Maybe my google search box isn’t working right, but I can’t find any mainstream press, other than MTV and ET, mentioning the passing of Mr. Magic. No New York Post, NYT…no one. Kudos to Gawker for running something fairly early.
Mr. Magic was the glue that binded the people to hip-hop culture and music. The first supa-star hip-hop radio DJ. What Ralph McDaniels was to video hosting, Mr. Magic was to dropping bombs on hot songs.
The first time I actually paid attention to Mr. Magic, was one Friday night when my cousin Reg asked his mom to turn on “Rap Attack.” Reg was always glued to the radio like that back in the day. We were probably in 2nd or 3rd grade and this rap stuff was all the trend in Linden and Newark, all the kids like Reg were showing their affiliation by buying countless tapes: BDP, PE, Run-DMC, the Christmas rap album. You name it, Reg bought it. It wasn’t long before he had turntables and I was trying to scratch up DWYK to the worst of my abilities.
Mr. Magic made a lot of that possible. That historic show on WBL(-kickin-)S was always a mainstay on a drizzly or snow crazy Friday or Saturday night. I can’t say I remember a lot of shows, but I know when I started finding stuff online, it brought back tons of memories from my days as a shorty. With that, R.I.P, Mr. Magic, my aunt Vicky, DJ AM, and GM Roc Raida.
Listen to some of the mixes and read more for yourself.
Old School Hip-Hop Tapes blog says he’ll be upping Mr. Magic show mp3’s all weekend.
If you need something to bump in iTunes right now, look here.
I think Cold Rock Da Spot actually gets his name right.
Of course, there’s tons (like hereand here)to read and learn about Mr. Magic.
channibalsmith.com 