In June 2009, Powerhouse Books is set to release the first ever biography of Luis “DJ Disco Wiz” Cedeno, Hip-Hop culture’s first Latino DJ.
Titled It’s Just Begun: The Epic Journey of DJ Disco Wiz, the book chronicles the DJ’s triumphs and falls that make up one of unique untold stories of Hip-Hop’s early years.
Born in the 1960s and a Bronx native, Wiz struggled to provide for his mother, who suffered from breast cancer, and enduring abuse from an alcoholic father.
Wiz spent the early 70s running a street crew called the East Side Boys before discovering Hip-Hop with Grandmaster Caz in 1975.
Together, the ambitious youths formed the Mighty Force Crew and engaged in several memorable DJ battles throughout the Bronx.
Calling as his peers such legends as Kool Herc and Afrika Bambaataa, Wiz left his own distinct mark on the genre with his use of the “mixed plate” technique, which combined special effects, paused beats, and sound bites.
This innovation and Wiz’s aggressive battle style made him one of the early stars of the Bronx’s embryonic Hip-Hop scene.
The popularity from his DJ skills wasn’t enough to keep Wiz away from the allure of street life, and at the age of 17 he was sentenced to 9 years in prison for attempted murder.
Since his release, Wiz has left the streets and become an active elder statesman in Hip-Hop culture.
He contributed to the completion of the critically acclaimed book Yes Yes Y’all (Da Capo Press, 2002), and was featured in the Emmy-nominated VH1 documentary NY77: The Coolest Year in Hell.
Veteran Latino DJ, journalist and radio personality Bobbito Garcia praised the work for its frank honesty and detail on Hip-Hop’s first decade.
“It’s Just Begun has opened my mind up to so much more about Hip-Hop history than I could’ve imagined, and is a sure-fire tool to help younger generations understand the volatile 70s decade in all its mess and glory,” Garcia explained to AllHipHop.com in a statement. “DJ Disco Wiz represents for all Latinos who have ever grabbed a set of headphones since Estoy tan orgulloso de el.”
It’s Just Begun: The Epic Journey of DJ Disco Wiz, Hip-Hop’s First Latino DJ (Ivan Sanchez, Luis Cedeno) will be available at all book retail outlets in June 2009.
