I was a quiet, nerdy kid living in the Bronx. I spent most of my teens in my room, taking apart electrical items to figure out how they worked before putting them back together, and listening to the music my four older sisters and parents played. Grandmaster Flash backbronxelectrical share on social
I needed a way to have the platter continuously spinning while I'm moving the record back and forth. I went to a fabric store. When I touched this hairy stuff - felt - I found it. I rubbed spray starch on both sides and ironed it until it became a stiff wafer. After that, I was able to stop time. Grandmaster Flash backcontinuouslyfabric share on social
I developed the Clock Theory to help me time records; you know, spin the record back two revolutions or whatever and then play the break, spin the other one back two, play, like that. Grandmaster Flash backbreakclock Change image and share on social
Normal kids in their teens want to go and date girls and do mischievous things, your hormones are jumping around, but I stayed in my bedroom in search of something. Grandmaster Flash bedroomdategirl Change image and share on social
When I am performing live, I walk into a room, and I just try to get a feel for the vibe, and I am coming from different angles musically. I might come with a new song, I might come with some hip-hop, with some R&B. Once I find my way, then I am hitting you, and hitting you all night. Grandmaster Flash anglecomefeel share on social
I think what's happening here is, there's a group or maybe one person who is saying this is gonna be the definition and this is what we want to get the kids to do now. Grandmaster Flash definitiongonnagroup Change image and share on social
We can even sing off key, but if it's produced properly it can be a hit. Grandmaster Flash hitkeyproduce Change image and share on social
Hip Hop has become real constrained. The creative juices and creative flows have been diminished. Grandmaster Flash constraincreativediminish Change image and share on social
But I had two very special people who helped to take my style to the next level. Thank God for my first MC Cowboy and my first student Grand Wizard Theodore, and to go out after creating this art form and finding everyone jamming to it - that too was pretty scary. Grandmaster Flash artcowboycreate share on social
I had to go into a studio and compose and write and press up 12 songs in 14 hours. When you're recording a song from scratch it takes you 14 hours to do just one song. Grandmaster Flash composehourpress Change image and share on social