so I met Flowers in 1974 across from Penn Station on 8th Ave. in a DJ battle, had heard him at parties previously but began hanging out and we became friends. I joined his crew with Jamal and Smokey, setting us at gigs and breaking down, hanging out in between. I had spun at some house parties and had rudimentary equipment but was blown away by his technical approach and his musicology. There was no one else in that scene doing what he did. The way he blended records, his 'photographic' memory of what might follow a given cut, his searching for obscure music, he was a true pioneer. I built my 'set' and began spinning as 'Sophistifunk' emulating his equipment set up and style. We were inseparable for almost 4 years until equipment thefts and drugs pulled me away from that life. I ran into him many years later crack addicted panhandling in front of Tower Records on B'way. It was heartbreaking and he was embarrassed to see me. I saw him a few times after that and learned many years later about his death. Johnny was my brother and I had a great love for him. He was not rude or arrogant but essentially shy and a perfectionist in his craft, he was also really funny and generous with people that he liked. He was instrumental in the style of extending 'breaks' and having MC's rap over the breaks, eventually with others in later years the breaks became dominant and the MC's became the first generation of rappers. The "hippity hop we don't stop'"was the birth of Hip Hop which owes much to those early DJ's, none more so than the original Grandmaster, Jonathan Cameron Flowers, RIP

Thank You young man for giving The Grandmaster his Flowers.

RIP Jonathan Flowers. A real one.

I knew DJ Flowers. He DJ'd at Studio 54 ( Mike Stone). He also, DJ'd at Bonds International (Mike Stone). On Sundays, He would DJ at Reese Beach(1981-1982). He was AMAZING!!!! He CHANGED everything!!!! BTW I remember he DJ'd with 4 TurnTables. Flowers would mix CJ & Factory with Cerone and then he would mix in Earth Wind & Fire. That Combo would sound amazing.

Brother, thank thank you. Some Caribbean think that DJ herc was the first to use Two Turntables in America we were using Two Turntables in 1940.

Saw Grand Master Flowers at Boston Road Ballroom in the Bronx, NYC. 1978... I was so impressed that I never forgot him. Truly a Master DJ.

DJ Flowers is one of the founding fathers of Hip Hop and a pioneer of disco!

Wow this really warms my heart. Thank you for acknowledging my Uncle The Original GrandMaster Flowers. Appreciate this Gregor.

Big up DJ Flowers. I'm from Brooklyn and I remember DJ Flowers. I became a DJ around the early 70's and was inspired by him. I remember DJ Flowers using two 45's and mixing the record War by Edwin Star. This is what was done back in the day when you wanted to extend a song being played. I'm happy I came across this video. Thanks Gregor Scott

I am proud to say I Experienced the LAND of DJ FLOWERS!!!!

African Americans DJs were using Two Turntables before the 1970s.

I had only learned of his passing a couple years back and was quite saddened. Met him around '83 in the Atlantic Ave Men's Shelter in Bklyn. I had just arrived in NY and was starting over again after an altercation in my families home. Everyone always gave him props and was a cool cat considering the position we were in. Hung out with him a bit for a couple of years there then lost contact after i left. Knew every single band and RnB group i could quiz him on and quite saavy on a variety of musical topics. Will always be missed, (RIP).

Grandmaster Flowers was the first to beatmatch. He was doing it before Francis Grasso. Grasso didnt start djing until 67 or 68. Flowers was already a big DJ in 1965 and beatmatching records and also extending the breaks. I wouldnt be surprised if Grasso learned from seeing and listening to Flowers. They both were in Brooklyn.

Oh man grand Master was the best mobile dj I new him personally when he set up the whole wold came out luv video thanks

grandmaster flowers, maboya, dj plumber, all early brooklyn djs

Absolutely! DJ Flowers #Salute

DJ flowers needs to be held higher on the DJ scale than kool herc who just copied off black Americans

This is one of the first channels to engage in this conversation about the history. We getting it straight now. 3 years later microphone check documentary.

Grandmaster Flowers was one of the first if not the first DJ to put on the legendary hip hop DJ Clark Kent. It is debatable Flowers place in hip hop, with that being said, he influenced the first and second generation of hip hop DJ's from Brooklyn to become DJ's in the first place!!

