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GRANDWIZZARD THEODORE

grandwizzard theodore

BIOGRAPHY

Theodore Livingston aka GrandWizzard Theodore is known worldwide for his role in the advancement of turntable manipulation having invented both the ’scratch’ and the ‘needle drop’ techniques. Although Theodore is best known for creating the most essential technique in the Hip Hop DJ art form there is so much more to know about this legendary DJ.

Theodore learned to deejay from his older brother, Mean Gene, in the early 70’s. GrandMaster Flash, who was in Mean Gene’s crew, saw potential in young Theodore and had to sneak to teach Theodore different techniques and theories. In the summer of 1975, Theodore, at the age of 13, unintentionally invented the scratch. ‘ I used to come home from school everyday and play records. This one particular day, my mother banged on the door yelling at me because the music was too loud. When she walked in, I still had my hand on the record that was playing and I kind of moved it back and forth. When she left, I was like ‘Yo!

That sounded kind of cool. I better experiment with that.” His initiative to take this accident and recognize it as a means of making original music was pure creative innovation. ‘I always wanted to be different from other DJs. I kept perfecting my idea so that when I did it in front of an audience it would sound dope.’

Theodore was a member of the L Brothers and the Fantastic 5ive. Fans might remember the legendary basketball match, from the cult classic movie ‘WildStyle,’ where Theodore, representing the Fantastic 5ive, squares off against DJ Charlie Chase of the Cold Crush Brothers. Theodore was also involved in making the soundtrack for WildStyle. Theodore and Flash were so skilled as DJs that other DJs had to team up to battle either of them solo (including Jazzy Jay and Afrika Islam). Theodore, like many of the DJs of the time, was also a b-boy.

The GrandWizzard continues to rock parties internationally, judge DJ battles and teach DJ master classes. He was inducted into the DMC Technics DJ Hall of Fame in 1998. Theodore has received a Lifetime Achievement Award from International Turntablist Federation (ITF) and is the 2001 recipient of The Source Magazine Pioneer Award. GrandWizzard served as an esteemed panelist at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum’s Hip Hop Conference in 1999 and when the exhibit traveled to the Brooklyn Museum of Art, in 2000, he taught a phenomenal DJ Master Class, with DJ Perseus. GrandWizzard Theodore is featured in the DJ documentary ‘Scratch’ which premiered, early in 2002, at independent movie theaters throughout the nation. He also headlined a sold out 13 city US tour to promote the movie.

Invention of the Scratch is #10 out of 150 of The Source’s ‘Greatest MC, Albums and Moments’ ‘In the summer of 1975, a young Theodore Livingston discovers a fresh sound in his earphones while trying to drown out his mother’s complaints about his loud music. As she exits his room, he continues to fiddle with this technique, tweaks it, and gives birth to the scratch.’ (Mar. 2002)

‘His accidental invention became the cornerstone of Hip-Hop, and over a quarter of a century later, it’s still the most evolving aspect of the DJing society. All this because GrandWizzard Theodore decided to push the limits on a simple mistake, leading to the development of the turntable technique known as the ’scratch’ without which there would be no Hip-Hop music as we know it today.’ Doc Rice for Rap Pages (June 2000)