DJ Juice, N.J. hip-hop mixtape master, dies at 54

New Jersey’s DJ Juice, a hip-hop mixtape pioneer, has died. SiriusXM and LL Cool J’s Rock the Bells Radio reports that Juice, born Brian Short, was 54. Starting in the ’90s, the award-winning DJ was known for his mixtapes, hip-hop and R&B blends and video blends and intros. Culture Freedom, one of the founders of the Trenton hip-hop group Poor Righteous Teachers, remembered the DJ, who was also from Trenton. “Like many of you my heart is broken right now because Trenton NJ has lost another one of its Sun’s,” he said on Instagram. “Someone who gave the very best he had when it came to the thing he loved. And poured it all out for the world to see. I’m talking about J.u.i.c.e!! Someone that I shared many laughs with and arguments over the thing we both loved, Hip Hop! He changed the way many DJs would start their blend and/or mixtape.” Wise Intelligent, another founding member of Poor Righteous Teachers, also remembered Juice. “When @culturefreedomprt_ and I (@thepoorrighteousteachers) were looking for a DJ back like 1986-87, DJ Juice is who we approached first,” he said. “We go to his house and spend an entire evening watching him scratch,...