Origins Of Hip Hop: Grandmaster Flash Delivers Guest Lecture And DJ Demonstration

Grandmaster Flash, one of hip hop’s foremost pioneers, delivers guest lecture to Dean Josef Sorett’s “Hip Hop at 50: Music, Religion, and Politics” class. Before anybody spoke, students in the Lerner Cinema were on their feet in a standing ovation. Grandmaster Flash was in the building, and that was enough to excite them.  On Wednesday, February 7, Grandmaster Flash visited Dean Josef Sorett’s “Hip Hop at 50: Music, Religion, and Politics” class to give a guest lecture and perform a DJ set. Students in the class received a guaranteed seat in Lerner Cinema, with an online lottery determining who could fill the remaining space. After a brief introduction and discussion with Dean Sorett, Flash took over and began his lecture. Upbringing Grandmaster Flash told the crowd about his upbringing in the South Bronx. He described watching his father go to the closet and pull out records before bringing them over to the record player. A curious child, Flash described how he finally decided to try it himself one day, which helped kickstart his love for music. In particular, Grandmaster Flash described his love for a song’s drum break. However, he lamented the fact that they were so short. Flash made...