DJ Jazzy Jay schools us on beat-digging

The legendary Jazzy Jay gives us a rare tour of his record collection, courtesy of Fuse TV. And yes, he does spill the beans on the break names!

Grandmaster Caz (Cold Crush) and Jazzy Jay, Tools of War, 2009

"You couldn't get no files, there was no YouTube or Limewire or downloading...What? You're crazy! 

"I got into the culture of hip hop early on in the developmental stages in the Bronx back in the mid-70s...There was always a sound eminating from [Afrika] Bambaataa's window...he was the one who inspired me to go to the next level...[D.J.] Red Alert was the one who taught me how to D.J.

"I just remember this crazy looking white guy standing in front of the booth...One day he got up the nerve and he introduced himself to me. He was Rick Rubin....he said, 'Listen, I want to start a record label.' We didn't have no plan to have anything to be first...let's just make a song. At that time, the only artist we had was me, andbeing I wasn't a rapper it was lucky we had T [La Rock] at least he had something to say. You'll notice it was Def Jam 001 - which was 'It's Your's,' 002, 003 are all my tunes. 

"And 'Chillin' In the Spot' I just made up a beat on the DMX and Russell [Simmons] came in with Andre Harrell one night he was drunk from a party. 'Hey we ain't got nothing to put on this record, throw Russell in the booth...' " Jazzy Jay

"It was a thing, a challenge to play those songs before anyone else played them, so you got the tag, the credit for bringing that song out. Now, Bambaataa has so many tags, so many credits 'cause he was the master of records. But, you have people like [Grandmaster] Flash, DXT, Coolade...cats that contributed to the Sacred Crates...the foundation that hip hop, the whole culture was built." Jazzy Jay

Jazzy Jay produced

S.S.O. Orchestra, "Faded Lady," 1976 (not "Shine Your Light")


Diamond D "I Went for Mine," 2006


Def Jam releases

Def Jam 001 - T. La Rock "It's Your's," 1984


Russell Rush and Jazzy J, "Cold Chillin in the Spot," 1985

Bambaataa sureshot...Sacred Crates

Rhythm Heritage, "Sky's the Limit," 1978


Wild Sugar, "Bring it Here," 1980


Cerrone, "Rock it in a Pocket" (Live), 1978


Juice, "Catch a Groove," 1976


King Ericsson, "Have a Nice Day," 1977