The DJ is the foundation of Hip Hop, the first element and its enduring heartbeat. Hip Hop began as a competition of skill, and DJs were its first champions. Their most prized possessions weren’t gold chains or stage lights, but crates of vinyl: Octopus Breaks, Paul
Winley Records, Ultimate Beats and Breaks, and stacks of funk, soul, disco, and jazz. But it was always the rare cuts, the deep digs, that set the greats apart.

In 1970s New York City, DJs and their crews became celebrities. Flyers featuring their names blanketed the city, promoting parties in parks, school gyms, clubs, and roller rinks. These gatherings became Hip Hop’s proving grounds. “Open format” wasn’t a specialty, it was the standard. DJs didn’t play by genre; they played by ear, surprising crowds and each other.