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→Early life: Clarified the section about inventing scratching, referencing Livingston's own words in the documentary
 
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{{Short description|Pioneering hip hop DJ}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2015}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2015}}
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians -->
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians -->
| name = Grand Wizzard Theodore
| name = Grand Wizzard Theodore
| image = Grand wizzard theodore.JPG
| image = DJ Grand Wizzard Theodore Beltek Maine 2009.jpg
| caption = Theodore doing his famous "needle drop" at the Experience Music Project in Seattle 2002
| caption = Grand Wizzard Theodore at BelTek festival 2009
| background = non_performing_personnel
| background = non_performing_personnel
| birth_name = Theodore Livingston
| birth_name = Theodore Livingston
| alias =
| alias =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1963|03|05}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1963|03|05}}
| birth_place = [[Bronx, New York|Bronx]], New York United States
| birth_place = [[The Bronx]], [[New York City]], [[New York (state)|New York]], U.S.
| death_date =
| death_date =
| instrument =
| instrument =
| genre =
| genre = [[Hip hop music|Hip hop]]
| occupation = Musician, DJ
| occupation = {{hlist|[[Musician]]|[[DJ]]}}
| years_active =
| years_active = 1977–present
| label =
| label =
| associated_acts = [[Grandwizard Theodore & the Fantastic Five]]
| associated_acts = [[Grandwizard Theodore & the Fantastic Five]]
| website =
| website =
| notable_instruments =
}}
}}
[[File:Grand wizzard theodore.JPG|thumb|Theodore doing his famous "needle drop" at the Experience Music Project in Seattle 2002]]
⚫
'''Theodore Livingston''' (born March 5, 1963), better known as '''Grand Wizzard Theodore''', is an American musician and DJ. He is widely credited as the inventor of the [[scratching]] technique.<ref>{{cite news|publisher=NPR |title=NPR: The Birth of Rap: A Look Back |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7550286 |author=David Dye |date=February 22, 2007}}</ref><ref name="Huey" /> In addition to scratching, he gained credibility for his mastery of [[Needle drop (DJing)|needle drops]] and other techniques which he invented or perfected.


==Early life==
⚫
'''Grand Wizzard Theodore''' (born March 5, 1963) is an American [[hip hop music|hip hop]] DJ. He is widely credited as the inventor of the [[scratching]] technique.<ref>{{cite news|publisher=NPR |title=NPR: The Birth of Rap: A Look Back |url=http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7550286 |author=David Dye |date=February 22, 2007}}</ref><ref name="AllMusic1">{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=B6sxsa93gi23a |title=Grand Wizard Theodore |publisher=Allmusic |author=Steve Huey}} {{Dead link|date=January 2011|bot=CactusBot}}</ref>
Born in the [[Bronx, New York|Bronx]], New York, Theodore's brother, Mean Gene, was his [[mentor]], who began teaching him the technique of DJing at an early age. Theodore was later apprenticed by [[Grandmaster Flash]].


In 1975, Theodore was playing records in his bedroom with the volume all the way up. Furious with the noise, his mother entered the room and told Theodore to lower the volume, or she would turn off the music. According to Theodore, while his mother was standing in the doorway scolding him, he was still holding the record down with his hand, "rubbing the record back and forth", causing a scratching sound. After his mother left, Theodore realized he liked the sound, and thought it would be a good idea to incorporate it into his DJing. After practicing for a while, he threw a party where he introduced the technique known as scratching.<ref name="Huey">{{cite web|author=Steve Huey|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/grand-wizard-theodore-mn0000738340|title=Grand Wizard Theodore|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=2019-11-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media|people=Doug Pray|date=2001|title=[[Scratch_(2001_film)|Scratch]]|type=Motion picture|time=0:36}}</ref>
Born '''Theodore Livingston''' in [[Bronx, New York|Bronx]], New York, Theodore's brother, Mean Gene, was his [[mentor]], and began to teach him the technique of DJing during his childhood years. In addition to scratching, he achieved renown for his mastery of [[Needle drop (DJing)|needle drops]] and other techniques which he invented or perfected. Theodore also apprenticed under [[Grandmaster Flash]].<ref name="AllMusic1" />


