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D.J. CUT-UP'S, MIXES & LIVE PERFORMANCES BY GRANDMASTER FLASH
Total Mixes: 16, Duration: 02:25:13


A summarised biography of Grandmaster Flash created using Google Gemini in January 2026 can be found at the bottom of this page

Click on the 'Release Title' to view the full details of each release


Release Category Release Title Label Catalogue # Year Mixer(s) Mix Title Length
Bootleg Series - Official Adventures Of Grandmaster FlashThe Official Adventures Of Grandmaster Flash Vol. 1No LabelGMF0012002Grandmaster FlashTURNTABLE MIX Vol. 1 Flash Tears The Roof Off00:09:32
Bootleg Series - Official Adventures Of Grandmaster FlashThe Official Adventures Of Grandmaster Flash Vol. 1No LabelGMF0012002Grandmaster FlashTURNTABLE MIX Vol. 1 Flash Got More Bounce00:12:04
Bootleg Series - Official Adventures Of Grandmaster FlashThe Official Adventures Of Grandmaster Flash Vol. 2No LabelGMF0022002Grandmaster FlashTURNTABLE MIX Vol. 2 Freestyle Mix00:12:10
Bootleg Series - Official Adventures Of Grandmaster FlashThe Official Adventures Of Grandmaster Flash Vol. 2No LabelGMF0022002Grandmaster FlashTURNTABLE MIX Vol. 2 Get Off Your Horse & Jam!00:15:14
D.J. Cut-Up - LegalBa-Dop-Boom-BangElektra96072311987Grandmaster FlashTEAR THE ROOF OFF00:02:21
D.J. Cut-Up - LegalBa-Dop-Boom-BangElektra96072311987Grandmaster FlashBUS DIS Wooo00:03:03
D.J. Cut-Up - LegalOn The StrengthElektra96076911988Grandmaster FlashTHE BOY IS DOPE00:03:07
Legal Label - SanctuaryStill The Joint MegamixSanctuarySANT0732001Grandmaster FlashADVENTURES OF GRANDMASTER FLASH ON THE WHEELS OF STEEL Scratch Perverts vs Grandmaster Flash00:05:43
Legal Label - StrutThe Official Adventures Of Grandmaster FlashStrutSTRUTLP0112002Grandmaster FlashTURNTABLE MIX Flash Tears The Roof Off00:08:13
Legal Label - StrutThe Official Adventures Of Grandmaster FlashStrutSTRUTLP0112002Grandmaster FlashTURNTABLE MIX Flash Got More Bounce00:09:53
Legal Label - StrutThe Official Adventures Of Grandmaster FlashStrutSTRUTLP0112002Grandmaster FlashTURNTABLE MIX Get Off Your Horse & Jam!00:11:49
Legal Label - Sugar HillThe Adventures Of Grandmaster Flash On The Wheels Of SteelSugar HillSH5571981Grandmaster FlashADVENTURES OF GRANDMASTER FLASH ON THE WHEELS OF STEEL00:07:10
Legal VariousThe Adventures Of Grandmaster Flash On The Wheels Of SteelBlatantBLAT1231981Grandmaster FlashADVENTURES OF GRANDMASTER FLASH ON THE WHEELS OF STEEL00:07:10
Live Old School Hip HopFusion Beats Vol. 2Bozo MekoBM0011981Grandmaster Flash & The Furious FiveFLASH IT TO THE BEAT00:09:01
Live Old School Hip HopLive Convention '79Disc-O-WaxDW20012008Grandmaster Flash with Kurtis Blow & Melle MelLIVE CONVENTION '79 Jamaica Queens Armory Side B00:19:43
Live Old School Hip HopLive Convention '81Disco WaxLC1812008Grandmaster Flash with Melle Mel & Sha-RockLIVE CONVENTION '81 Side B Part 100:09:00


Grandmaster Flash is not just a DJ; he is a scientist of the turntable. Born Joseph Saddler, he is a foundational figure in hip-hop history, responsible for transforming the turntable from a simple playback device into a musical instrument. Here is a summary of his contributions and legacy.

The Innovation: The "Quick Mix Theory"

In the mid-1970s, Flash revolutionized how music was played. While other DJs were simply playing records, Flash was studying the physical grooves of the vinyl. He developed the Quick Mix Theory, which involved using two copies of the same record to isolate and extend the "break"-the part of the song where the vocals stop and the drum beat takes over.

Technical Breakthroughs

Flash didn't just change the music; he changed the equipment. He is credited with perfecting three fundamental techniques:

Backspinning: Manually turning a record backward to replay a specific sound or beat.
Punch Phrasing (Clock Theory): "Punching" in a short segment of sound from one record over the beat of the other, often used to add horn stabs or vocal snippets.
Scratching: While Grand Wizard Theodore is credited with discovering scratching, Flash refined it and brought it to a global audience.

The Furious Five and Commercial Success

Flash formed Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, a group that bridged the gap between the park jams of the Bronx and the global music industry.

"The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel" (1981): This track was a landmark recording-a live capture of Flash's DJing skills, featuring seamless cuts between tracks by Queen, Chic, and Blondie.
"The Message" (1982): Though Flash didn't produce the beat, the group's release of this song changed hip-hop forever by introducing social realism and political commentary to the genre.
"The DJ is the heart and soul of the party, but the equipment is the extension of the DJ's mind." - Grandmaster Flash