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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Entertainment
Paul MacInnes

Was DJ Hollywood the first rapper?

The precise identity of the first rapper is likely to remain forever shrouded, but DJ Hollywood has a strong claim. A Harlem DJ who by the mid-70s had drifted downtown to play disco sets to a mainstream crowd, he would accompany his mixes with brief rhymes. While other DJs had spoken over records, Hollywood did so to the rhythm of the beat and claimed inspiration from Isaac Hayes's Black Moses for his style, which would both encourage the crowd and touch on more romantic themes.

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