On at the present time in 1962, Scott Monroe Sterling, identified to the world as DJ Scott La Rock of Boogie Down Productions, was born within the Bronx, New York. As the unique producer and DJ for rap icon KRS-One, La Rock performed a pivotal function in shaping one in all Hip Hop’s most influential teams—till his life was tragically reduce quick on August 27, 1987.
Raised by his mom, Carolyn Morant, La Rock moved between Queens and the South Bronx earlier than settling within the Morris Heights initiatives. A standout scholar and athlete at Our Savior Lutheran Excessive College, he initially deliberate to play basketball at Castleton State College however finally shifted his focus to music. Whereas in faculty, he constructed a fame spinning data at Dugan’s Bar on Friday nights, planting the seeds for what would change into a storied profession.
After graduating in 1984, La Rock returned to New York, working varied jobs whereas DJing on the Broadway Repertoire Theatre. His work as a social employee at Franklin’s Males’s Shelter led to a fateful assembly with Kris Parker—higher often known as KRS-One. Together with Derrick “DJ D-Good” Jones, they fashioned Boogie Down Productions, ushering in a brand new period for Hip Hop.
In 1987, BDP launched their landmark debut album, Felony Minded, now thought to be one of many best Hip Hop albums of all time. The Supply ranked it among the many “100 Finest Rap Albums,” whereas Rolling Stone positioned it of their “500 Biggest Albums” checklist. The observe South Bronx stays probably the most iconic diss data in rap historical past.
Tragically, La Rock’s life was reduce quick simply months after the album’s launch. In an try to assist DJ D-Good resolve a dispute, he and his crew drove to the Highbridge Gardens initiatives within the Bronx. As they had been leaving, gunfire erupted, putting La Rock within the neck. He was rushed to Lincoln Hospital however succumbed to his accidents inside an hour.
His loss of life despatched shockwaves by the Hip Hop group and immediately impressed KRS-One’s Cease the Violence Motion, which aimed to curb the identical mindless violence that claimed his good friend’s life. Regardless of the tragedy, KRS-One carried on the Boogie Down Productions legacy, cementing their place in Hip Hop historical past.
DJ Scott La Rock’s influence on the tradition stays plain. His contributions to Hip Hop, each musically and thru his message, proceed to resonate. At the moment, take a second to honor his legacy by revisiting Felony Minded and reflecting on the inspiration he helped lay for future generations.