A dramatization of Theodore's invention of the record scratch was featured on Comedy Central's television show ''[[Drunk History]]'', narrated by [[Questlove]].<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://m.imdb.com/title/tt6863494 |title = "Drunk History" Game Changers (TV Episode 2018)| website=[[IMDb]] }}</ref>
Though variants of the story exist, it is generally accepted that Grand Wizard Theodore was playing records at a high volume in his bedroom. Fed up with the noise his mother entered and ordered him to turn the music down. At this point he looked away from the turntable to face her. While his mother lectured him he continued slowly moving the record back and forth, which produced a sound all its own. When she left the room he was intrigued by the sound the vinyl made when manipulated in this fashion. After months of experimentation he introduced this technique at a party and thus scratching was born. Many forms of popular music have since used the technique.


==Career==
In the early 1980s, Theodore was a part of the group [[Grandwizard Theodore & the Fantastic Five]]. They released "Can I Get a Soul Clap" in 1982.<ref>http://www.discogs.com/Grand-Wizard-Theodore-Fantastic-Romatic-Five-The-Can-I-Get-A-Soul-Clapp-Fresh-Out-The-Pack/release/815897</ref> He was also featured in the 1983 film ''[[Wild Style]]'', as well as contributing to the film's soundtrack. He explains the origin of the scratch in the documentary, ''[[Scratch (2001 film)|Scratch]]''.<ref name="AllMusic1" />
In the early 1980s, Theodore was a part of the group [[Grandwizard Theodore & the Fantastic Five]]. They released "Can I Get a Soul Clap" in 1982.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.discogs.com/Grand-Wizard-Theodore-Fantastic-Romatic-Five-The-Can-I-Get-A-Soul-Clapp-Fresh-Out-The-Pack/release/815897 |title = Grand Wizard Theodore, the Fantastic Romatic Five* - Can I Get a Soul Clapp "Fresh Out the Pack"| website=[[Discogs]] | date=December 7, 1981 }}</ref> He was also featured in the 1983 film ''[[Wild Style]]'', as well as contributing to the film's soundtrack. He explains the origin of the scratch in the documentary, ''[[Scratch (2001 film)|Scratch]]''.<ref name="Huey" />


[[File:Gwt beltek maine 2009 chaparin dot com.jpg|thumb|230px|GrandWizzard Theodore at BelTek Festival in Belmont, Maine, 2009]]
[[File:Gwt beltek maine 2009 chaparin dot com.jpg|thumb|230px|GrandWizzard Theodore at BelTek Festival in Belmont, Maine, 2009]]


==Legacy==
Theodore's phrase "Say turn it up" from his track "Fantastic Freaks at the Dixie" was sampled by hip hop and rap acts such as [[Public Enemy (band)|Public Enemy]] (on the track "Bring the Noise"), [[Bomb the Bass]] (on the track "Megablast") and many others.
Theodore's phrase "Say turn it up" from his track "Fantastic Freaks at the Dixie" was sampled by hip hop and rap acts such as [[Public Enemy (band)|Public Enemy]] (on the track "Bring the Noise"), [[Bomb the Bass]] (on the track "Megablast"), and many others.


