By: Chris Richburg
The spirit and memory of the late Grandmaster DJ Roc Raida will be front and center later this month as various turntablists and rappers gather for an upcoming tribute concert.
The event, which will take place October 22 at BB Kings underground in Times Square, New York City, will include a special performance by the Diggin in the Crates Crew (D.I.T.C) as well as sets by the X-men / X-ecutioners (Rob Swift, DJ Precision, Total Eclipse), Boogie Blind and Beat Junkies (Babu, J-Rocc, Rhettmatic, Shortkut).
The tribute concert will come more than a month after the unexpected death of Roc Raida. According to reports, the legendary DJ (born Anthony Williams) died on September 19. No cause of death has been made public. News of Roc Raida’s death shocked fans and fellow artists, who expressed their reactions and condolences via Facebook, Twitter and various Internet web sites.
Roc Raida was laid to rest on September 24 at Mount Neboh Baptist Church in Harlem, New York. Among those who attended the funeral service were the X-Men/X-ecutioners crew, I Dee, DJ Eclipse, Grandwizard Theordore, Grandmaster Caz, DJ Premier, Fatman Scoop, Rahzel, JS-1, DJ Riz, DJ Enuff, DJ Camillo, Fatfingaz, DV One, Crazy Legs, DJ Cash Money, Busta Rhymes, Spliffstar, Dready, Sean C, Rhettmatic, Babu, Mickey Factz, Large Professor, Fat Joe, Henley Halem, Christie-Z and Fabel Pabon, *Marilyn*, Sally (from DMC), Spictakular, Alex Aquino, Kid Capri, J-Smoke, Neil Armstrong, Kuttin Kandi, Daddy Dog, Roli Rho, Vlad, Tony Touch, Bobbito, Chela, DJ Scratch, Sadat X, Lord Sear, Marcus, Shiftee, DP One, Cutfucious, Esquire, Dave-1 (of Chromeo) and Grandmaster Supreme.
In addition to the X-Men/X-ecutioners and D.I.T.C., the Roc Raida tribute will included a reunion of the DJ collective The Allies as well as performances from Craze and A-Trak, Z-trip, DJ Scratch, Roli Rho and I Dee.
Doors open at 10:30 p.m. for the event, which will kick off with performances at 11 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 the day of the show. All proceeds from the show will go to Roc Raida's widow, Tyeasha Williams, and their children.
A second tribute event featuring rapper Busta Rhymes and friends will take place in November.
Those who are unable to attend the October 22 tribute can send donations directly to the DJ wife via PayPal at ladietye@yahoo.com. Requests to organize a separate Roc Raida family benefit should be emailed to roc4raida@gmail.com for the family's permission.