Nice work, really glad people still take the time to remember the talent of the first grandmaster.

American was using Two turntables in 1940s, Jamaican and the British 1950s.

YES!!! This is what I'm talking about! Is Brooklyn in the house?!! Without a doubt!!

Comentari coming out called "microphone check" that's going to clear all of this up. People like to quickly jump to the late 70s early 80s when discussing hip-hop rather than its origins.

I also remember Maboya. Whenever we heard Maboya was playing, we would make sure not to miss it..

DJ Master D aka DJ Lance! Flowers is my all time favorite!!!!!

Amazing video ! Thankyou

This was very enlightening. Thank you for dropping this gem.

Dude this is a great video much respect.

Really enjoying your videos Gregor. Keep up the great work ✌🏼

Thank you for this... For every one that has risen to the top, there are hundreds - even thousands - that have tried but not succeeded or were just victims of their environment - happens too often in our neighborhoods. GM Flowers laid down a foundation - like many others, Disco King Mario, for one, that passed at a young age and didn't have the time to see their seeds grow into a forest of trees. Those that have flourished in the industry perhaps don't even know how they got where they are now - they just have to look back and thank these folks.

This man knows his craft

Grandmaster Flowers was mix two records in 1960.

Respect

You did good with this. I'm going to clean all this up in my own video.

Great video! Let the truth be known.

Thank you for telling the TRUTH!

Good look on this.

Don't forget Dj Hollywood & Pete Dj Jones before Kool Herc

Seen him play with Pete at the Hotel St. George in the 70's.

I believe African Americans were using two turntables in the 1940, but Jimmy Savile a White American claimed that he was the first.

Brother Scott thanks for looking out for Grandmaster Flowers. Do you have any information on the Grand Master Flowers DJ Techniques like in 1970, 1971, 1972, God bless.

Great video. He probably was forgotten because: a) He had a bad attitude and few people wanted to keep his name alive. b) He sadly got onto drugs and didn't do the best to improve nor keep himself alive. c) As the Bronx had thousands of Zulu Nation, and Manhattan had similar groups promoting it, doesn't seem that any organized group took on supporting GM Flowers, thus his legacy wasn't spread, but by a select handful of fans.

African Americans Started Hip Hop.

Crazy to me you sound like Montcalm as i just read the story on the conquest of Oswego. I was thinking before i watched this about how Hendricks left the US to play in England because of its the non bias. Then you mentioned Jimmy

I knew him personally!

That was the day's l was DJ also l was sky-high disco the house dj for inter city in Brooklyn

Blend Master!

peace... respect for your love of hip hop, i have sent you an email, hope to hear from you soon

❤

Man, I gotta give you your credit. You are doing what should have been done in magazines like “the source”, and “xxl” Plus, you’re yt, it shouldn’t mean nothing but most yt people who speak on hip hop just repeat the misinformation of Afrika Bambatta and Krs-One Appreciate you! 💯

True life facts

Flowers was in David mancusos record pool too.

Go to Dj Hits 22 , he have more suff on Flowers and stated all info how he's opening up for James Brown.

Obviously he give the birth of mobile djs

What kind of tables are those behind you? I use the Numark N7 controller looks like those. And what vinyl do you blend? Do a session.

His situation was similar to another Unsung dj names King Disco Mario he was a member of The Black Spades in the Bronx ... its been said he was bigger then herc and African bambatta but they both surpass him because he was too into drugs so he died either in the 80s or before the 80s do a video on him ....there is alot of info Micheal Wayne talks about Mario

People also don’t mention jazzy Jay enough

Its funny that DJ Tyrone calls himself.....the Original Mixologist..... when we all know who that is.

Are there any eyewitnesses to the story of Flowers playing at Yankee Stadium for James Brown? If true, did he have a set up on stage where he was visible with turntables, or was he behind the scenes playing over the PA system? I have folks that are doubting that he ever played for JB. I would certainly want to know what actually transpired?

To Don McCall......On the F Train listening to Cameo's " It's Serious" a primetime joint at the Garage...... Larry Levan was almost unbeatable on that sound system but there was one person who could outplay Larry on his own sound system.........guess who, Don? Hehehehe.

