Luis Cedeño, famously known as DJ Disco Wiz, was the first Latino DJ. DJ Disco Wiz was born and grew up in the Bronx, After attending DJ Kool Herc’s jam and getting inspired, In 1975, DJ Disco Wiz joined forces with his friend Casanova Fly (Grandmaster Caz) to form a group called the Mighty Force. The group was one of the first DJ crews in the Bronx and they would battle other DJs in the South Bronx streets, venues, community centers, and more.
The group also included Prince Whipper Whip (the first Latino rapper), Dot-a-Rock, and A1 DJ Pambaataa, (the first female hip-hop DJ), named in homage to Zulu Nation’s pioneering hip-hop godfather Afrika Bambaataa. In 1978, Dot-A-Rock, Prince Whipper Whip, and Grandmaster Caz joined the Cold Crush Brothers.
Alongside Grandmaster Caz, DJ Disco Wiz is also credited for being the first DJ to create a “mixed plate” (Hip-Hop’s first mixed dub recording) in 1977.
DJ Disco Wiz wrote a book titled ‘It’s Just Begun: The Epic Journey of DJ Disco Wiz, Hip Hop’s First Latino DJ’ in 2009, he told Village Voice that same year, “People were opinionated about my role as a predominantly Spanish person doing something that was perceived as black culture,” because “Most Latinos were listening to disco and salsa then.”
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Read: Prince Whipper Whip was the first Latino rapper
