That DJ That Changed Everything

On August 11, 1973, inside a modest rec room at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the Bronx, a teenage DJ named Kool Herc ignited a cultural revolution. At a back-to-school party thrown by his sister, Herc unveiled a technique that would become the blueprint for hip-hop: isolating and extending the instrumental “breaks” of funk records using two turntables. 

The crowd responded instinctively, dancing to the rhythm in a new, explosive way. A rare black-and-white photo captures this pivotal moment—Herc crouched over his gear, the crowd gathering, the future taking shape. 

That night, the foundations of hip-hop were laid: DJing, MCing, breaking, and graffiti soon formed the core of a global movement. Herc’s “merry-go-round” method transformed the DJ from a background player into the main act, giving rise to b-boys, battle rhymes and street anthems. What began as a neighborhood party spread across boroughs and continents. And then the world.

Today, 1520 Sedgwick is officially recognized as the birthplace of hip-hop. But 52 years later, it’s DMC and the Technics World DJ Championships which is yet again, at the centre of everything in the DJ world…