The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash: My Life, My Beats.Broadway Books.ISBN978-0-7679-2475-7.
External links
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- 1958 births
- Living people
- American hip hop record producers
- American hip hop DJs
- American people of Barbadian descent
- The Godfathers Of Threatt members
- American dance musicians
- People from Bridgetown
- Rappers from the Bronx
- Fury Records artists
- Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five members
- Record collectors
- 21st-century American rappers
- Record producers from New York (state)
- People from Morrisania, Bronx