DJ Kool Herc
Jamaican-American DJ who invented the breakbeat in 1973 by isolating and looping the instrumental breaks in funk and disco records at parties in the Bronx. Born Clive Campbell in Kingston, he lived in Trenchtown as a child before emigrating at age twelve in 1967. He brought Jamaican sound system culture to New York, building the Herculords—a massive speaker setup notorious for its bass. His parties at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue established the foundation for hip-hop culture. He coined the terms "b-boy" and "b-girl" for the dancers who lived for the break. Time nicknamed him "the Founding Father of Hip Hop," though as he clarifies: "I am the founding father of hip-hop, because no one else was doing this when I started." After being stabbed at a party in 1977 and losing his father in 1984, he withdrew from the scene and struggled with substance abuse. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2023.