Matt Sindelar
Hip-Hop From A Global Perspective
February 28, 2008
Grandwizzard
Theodore was born Theodore Livingston. He was born and raised in the Bronx in
New York City during the 1970Õs when and where the foundations of hip-hop were
being laid by pioneers such as DJ Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa and Grandmaster
Flash; all of whom were contemporaries of Grandwizzard Theodore. Growing up in
this environment Grandwizzard Theodore was under constant exposure to all of
the elements of hip-hop; graffiti, break dancing, rap and turntable-ism. It was
on the turntable that Grandwizzard Theodore was able to make his biggest
contribution to hip-hop and gain him some notoriety though he did participate
to some degree in other elements of hip-hop.
Born
into an African-American family living in the Bronx Grandwizzard Theodore was
raised in the same environment as all the other hip-hop pioneers. His main
influences come directly from this environment and among few notables are
fellow turntable pioneers DJ Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa and most importantly
Grandmaster Flash. Being considered lower class Grandwizzard Theodore was
immediately disenfranchised in comparison to the rest of the population in New
York City at the time. More importantly was Grandwizzard TheodoreÕs relatively
young age at the time of his emergence on the hip-hop scene. Coming from a
younger generation Grandwizzard Theodore was able to learn all of the best
parts of his turntable predecessors and was able to establish himself as a
truly unique DJ while the other, Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash were being
relegated to an aging population of pioneers.
As
a child Grandwizzard Theodore began his education in all things hip-hop at
quite a young age. His older brother, ÒMean GeneÓ Livingston, was very active
in the hip-hop scene in the Bronx and began teaching Grandwizzard Theodore
about turntables and how to use them at a very young age. Mean Gene not only
taught Theodore how to DJ but also introduced him to otherÕs who had very influential
roles not only in Grandwizzard TheodoreÕs life but on hip-hop as a culture.
Most important among these was Grandmaster Flash who was, at the time, a member
of Mean GeneÕs crew (The Source).
Grandmaster
Flash, who would later go on to form Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five,
was a great influence on Grandwizzard TheodoreÕs turntable skills. Before
Grandwizzard Theodore was even a teenager Grandmaster Flash began teaching him
his own turntable skills and this apprenticeship continued until Grandmaster
Flash and Mean Gene had a falling out and they parted ways to form their
respective groups.
According
to the short biography on Allmusic.com Grandwizzard Theodore began DJ-ing at
block parties in Bronx at a young age when Grandmaster Flash would allow him to
participate. However his real contribution to hip-hop was his invention of the
scratch. According to various sources and interviews with Grandwizzard Theodore
he invented the scratch purely on accident at the young age of about 13.
ÒOne particular day I was in the house
playing music a little bit too loud. My mum came and banged on the door, boom
boom! She opened the door and she was like: "If you don't cut that music
down, you know, I'm gonna strangle you." Well, during the time she was
yelling at me, I was still holding the record and the earphones on my ear. And
I was moving the record back and forth. I was like: "Wow! Wait a
minute." So I started experimenting with it for another couple of months
until I really got it down and came out with the scratch.Ó
-Interview
from the Red Bull Music Archives
Grandwizzard
Theodore further developed the scratch until he believed it was perfected.
Since
itÕs conception the scratch has become an integral part of a DJÕs skill. A DJ
is now often expected to be able to not only mix and combine records together
to form new music to dance and rap to but also to develop as a musician. The
scratch has since also become a sound often imitated by beat-boxers, a further
testament to its importance to hip-hop. Though Grandwizzard Theodore has since
fallen by the wayside in lieu of other more public figures like DJ Kool Herc,
Afrika Bambaataa and Grandmaster Flash the scratch is still recognized to this
day as being his creation. Many prevalent DJÕs today will cite Grandwizzard
Theodore as being an incredible influence on their personal style and to those
who are well versed in the history of hip-hop Grandwizzard Theodore remains to
this day to be an incredibly important part of the development and growth of
hip-hop.
