Grandwizard Theodore and the Fantastic Five

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OldSchoolHipHop.Com Hall of Fame 2007

Members
Grand Wizard Theodore (Theodore Livingston)
Waterbed Kev (Kevin Strong)
Master Rob (Robin Strong)
Prince Whipper Whip (James Whipper)
Ruby Dee (Rubin Garcia)
Dot-A-Rock (Darryl Mason)

In Grandmaster Flash’s early days, his partner was “Mean Gene” Livingston.  Gene had a younger brother (who together were known as the L Brothers) that used to practice with Flash named Theodore.

Theodore eventually went on to become GrandWizard Theodore and is credited with inventing two dominant deejay techniques- scratching and the needle drop.  Not a bad thing for ones resume.

It was in the summer of 1975 as he tells the story, “I used to come home from school everyday and play records. This one particular day, my mother banged on the door yelling at me because the music was too loud. When she walked in, I still had my hand on the record that was playing and I kind of moved it back and forth.  When she left, I was like ‘Yo! That sounded kind of cool. I better experiment with that.'”

His initiative to take this accident and recognize it as a means of making original music was pure creative innovation. “I always wanted to be different from other DJs. I kept perfecting my idea so that when I did it in front of an audience it would sound dope.”

In 1978, Whipper Whip and Dot-a-Rock were in a group called The Mighty Gestapo Crew (with DJ Kenny B (Kenny Baker) and Count D) and the Funky Phase Four MC’s.  The battled a crew named The Notorious Two (who’s members included Grandmaster Caz and JDL of the Cold Crush Brothers) at the Intersession Church on 155th Street and Broadway.

Whipper Whip and Dot-A-Rock were also original members of the Cold Crush Brothers.

They are often referred to as the Fantastic Freaks or Fantastic Romantic 5.

They battle many crews of the time most notably the Cold Crush Brothers.

They put out the 12″ “Can I Get A Soul Clap” in 1980 which is still currently available on Tuff City Records.

The group never recorded an album, however, they do appear in the film Wild Style, and on the recently released battle tape against Cold Crush at Harlem World in 1981.

Kevie Kev signed with Sugar Hill Records for a brief period and released the classic single, “All Night Long” in the midsummer of 1983.  Mr. Magic co-produced it under the name, M2 (actually M squared).

Prince Whipper Whip appeared in the Ice-T video for High-Rollers.

The GrandWizard continues to rock parties internationally and teaches DJ master classes. He was inducted into the Technics DJ Hall of Fame in 1998.  Theodore has received Lifetime Achievement Awards from both the International  Turntablists Federation and “Back to Mecca”. GrandWizard served as an esteemed panelist at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum’s Hip Hop Conference in 1999 and when the exhibit traveled to the Brooklyn Museum of  Art, in 2000, he taught a phenomenal DJ Master Class, with up and coming DJ Perseus. GrandWizard Theodore is also featured in the DJ documentary  “Scratch” which recently premiered at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival.

Classic Clip from Wild Style

Additional information provided by Da Original Easy Tee, dep1453, ToolsofWar and TMGanalog

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Author: JohnG

Administrator of OldSchoolHipHop.Com

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1 Comment

  1. boy anyone sell that battle in 1978 when whipper whip and dot-a-rock were in that group called the mighty gestapo crew(with DJ kenny B(kenny baker)and count D)and the funky phase four MC’S. they battled the crew named Notorious Two(Grandmaster Caz and JDL of the Cold Crush Brothers)at the intersession church on 155 street and broadway.also if selling when Dot-A-Rock, Whipper Whip was down down with the Cold Crush Brothers. please somebody sell these i dont know anyone who does live show tape sellers this is for you to get and sell i’ll purchase.and TAPE MASTER where are you at this you might have on.oldschoolhiphopjunkie of the live shows john jefferson 212-865-7863 jbernj7@yahoo.com

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  1. Wild Style Soundtrack – Various Artists | OldSchoolHipHop.Com - […] Cold Crush and Fantastic provide admirable samples of their talents in tracks recorded at the […]

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