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Photo Credit: Grandmaster Flash for Primary Wave Music
Primary Wave Music announces the addition of trailblazing DJ and hip-hop founding father Grandmaster Flash to its roster.
Today, Primary Wave Music has announced the addition of Grandmaster Flash (Joseph Saddler) to its roster. A trailblazing DJ and a hip-hop founding father, Grandmaster Flash will be managed by Eric Baker, a partner in Primary Wave’s talent management division, based out of the company’s West Coast office.
The prolific mix master will join the ranks of Primary Wave’s already impressive roster, including Cypress Hill, Bell Biv DeVoe, CeeLo Green, Jefferson Starship, Melissa Etheridge, Eric Benet, Skid Row, and many more.
“It was very important for me to find the right fit. In my search, I came upon Primary Wave. It sounded like a school for electronics like my alma mater, Samuel Gompers,” said Grandmaster Flash. “I took a look and said yes, this multi-department setup is amazing. Meeting Eric and the staff sealed the deal for me.”
“I remember watching Soul Train and seeing Grandmaster Flash when I was 15 or 16,” said Eric Baker. “I’m thrilled he’s joining our management roster and the Primary Wave family. It’s an honor to help carry forward the legacy of an artist who defined a culture.”
Undeniably an architect in the genre, few names are as well-known to hip-hop lovers and music historians the world over as Grandmaster Flash. A true musical innovator, his use of turntables sparked a timeless legacy that has extended from the Bronx block parties of the early 1970s to every corner of the globe.
Using duplicate copies of vinyl, Grandmaster Flash invented “The Quick Mix Theory,” manipulating the vinyl with his fingertips and the crossfader of the DJ mixer. This laid the groundwork for the modern DJ and eventually gave birth to the art of beat-making and sampling.
By the end of the ‘70s, Grandmaster Flash had set the foundation for breakdancers and emcees alike to perform over his seamless beats. The first rapper to join Flash in 1974 was Keith Wiggins, known as Cowboy. Two years later, Kid Creole and his younger brother Melle Mel joined, followed by Scorpio and Raheim. Throughout the 1970s, Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five became one of the primary supergroups on the streets of The Bronx.
In 2007, Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five became the first hip-hop group to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Grandmaster Flash has also been the recipient of such notable accolades throughout his storied career as a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, RIAA’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the BET Icon Award, VH1’s Hip-Hop Honors, the DJ Vanguard Award, and the prestigious international Polar Music Prize.
