Kool DJ Red Alert is a foundational figure in Hip Hop music and culture, celebrated for his role as a pioneering DJ and influential radio personality in New York City.Biography * Real Name: Frederick Crute * Born: November 27, 1956 * Origin: Born in Antigua, West Indies, and grew up in Harlem, New York City. * Nickname: He was given the nickname "Red Alert" as a teenager due to his natural reddish hair and his "alert" sense on defense while playing basketball at the public school located next to Rucker Park. * Early Career: After three semesters at Hampton University on a basketball scholarship, he dropped out to return to Harlem in 1976 and became a full-time deejay for Afrika Bambaataa. He performed throughout The Bronx, Long Island, Connecticut, and New Jersey. * Affiliation: He is an original member of the Universal Zulu Nation.Role in Hip Hop Culture * Radio Pioneer: Red Alert rose to massive fame on his legendary mixshow, "Red Alert Goes Baserk," on New York's WRKS 98.7 Kiss FM, which first aired in 1983. He is credited with bringing Hip Hop to the mainstream radio airwaves in the early 1980s. * Breaking New Artists: He is famous for being the first to "break" many legendary Hip Hop acts, including: * Boogie Down Productions (BDP), notably by breaking their record "South Bronx." * The Native Tongues crew, including Jungle Brothers (he is the uncle of Mike G of the Jungle Brothers), De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Queen Latifah, and Monie Love. * Firsts: * He was the first disc jockey to record mix compilation albums, which became known as mixtapes, when cassette tapes gained popularity in the 1970s. * He was the first mix show disc jockey to introduce dancehall music to mainstream FM radio in the mid-1980s. * The Bridge Wars: He played a vital role in the famous rap feuds known as The Bridge Wars and The Roxanne Wars, typically aligning against his radio rival, Mr. Magic, and the Juice Crew.Accolades and Honors * He was named one of the 50 most influential people in music by Rolling Stone magazine. * He is the only Hip Hop deejay honored with a display in the Radio Section of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. * He received a Lifetime Achievement Award from music trade publication Impact in 1998. * He has been appointed by the United Nations as an honorary Ambassador to Music. * He has an honorary location on the Bronx Walk of Fame.
Related
Related
Related
Related