"Flash is Fast, Flash is Cool"
During hip-hop's history, few names have become as well known to music lovers across the globe as that of DJ Grandmaster Flash. Not only is he one of the pioneers responsible for kick starting hip-hop, but his innovative decks technique made him the first DJ to make turntables a musical instrument, thus helping to elevate the status of the DJ to what it is today. Flash's inspiration has extended from the Bronx in the early 1970s to every corner of the globe today.

Starting Out
Flash was born Joseph Saddler in Barbados on January 1, 1958. He developed his first crush on vinyl when he was just a boy playing with his father's records. Growing up in the Bronx, New York, he began spinning records as a teen, performing live at area dances and block parties and on the local disco circuit.

Innovating
By 1971, Flash was inventing and demonstrating innovative turntable techniques, drawing inspiration from his many observations of other DJs and dancers at Bronx block parties. Noticing that dancers really responded to the 'breaks' of soul and funk tracks, (the short sections where only the drums or drums and bass are heard), Flash and his contemporaries set about giving the dancers what they wanted.

Scientist of Sound
With what would eventually become the “Quick Mix Theory", Grandmaster Flash developed the technique of "cutting" between duplicate copies of a record. By extending the breaks sections indefinitely, Flash essentially forged a new musical lexicon that would become hip hop, and would contribute to the development of the DJ as a remixer, artist, and producer.

Defining an Era
The definitive recording of this technique surfaced in 1981, with the release of "The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash On The Wheels Of Steel"- a opus of cuts and scratches that wove together Blondie, Queen, Chic and the Sugar Hill Gang (among others) into one jam, significantly helping to push the burgeoning hip-hop culture over-ground.

Redefining the Genre
By 1977 Flash had teamed up with the legendary Kurtis Blow, and later the Furious Five, becoming one of the first DJs to recruit emcee's to rap over his music. Their reputation grew around Flash’s unrivaled DJ skills and the Furious Five's blending and trading of lyrics. "The Message", and "White Lines" were both global hits in the early 80s, and redefined the boundaries of hip-hop. For the first time, hip-hop became a vehicle not merely for bragging and boasting but for trenchant social commentary. An enormous step in solidifying rap as an important and enduring form of musical expression had just been taken.

Keeping On
For Flash, the remainder of the 80's brought many albums, hits, shows, and worldwide recognition as hip-hop become the new popular music. Into the 90's and beyond, DJ Grandmaster Flash continued to tour the world, host prestigious radio shows, and became the recipient of numerous awards and accolades. The culmination of this came in 2007 with Flash's induction into the Rock and Roll hall of Fame, making him the first DJ and hip hop artist to receive the honor. Teaming up with Native Instruments in 2007, Flash was one of the first DJs to fully recognize the limitless potential of TRAKTOR SCRATCH. In 2008 Flash will release his much anticipated memoirs in a book entitled "The Message: The Grandmaster Flash Story", as well as his new album, "The Bridge".