Posts Tagged ‘DJ Hollywood’
DJ Hollywood, a true unsung hip hop pioneer, is celebrating 40 years in the game on October 5th. Kurtis Blow will also be in the house. Get there if you can.
Like his one time partner DJ Hollywood, there is little information around about this influential early hip hop legend.
Growing up in the Bronx during the late 60′s and early 70′s, Kevin Smith worked with several local deejays in the area.
In 1978, he became the house DJ at the Disco Fever (featured in the film Beat Street). He also deejayed at Harlem World, home to many famous MC battles of the time.
Some say he coined the term “hip hop” while more popular belief is it was DJ Hollywood.
Early recordings of Starski are scarce. During the 80′s he recorded a single called “Positive Life” before going on to work extensively on the soundtrack to the film Rappin’. He eventually did record a full length album called “House Rocker”.
Also “You Gotta Believe” b/w “Live at The Fever Disco” on Fever Records 1983 produced by Larry Smith & Kurtis Blow.
“Do the Right Thing” b/w “Live at The Fever Part 2″ was released on fever records in 1984.
He also hit bit with the 1986 hit “Amityville-House On The Hill”.
Also made a recent comeback with Tha Veteranz which reunited him with DJ Hollywood and Butchie B.
Check out a 2008 performance from Lovebug
Additional info by Ed Roberts
DJ Smalls was known as the Son of DJ Hollywood, (similar to DJ Run being known as the son of Kurtis Blow).
They performed together around ’77-81. At times he jammed with a couple of MC’s named Nasty T and MC Poo.
He was part of The Marvelous 3 with Busy Bee and AJ Scratch.
“Summertime Rap” was a hit on Dazz Records in 1981.
Info submitted by Mark Skills and Mr. Ed
DJ Hollywood is widely considered one of the most underrated and most often forgotten of the hip hop legends.
There is little information around about his involvement in the genre, but when you hear other old school artists talk about pioneers, Hollywood’s name is inevitably among the names mentioned.
He was born in 1954.
As a disco deejay in the early to mid 1970′s, he became one of the first people to rhyme over the microphone. He also became adept at mixing the break beats of songs like Kool Herc and others. He didn’t use many of the now famous hip hop breaks, rather focusing more on disco joints like “Aint No Stoppin Us Now”, “Love Is the Message”, “Sexy”, “Good Times” and “Got To Be Real.”
He gained a large following and went on to headline numerous parties and was considered one of hip hop’s earliest stars. He mixed and rhymed and had a kid who use to work with him called DJ Smalls.
He started a lot of the early rap phrases like , “Up my back and around my neck” and “Woo-Ha, got the girls in check”. He is widely known for inventing the term “hip hop”, (although others say it was his one time partner Lovebug Starski).
It should be noted that at one point Hollywood’s fame was so great, that he used to be showcased at the Apollo. WBLS used to say “Live” D.J. Hollywood live at the Apollo on 6 turntables. This was around ’79.
Unfortunately, like Kool Herc, his early and most influential work is only recorded in the memories of those that were able to see him live. Hollywood was more of a club DJ (He drew a party crowd) Herc drew the B-boy crowd.
He released a single named “Shock Shock The House” in 1980 on CBS Records.
Grandmaster Flash worked with him at one time as did Donald D and B FATS. As a matter of fact Donald D’s record “Don’s Groove” was written by Hollywood and produced by Flash.
“To Who It May Concern” was a 1986 attempt at a comeback.
He faded from the scene by the mid-80′s, but resurfaced in the 90′s and even recorded a studio album for Ol’ Skool Flava.
Also made a recent comeback with Tha Veteranz which reunited him with Starski and Butchie B.
Check Out “Shock Shock the House”
additional info by Ed Roberts and MarkSkillz and DJ Bummer