==References==
==References==
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==External links==
==External links==
* {{URL|hiphop.sh/theo}}
* {{URL|hiphop.sh/theo}}
* {{cite web|url=https://soundcloud.com/rosenbergradio/grand-wizard-theodore-on-juan-epstein |title=Grand Wizard Theodore on Peter Rosenberg's "Juan Epstein" podcast |date=November 4, 2014}}
* {{cite web|url=https://soundcloud.com/rosenbergradio/grand-wizard-theodore-on-juan-epstein |title=Grand Wizard Theodore on Peter Rosenberg's "Juan Epstein" podcast |date=November 4, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141215071500/https://soundcloud.com/rosenbergradio/grand-wizard-theodore-on-juan-epstein |archive-date=December 15, 2014 |df=mdy-all }}
*[https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/dj-grandwizzard-theodore DJ Grand Wizzard Theodore Interview] at [[NAMM Oral History Program|NAMM Oral History Collection]] (2012)
{{Authority control}}


{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
| NAME = Grand Wizzard Theodore
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = Hip hop DJ
| DATE OF BIRTH = March 5, 1963
| PLACE OF BIRTH = Bronx, New York United States
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Grand Wizzard Theodore}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Grand Wizzard Theodore}}
[[Category:1963 births]]
[[Category:1963 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American DJs]]
[[Category:American hip hop musicians]]
[[Category:American hip hop musicians]]
[[Category:Hip hop DJs]]
[[Category:American hip hop DJs]]
[[Category:musicians from the Bronx]]




Latest revision as of 20:09, 11 September 2024

Grand Wizzard Theodore
Grand Wizzard Theodore at BelTek festival 2009
Grand Wizzard Theodore at BelTek festival 2009
Background information
Birth nameTheodore Livingston
Born (1963-03-05) March 5, 1963 (age 61)
The Bronx, New York City, New York, U.S.
GenresHip hop
Occupations
Years active1977–present
Theodore doing his famous "needle drop" at the Experience Music Project in Seattle 2002

Theodore Livingston (born March 5, 1963), better known as Grand Wizzard Theodore, is an American musician and DJ. He is widely credited as the inventor of the scratching technique.[1][2] In addition to scratching, he gained credibility for his mastery of needle drops and other techniques which he invented or perfected.

Early life

[edit]

Born in the Bronx, New York, Theodore's brother, Mean Gene, was his mentor, who began teaching him the technique of DJing at an early age. Theodore was later apprenticed by Grandmaster Flash.

In 1975, Theodore was playing records in his bedroom with the volume all the way up. Furious with the noise, his mother entered the room and told Theodore to lower the volume, or she would turn off the music. According to Theodore, while his mother was standing in the doorway scolding him, he was still holding the record down with his hand, "rubbing the record back and forth", causing a scratching sound. After his mother left, Theodore realized he liked the sound, and thought it would be a good idea to incorporate it into his DJing. After practicing for a while, he threw a party where he introduced the technique known as scratching.[2][3]

A dramatization of Theodore's invention of the record scratch was featured on Comedy Central's television show Drunk History, narrated by Questlove.[4]

Career

[edit]

In the early 1980s, Theodore was a part of the group Grandwizard Theodore & the Fantastic Five. They released "Can I Get a Soul Clap" in 1982.[5] He was also featured in the 1983 film Wild Style, as well as contributing to the film's soundtrack. He explains the origin of the scratch in the documentary, Scratch.[2]

GrandWizzard Theodore at BelTek Festival in Belmont, Maine, 2009

Legacy

[edit]

Theodore's phrase "Say turn it up" from his track "Fantastic Freaks at the Dixie" was sampled by hip hop and rap acts such as Public Enemy (on the track "Bring the Noise"), Bomb the Bass (on the track "Megablast"), and many others.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ David Dye (February 22, 2007). "NPR: The Birth of Rap: A Look Back". NPR.
  2. ^ a b c Steve Huey. "Grand Wizard Theodore". AllMusic. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  3. ^ Doug Pray (2001). Scratch (Motion picture). Event occurs at 0:36.
  4. ^ ""Drunk History" Game Changers (TV Episode 2018)". IMDb.
  5. ^ "Grand Wizard Theodore, the Fantastic Romatic Five* - Can I Get a Soul Clapp "Fresh Out the Pack"". Discogs. December 7, 1981.
[edit]


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