Another
important contribution that Grandwizzard Theodore made to hip-hop besides the
scratch was his use of the needle drop. A technique in which DJÕs will
literally drop the needle to a specific spot on the record, often previously
marked on the record with tape or a crayon of sorts, while the record is still
playing. This is opposed to the technique used by Grandwizzard TheodoreÕs
predecessor and mentor Grandmaster Flash in which the needle is put in place
while another record is being played and then the cross-fade is used to bring
in the new track. Contemporary DJÕs also often uses this technique but it is
less well known then the scratch. The reason that these techniques are so
important is that they give the music being played a far more immediate and albeit
real feel than before. Allowing the DJ to once again assert his importance to a
good hip-hop crew.
The
significance of Grandwizzard Theodore is further cemented by his presence in
the cult hip-hop film Wild Style
that was released in 1983. This drama/documentary is considered to be one of
the closer realizations of the reality of life in the Bronx and Brooklyn during
the era in which hip-hop was birthed. The filmÕs cast consists of many hip-hop
artists who helped guide and craft hip-hop into the phenomenon that it has
become today. Among those credited in the film are Grandmaster Flash,
Grandmaster Caz, Crazy Legs, Busy Bee, the Cold Crush Brothers and many others.
Grandwizzard Theodore and Grandmaster Flash in fact worked on the soundtrack to
this movie together and since itÕs release this movie has been one of the most
sampled in hip-hop songs of all time. Grandwizzard Theodore also displays his
rapping skills in the films during a basketball game in which he faces off to
DJ Charlie Chase of the Cold Crush Brothers.
The impact that Wild Style had on hip-hop fans across the nation and world is phenomenal. It showcased some of the best in the business at the time and Grandwizzard TheodoreÕs place among them certaintly cements his place as one of the true pioneers of hip-hop. Though his actual talent may not have been showcased in the film his presence alongside Grandmaster Flash in the crafting of the soundtrack is surely one that was felt by viewers of the movie. In searching for authenticity in the making of the film the filmmakers sought to use only individuals who were authentic and while this contributed to the overall low quality of the film it ultimately did deliver a final piece that was far closer to the truth than other realizations of the Bronx and Brooklyn at the time of hip-hopÕs conception.
Grandwizzard Theodore deserves to be counted among those considered to be hip-hop pioneers for a number of reasons. First and foremost his prevalence and influence as a DJ is unfounded and it is indeed a shame that he is not listed amongst other DJÕs like Grandmaster Flash, DJ Kool Herc and Afrika Bambaataa. His contributions to DJ-ing, the scratch and the needle drop, have become two of the most commonly used techniques and scratching is still arguably one the first things that one associates with being a DJ. Without Grandwizzard TheodoreÕs discovery and crafting of this technique the role of the DJ could have been very different.
Huey, Steve. ÒGrand Wizard Theodore.Ó All Music.
23 Feb. 2008 <http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:wvfexqtjldfe~T1>
Jam, Billy. ÒCreator of the Scratch: Grand Wizard Theodore.Ó Hip-Hop Slam.
24 Feb. 2008 <http://www.hiphopslam.com/articles/int_grandwizardtheo.html>
ÒGrandwizzard Theodore Ð Nobody Beats The Wizz Pt. 1 Session Held in Berlin 1998.Ó
Red Bull Music Academy. 22 Feb. 2008. <http://www.redbullmusicacademy.com/TUTORS.9.0.html?act_session=32>
ÒGrandwizzard Theodore Ð Nobody Beats The Wizz Pt. 2 Session Held in Berlin 1998.Ó
Red Bull Music Academy. 22 Feb. 2008.
<http://www.redbullmusicacademy.com/TUTORS.9.0.html?act_session=33>
ÒGrand Wizard Theodore & The Fantastic 5.Ó Hip-Hop Central.
25 Feb. 2008 <http://www.hiphop-network.com/articles/djarticles/fantastic5.asp>
ÒGrand Wizard Theodore and the Fantastic 5.Ó Old School Hip-Hop. 23 Oct. 2007
25 Feb. 2008 <http://www.oldschoolhiphop.com/artists/emcees/fantastic5.htm>