DJ Kool Herc - The Father of Hip Hop
The Father of Hip Hop Culture was born in West Kingston Jamaica and emigrated to the Bronx in 1967 at 12 years old.
On August 11, 1973 he deejayed a back to school party for his sister Cindy in the community Rec room at the 1520 SEDGWICK AVENUE housing complex. This humble event would put the term Boogie Down in the Bronx and change the world forever.
DJ Kool Herc performed the ground breaking art form of the Merry-Go-Round using 2 Turntables at one time. Herc extended the funky break beats by isolating and repeating them over an over on the Original 1’s and 2’s of Hip Hop.
He tapped his Jamaican roots where Island Djs at yard party’s would toast individuals…Herc used the Mic to move the original house party with shout-outs over the records, which began the element of Emceeing.
His parties featured a new style of dance where people would up-rock or hit the ground to go off. Herc named these young cats “b-boys”.
Herc’s massive sound system, named the “Herculords” were legendary- against which other DJs could not compete. His music could be heard from blocks away and was capable of making people’s bodies literally feel da beat .
Kool Herc would drive the Herculords around the Boogie Down in his convertible moving hip hop one street, one hood and one borough at a time.
Soon Kool Herc had to move the party outside from 1520 Sedgwick Ave. to CEDAR PARK. He hot wired a street lamp to juice up his Herculord speakers. Three thousand people showed up in complete darkness that summer night. Hip Hop would never be contained in-side again.
DJ Kool Herc is the Original King of the Hip Hop Kingdom that has spread to every corner of the world. All hip hop royalty comes from his lineage.
Melle Mel - The Godfather of Rhyme
Melle Mel, the original G.O.A.T. is recognized by those that know as one of the finest lyricists hip-hop has ever seen. PERIOD! Melle Mel joined Keith Cowboy Wiggins, his brother Kidd Creole and eventually Rahiem and Scorpio to construct the Furious Five. They would become the first hip hop super group with an immeasurable impact when they recorded, "The Message," in 1982.
The Message changed the face of rap forever. While the masses had grown accustomed to pop rhymes like “throw ya hands in the air”…Melle Mel went off about the harsh realities of ghetto life …Don’t Push Me Cause…I’m Close to the Edge…I’m Tryin’ Not To Lose My Head. It’s like a jungle out there…it makes me wonder how I keep from goin’ under”
Between 1979 to 1984, Melle Mel was untouchable with hits on the streets. Although it was under the banner Grand Master Flash & The Furious Five, it was well known that Melle Mel was the principle writer behind the hits, Super Rappin, Freedom, White Lines and The Message.
Melle Mel, is recognized as The God-father of Rhyme. He was the first MC to explode in a new rhyme cadence which remains the foundation of rhyming to this very day. The first to use the mic to deliver a deep message through powerful lyrics that painted a picture about urban plight. He was admired for his mighty voice and feared for his ability to chew through MC's.

Grandmaster
Caz
Live rhyme master
Grandmaster Caz was born & bred in the Boogie Down Bronx.
Originally known as Casanova Fly, he worked the ones & two’s before honing his Legendary MC skillz becoming the first simultaneous DJ and MC in hip-hop history.
A lyrical genius with the ability to spit killa rhymes on the fly, he became forever known as “The Live Rhyme Master”.
Battle tested, he was one of the streets favorite MC’s. Unfortunately the game did not show luv in return…as the greatest economic injustice in Hip Hop history was committed to GMC “Casanova Fly” by Sugar Hill Records when his rhymes used by Big Bank Hank in Sugar Hill Gang’s Rapper’s Delight, hip hop’s first super hit, were used with out credit nor payment. Even his name was pilfered…“Check it out…I’m the C-A-S and the N-OV-A and the rest is F-L-Y.........
This injustice could not & would not hold the man down as his legend only grew more in the streets & parks of the Boogie Down where he was elevated to the title of “Grand Master”.
Grandmaster Caz joined the Legendary Cold Crush Brothers circa 1978. They were a super group that kicked thematic routines featuring 3 MC’s rhyming simultaneously while not 1 but 2 DJ’s spun da vinyl.
Cold Crush inspired the likes of Run DMC, Kool Moe Dee, Biz Markie, Doug E. Fresh, LL Cool J, KRS-1, Chuck D, Will Smith, Fat Joe, Jay-z and countless MC’s that bless us still today.

BUSY BEE
CHIEF ROCKER
Busy Bee earned his legendary reputation as The Chief Rocker with his ability to get the party started and keep people rockin with his legendary shout-outs.
Busy Bee rocked the early block parties and park jams of Hip Hop with Cool DJ AJ, who later worked the wheels of steel for Kurtis Blow…AAA-JJJ!
MC Busy Bee and Cool DJ AJ were a powerful 1-2 punch that could knock you out without warning. Busy Bee was so fly that he changed the game forever when he became Hip Hop’s first solo MC ever!
Soon MC Busy Bee was a heavy weight MC Knocking out all comers on his own. He was a pioneer of early emcee battles around New York that drew huge crowds. He won the MC World Supremacy Battle Belt.
Busy Bee was involved in one of the most infamous battles in hip hop history against Kool Moe Dee. Copies of this battle continue to be circulated on the streets more than twenty years later.
The DJ was the original royalty of Hip Hop . The MC was the side-show…the Dj’s help.
This was not happening for long with Busy Bee. The Original Chief Rocker took the Mic from behind the table to the crowd. Because of Busy Bee, the Mic has never ever gone back.
RESPECT WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
Sedgwick & Cedar