DJ HOLLYWOOD: CIPHER COMPLETE

Hip Hop fans under the age of forty may not recognize the name but they know the game. Too young to witness DJ Hollywood holding court at '70's nightspots such as Charles Gallery and Club 371, there is no doubt they remember Kurtis Blow's booming baritone on Christmas Rappin' and The Breaks or Big Bank Hank waxing poetic on The Sugar Hill Gang's "Rapper's Delight" to being mesmerized by party rocker Doug E. Fresh and Busta Rhymes' 1997 smash Whoo-Ha (Got You All In Check).

Style. Delivery. Showmanship. No matter what flavor that they savored, all points lead back to DJ Hollywood. Each of those artists took a page from the legendary dj/emcee whose autobiography, It's Star Time captures a critical yet overlooked era in hip hop history.

Written in collaboration with Lucio Dutch, prolific author of several books under his Hip Hop Memoirs imprint, Time is the latest in a series chronicling untold stories of rap's original pioneers who established the blueprint for hip hop's commercial breakthrough.

Various documentaries and books have focused on the contributions of DJ Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaata, Grandmaster Flash and other seminal figures who rocked New York City parks, housing project recreation centers and school gymnasiums.  It's Star Time shifts the party to an afterhours scene where saavy nightclub owners and promoters catered to a more fly crowd who represented urban culture's original grown and sexy movement.

Gone were the Pumas and bell bottom Lees. Slick tailored suits, sexy dresses and high heels were the attire and the champagne flowed freely. Before VIP bottle service became a status symbol of wealth and affluence separating rappers from fans, the Uptown crowd mingled freely with hustlers and celebrities of the day. In Hollywood's world, everybody was a star.

No one shined brighter than the man himself. Emerging from a plush OJ cab--an underground car service named for the iconic '70's Hertz rental commercials (see OJ Simpson), Wood and his crew the mighty Hollywood Corporation--Dianne Baby, LTD, Oh Henry, Captain Jack, JR and his disco son DJ Smalls round out a cast of characters that make It's Star Time's words leap from the page. A great story in the book captures Hollywood and protege' Junebug in a James Brown like moment with Wood drilling Junebug on the wheels of steel for hours until his skills were flawless.

While Herc, Bam and Flash specialized in using obscure breaks to move the crowd, Hollywood preferred the hits of the day. MFSB's Love Is The Message, Cheryl Lynn's Got To Be Real and Maze featuring Frankie Beverly's Before I Let Go were incorporated into exciting routines led by Wood and Dianne Baby that worked the crowd into a frenzy.

 While Chic's Good Times critical to the Hip Hop catalog, Hollywood resurrected  Chic guitarist Nile Rodgers' obscure Yum Yum, transforming it into the legendary Oomtang routine, one of many that traveled the five boroughs serving as the inspiration for future hip hop records.

While his peers were plagued with bad contracts, Hollywood stayed paid, bringing his sideshow to as many as three parties in one night. Bands couldn't compete with his energy and he boxed out rap crews with the mobility of rock and roll pioneer Chuck Berry whose low touring overhead saw him gross six figures in one year during the 1950's. During the Enjoy and Sugar Hill era, financial compensation was not on par with the popularity of rap's early superstars so Hollywood's fortunes were much better than his peers.

Along with the highs came the lows. The murder of Junebug. The limited success of his records that failed to capture his energy or blend in with newer rap styles. During his hiatus newer artists would incorporate the Hollywood vibe into their own mix. Finally, Hollywood was selected as the member of the 2004 inaugural class of VH-1 Hip Hop Honorees, a well deserved nomination of a man who was the cornerstone of an industry. The movement lives on today as Team Hollywood with longtime friend Dianne (now known as Mommaship) still holding him down.

For those looking to expand their knowledge of hip hop history, It's Star Time is a perfect place to start. For those who lived it, be prepared to revisit an exciting era that influenced a future hip hop generation.