👍

What does this guy know, he's trying to school me on hip hop 😂

Can someone please tell me what he did that had to do with Hip-Hop..?

Very interesting peace on being the first mobile djs that play in clubs and park jams and playing more disco, but you never mention that he started hip hop

Well main media on Television wikipedia's are saying are 3 people start hip Hop herc, bambaata, flash that is a big lie lie

Flower's and plumber was the best in the city

3:40 I didn't even know there was a big African community in New York during the 60s and 70s

FBA 🇺🇸 again.

What the difference between disco records and break beats records.

lots of myths and stories circulating. Not all correct. He wasn't arrogant, he was a perfectionist and he treated it as a craft, he didn't have a tone of respect for those who didn't put their 'time' in

American music forms: Spirituals, Blues, Ragtime, Jazz, Country, Gospel, Bluegrass, Folk, Rock n Roll, Doo-Wop, Soul, Funk, Disco, Punk, House and of course Rap and Hip Hop---all enjoy well documented African American roots coupled with undeniable Black American influence---whether directly or indirectly.. Latinos -- Puerto Ricans particularly -- please explain how you co-created or co-invented yet another installment in the legacy of Black Musical expression known as Rap and Hip Hop, yet didn't co-create or co-invent any of the elements of the 14 or so African American music forms that preceeded it? Or why you were nowhere to be found and absent during the creative and inventive foundation outlining the forms of African American musical expression, brilliance and greatness throughout, or even prior to the previous 14 or so African American music forms that are mentioned above. Yet then, all of a sudden--out of nowhere, you folks come along and falsely claim latinos and/or puerto ricans co-created and co-invented Rap and Hip Hop 50/50 half n half (which is the evidence-free and utter nonsense being peddled by Dr. Derrick Colon, radical latino, Fat Joe and numerous other un-informed and envious latinos---claims latinos never mentioned, verbalized or asserted during its inception in the early 1970's)---latinos claims of "50/50--half & half co-creation and co-invention just don't add up---it makes no sense and are increasingly coming under heavy scrutiny which is leading to these claims being easily debunked--widespread. Nice try though latinos and puerto ricans. Make it make sense Latinos

why ia grandmaster flowers considered one of the founding fathers of hip hop if he didn't play hip hop?

We need to stop letting white folks tell Black history because they'll say whatever this white dude is just saying anything Caribbeans had no influence or impact on hip-hop culture hip-hop was already around an cemented before any Caribbeans thought about trying to emulate Black culture an for the record all Cool Herc did was play some records at a house party

You said why dont we talk about him more..? Cause he didn't do shit but press play.

Nope. The DJ no one knows. Is DJ KID NICE. THE best DJ. Who battle grand master flash in 1980. CAMELOT INN. RT 9. Poughkeepsie NY. THE ARCHITECT of the BLEND'S. With patterns unlike nobody else. Facts. DJ KID NICE. Newburgh NY

How does this guy leave out Jazzy Jeff and Dj Cash Money. And other pioneer Djs from Philly

Comparing grandmaster flowers to Kool Herc or flash is like trying to compare whiskey to whine both alcohol but two totally different drinks He had his crowd and his followers and his turntable concept but flash Herc and Bambaataa had the sound that moved us he may not be around to speak for himself but his music is around and If you gave one of his tapes to a 17 year old b-boy in 1977 which what I was I’d tell you thanks but no thanks he had his crowd and his followers that wanted that kind of sound but stop trying to make him someone he was not

He leaves out Jeff and Cash as far as hip hop innovation. The transform

Sorry but we didn’t like the sound his voice or his record choice let me put it like this you couldn’t wear sneakers at some of places he played we’re talking about a totally different culture

Disco DJ not Hip Hop

Shy "arrogant" perfectionist who opens up to specific people sounds like he was neurodiverse like most people think Grandmaster Flash is. The arrogance could just be poor social skills/ paranoia of being taken advantage of. But it's just a theory

All u are saying isn't true.

White folks speaking on Black hip-hop culture is a no go for me honestly he said Cool Herc paved the way for hip-hop an that's a damn lie Black Americans were already DJ'n before Herc even came to America Black Americans were rapping in the early 60s "Pig Meat" so this white boy needs to get his story str8 before speaking our history! Black Americans are the culture of the whole earth never forget that!