Harlem Hip Hop (H3) Tours

DESCRIPTION: 

Step behind the DJ booth and grab your own set of turntables!  This fun and educational activity teaches guests the art of "turntablism".  Turntablism, or deejaying, is one of the four classic elements of hip-hop.  It was invented in the early 1970s by three hip-hop pioneers DJ Kool Herc, Grand Wizard Theodore and Grandmaster Flash who experimented with playing the break beats or instrumental portions of popular disco songs.  By playing two record players or turntables simultaneously, and moving or "scratching" the records back and forth, the break beats of each song could be extended indefinitely, allowing party-goers to dance to the percussion-heavy instrumental segments of a song for extended periods of time.

Guests participating in the DJ scratch lessons will have hands-on access to their own set of turntables to practice techniques such as the "baby scratch", and learn about professional careers in deejaying.

NY State Learning Standards:  The Arts (Standards 1 & 2); Career Development & Occupational Studies (Standard 3b)