In celebration of hip hop’s 50th anniversary, join us for an intimate conversation and master class with one of hip hop’s founding fathers—Grandmaster Flash. As one of the originators of hip hop as a musical genre and a worldwide cultural phenomenon, his pioneering use of the turntables make him the first DJ to play the turntables as a musical instrument, thus helping to elevate the status of the DJ to a masterful, artistic position. Flash was scientifically inventing and demonstrating such methods and concepts he collectively called “The Quick Mix Theory,” which encompassed the innovative technique of “cutting,” eventually laying the foundations for what became known as “scratching,” “transforming,” and the first to use his fingertips for vinyl techniques.

In addition, his group Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five cut some of hip hop’s most iconic records, including “The Message,” a hard-hitting dispatch of sociopolitical commentary that highlighted the inequalities plaguing their community. Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to hear from this living legend and experience how he created his innovative techniques.

This event will be moderated by the DJ and producer J.Period.