Lieutenant Acu Rhodes is not only one of NYPD’s finest, but he’s also a talented DJ. The 20-year veteran, who oversees Brooklyn’s 78th Precinct, doubles as a turntablist named DJ Ace.
In 2014, Ace went viral when a video of him getting busy on the tables while in uniform was shared on Facebook. Since then, he has used his skills and popularity to spread positive messages about law enforcement.
Ace recently got a chance to display his skills on Funkmaster Flex’s 5 Minutes of Funk segment on Hot 97. He threw down an impressive 10-minute routine scratching various vocal samples over classic breaks.
Every guest on Hot 97’s 5 Minutes of Funk series brings their own strengths to the table (no pun intended). On the latest episode, DJ Precision, the youngest member of the legendary X-Ecutioners crew, delivers seven minutes of pure turntablism.
A former four-time DMC USA champion, Precision gets busy with classics like The Notorious B.I.G.‘s “Juicy,” Lauryn Hill‘s “Doo Wop (That Thing),” OutKast‘s “The Whole World,” and Prodigy’s “Keep it Thoro.”
DJ Riz, an original member of The Flip Squad DJ crew, has put down a creative routine for Funkmaster Flex’s 5 Minutes of Funk segment on Hot 97. The Brooklyn native mixed classic tracks as lead-ins to the songs that sampled them and used some clever wordplay in his extended 20-minute set.
Riz is currently one half of the house production team SikDuo. He also co-hosts the Rap Is Outta Control mix show on SiriusXM’s Hip-Hop Nation channel.
DJ Eclipse, an original member of the independent hip-hop group Non Phixion, has been featured on Funkmaster Flex’s 5 Minutes of Funk segment on Hot 97. The Queens-based DJ threw down an extended set consisting of mostly East Coast rap and breakbeats.
Eclipse is currently a member of the influential Rock Steady Crew. He also hosts a mix show on SiriusXM’s Hip-Hop Nation channel called Rap Is Outta Control.
Legendary hip-hop DJ Kid Capri was a guest on Hot 97’s Ebro in the Morning show on Monday. The Bronx native, who’s credited with popularizing mixtapes in the ’80s, discussed the current state of DJing and hip-hop. He also reflected on some of his career’s greatest moments, like receiving a shout out from The Notorious B.I.G. on “Juicy” and contributing to Kendrick Lamar‘s DAMN. album.
When asked about what it means to be a DJ, Capri had plenty to say.
“My focus is to make sure I’m the best thing they’ve ever seen, and it doesn’t matter to me if this guy that’s coming on before me or after me has a platinum record and he’s the biggest guy. … And that’s the focus, to make sure that these people say, ‘Kid is the greatest I’ve ever seen.’ And that’s it. And that’s what real DJs are supposed to do. [They’re supposed to] come in there and make sure that everybody’s happy and be able to step out of the box and be good at it, where you not just playing one type of music. You’ll be able to play for anybody anywhere.”
Capri went on to give a personal example of “playing to the crowd.”
“When I did Khloe Kardashian’s wedding with Lamar [Odom], I knew that they was Armenian. So I went in, and I played the top Armenian records, and the whole place just shook. It was crazy to see how these people were so happy to hear this music because they didn’t think I knew it. But that’s the job you gotta have anywhere. When you go to Japan, you go to Haiti, you go to all these different places, they like our thing but what about what they do? When you got a place like Texas, they have so much Texas music that never get heard on the radio that doesn’t go anywhere. But when you come from New York, and you play that type of music, the first thing they saying is, ‘damn, how he knew that?’ And it drives them nuts, so and that’s what it is, it’s about knowing your job, knowing that it’s not about just MP3s. It’s about going out there, making sure every state is taken care of as if you’ve lived it and that’s what I do.”
Mista Sinista, a former X-Ecutioners member and DMC East Coast champion, has thrown down a battle-style routine for Funkmaster Flex’s 5 Minutes of Funk segment on Hot 97. The Queens-based DJ/producer performed a flawless set using mostly classic hip-hop and R&B.
If you follow DJs on social media, chances are you’ve come across a viral video of DJ Misbehaviour in the past couple of weeks. The four-minute video, which shows the 28-year veteran DJ rocking a crowd in New York City, has amassed 21 million views on Facebook since it was uploaded. Now, the London native has recently stopped by Hot 97’s Ebro in the Morning show for an extensive chat.
In addition to discussing going viral, Misbehaviour shared how she got started as a DJ, her thoughts on female DJs, what it’s like to be stereotyped, and the differences between the U.K. and U.S. club scene and culture.
Technician The DJ, the current tour DJ for The Lox, is the latest turntablist to be featured on Funkmaster Flex’s 5 Minutes of Funk segment on Hot 97.
In fitting fashion, Tech displayed precise scratching and juggling skills in a 10-minute routine. The Bronx native played mostly classic breakbeats in his set, using original 45s for part of it.
Tech recently DJ’ed for Ghostface Killah and Raekwon at the Art of Rap Festival in Las Vegas. The event saw the last performance from late Mobb Deep rapper Prodigy.
DJ Mell Starr, a mixer on Las Vegas’ Power 88, has delivered a well-executed routine for Funkmaster Flex’s 5 Minutes of Funk segment on Hot 97. The Harlem-based turntablist and producer performed a clean, 10-minute set of classic hip-hop and breakbeats.
Starr, who also goes by “The Most Dangerous” and “No Head Phones in Harlem,” was a contestant on season two of the DJ reality show, Master of the Mix.
DJ Roli Rho, an award-winning turntablist and member of the 5th Platoon and IntroBass crews, has been featured on Funkmaster Flex’s “5 Minutes of Funk” segment for Hot 97. The New York City native put down an extended routine consisting of mostly classic hip-hop and other throwbacks.
