Talks

This presentation examines the evolution of DJ techniques through the lens of migration, culture, and technology, tracing a path from Jamaican sound system practices to disco and early hip hop in New York City. Emphasis is placed on how technology directly shaped and advanced the art form—from rotary mixers in disco enabling seamless, continuous blends, to the crossfader and headphone cue systems in hip hop facilitating beatmatching, cutting, and real-time performance control. These technical developments are contextualized within the parallel rise of the downtown club scene (including Paradise Garage and Black, Latin, and LGBTQ+ dancefloor culture) and the uptown Bronx hip hop movement, both of which responded to the social, economic, and political conditions of the time. The seminar positions DJing as a technologically driven practice rooted in community, innovation, and cultural exchange.