DJ Disco Wiz, (born Luis Cedeño), was born in the Bronx, New York, USA, to a Puerto Rican father and a mother from Cuba. He is also credited with being the first Latino DJ in Hip-Hop music.

Contents 1 Old School 2 New School 3 Books 4 Television 5 References

Old School

After being inspired at a Kool Herc jam by the emerging hip hop movement taking place in The Bronx DJ Disco Wiz teamed up with his best friend, Casanova Fly (Grandmaster Caz), to form a group called the Mighty Force crew. Mighty Force is credited as being one of the first Hip-Hop DJ crews in the mid-to-late 1970s. Legendary for their DJ battles in the streets of the South Bronx, the Mighty Force crew was also responsible for presenting the first Latino rapper to the world, Prince Whipper Whip, who is also of Puerto Rican decent. DJ Disco Wiz is also credited for being the first DJ to create a "mixed plate" in 1977 (Hip-Hop’s first mixed dub recording) when he and Grandmaster Caz, combined sound bites, special effects and paused beats.

New School

The grandson of the late Puerto Rican artist and Santero Norberto Cedeño; (La Mano Poderosa (1950)), Wiz is the creator of The Hip-Hop Meets Spoken Wordz Series, a hip hop and poetry performance series that gives a voice to up and coming Latino talent in New York City. As a poet, DJ Disco Wiz has performed at the Apollo Theater and the landmark Nuyorican Poets Cafe and his poetry can be seen in the upcoming book “Born in the Bronx.” Wiz also appears in a few documentaries on Hip-Hop history including “1 LOVE”, a film Produced by noted Hip-Hop Historian James "Koe" Rodriguez about the lives of Joe Conzo, Ernie Paniccioli and Jamel Shabazz; Hip-Hop’s first photographers.

Wiz has openly contributed to the community education of the formative years of Hip-Hop. In the millennium issue of The Source Magazine he candidly shared his experience in being the first Latino during the culture’s evolution. He was also a major contributor in the opening of the Experience Music Project in Seattle, Washington in 2000. His contribution and donation of original hip-hop flyers, solely for the preservation of hip-hop can be seen as part of the archives. He was also instrumental in the making of Jim Fricke and Charlie Ahearn’s rendition of the early years of hip-hop entitled Yes, Yes Y’all; sharing numerous original flyers and first hand accounts of the early years of hip-hop including an account of the historical New York City blackout of 1977.

He is also a board member of the Universal Federation for the Preservation of Hip Hop Culture, chaired by Afrika Bambaataa of the Universal Zulu Nation. The Federation also includes on its board; Grandmaster Caz, DJ Tony Tone, Kurtis Blow, GrandMaster Melle Mel, KRS-One, Lovebug Starski, Jorge “PopMaster Fabel” Pabon and photographer Joe Conzo.

At present time Wiz is co-authoring his memoirs with Simon & Schuster author Ivan Sanchez. The book is titled, It’s Just Begun: The Epic Journey of DJ Disco Wiz, Hip-Hop’s First Latino DJ. The book will be released on the Miss Rosen imprint of powerHouse Books in June 2009.

Books

• It's Just Begun: The Epic Journey of DJ Disco Wiz, Hip Hop's First Latino DJ By Ivan Sanchez and Luis "DJ Disco Wiz" Cedeño, Miss Rosen Editions, (2009) Powerhouse Books ISBN 978-1-57687-494-3
• Yes Yes Y'All: Oral History of Hip Hop's First Decade. Fricke, Jim and Charlie Ahearn (eds). Experience Music Project. Perseus Books Group. ISBN 0306811847
• Born in the Bronx: A Visual Record of the Early Days of Hip Hop. Joe Conzo, Johan Kugelberg, Afrika Bambaataa, Buddy Esquire and Jeff Change. (2007) - Rizzoli International Publications, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7893-1540-3
• Freedom of Expression: Overzealous Copyright Bozos and Other Enemies of Creativity. Kembrew McLeod (2005) - Doubleday ISBN 978-0385513258
• Hip Hop Decoded. The Black Dot (2005) - MOME Publishing Inc. ISBN 0-9772357-0-X
• Turn the Beat Around: The Secret History of Disco. Peter Shapiro (2005) - Faber & Faber ISBN 978-0571211944
• Rap Music and Street Consciousness (Music in American Life). Cheryl L. Keyes (2004) - University of Illinois Press ISBN 978-0252072017
• Rap Whoz Who. Steven Stancel (1996) - Schrirmer Books
• U.net, Bigger than hip hop 2006, Agenzia X, Cox 18 Books, ISBN 88-95029-02-X

Television

• The Emmy Nominated Vh1 Rock Doc ny77: the Coolest year in hell Developed by Nanette Burstein and Firehouse Films for Vh1.

References

1. Latin rap
2. Grandmaster Caz
3. Hip Hop Music

DJ Disco Wiz real name Luis Cedeno was born in Bronx, New York in 1961. Half Cuban half Puerto Rican he is credited as being the first Latino Hip-Hop DJ(Fricke & Ahearn, yes yes y'all 2002,p6 & p127-128) His contributions have paved the way for Latin DJs everywhere to make their mark in the industry. Back in the day, Dj Disco Wiz was known for his aggressive battle style of DJing, and together with his partner Grandmaster Caz, a.k.a. DJ Casanova Fly (1974) (The Mighty Force) they are legendary for their DJ battles in the streets of the South Bronx. Grandmaster Caz would later go on to form the coldcrush brothers(Stancell, Rap Whoz Who 1996, p46).

DJ Disco Wiz is also credited for being the first DJ to make a "mixed plate" in 1977 (Fricke & Ahearn, yes yes y'all 2002,p129) when he combined sound bites, special effects, and paused beats, (Hip-Hop first mixed dub recording)

Dj Disco Wiz worked with hip-hop icons such as Dj Kool Herc, AFRIKA BAMBAATAA, Afrika Islam, Coke La Rock, Dj Clarke Kent, Timmy Tim, Mr Biggs, Dj Breakout & Baron, Grandwizzard Theodore, Dj Charlie Chase, Prince Whipper Whip, and JDL. He is a true pioneer and a Hip-Hop legend(The Black Dot, Hip Hop Decoded 2005, p51).

In the years since, DJ Disco Wiz has openly contributed to the education and recognition of the early years of hip-hop. In the millennium issue of The Source magazine he candidly shared his experience in being the first Latino in the evolution of hip-hop. Dj Disco Wiz was also a major contributor in the opening of the Experience Music Project in Seattle in 2000. His contribution and donation of original hip-hop flyers, solely for the preservation of hip-hop can be seen as part of the archives. He was also instrumental in the making of Jim Fricke and Charlie Ahearn’s rendition of the early years of hip-hop entitled “Yes, Yes Y’all.” Sharing over numerous original flyers and first hand accounts of the early years of hip-hop including a historical event of the 1977 New York City blackout.

DJ Disco Wiz is a poet who has recently been inspired in writing a lyrical account for the lack of recognition of the early pioneers. His passion is versed in a poem entitled “the land before the Rhyme” which was performed at the World Famous Apollo Theater and at the landmark Nuyorican Poet Cafe also at poet venues through out New York City, Dj Disco Wiz is currently involved in a t-shirt project with The Originators” whose sole purpose is the commitment and education of the early years of hip-hop, honoring the DJs, MCs, writers and B-Boys that helped pave the way for a culture. He is also featured in a couple of documentaries that are in the works. One is 1LOVE, a film about the lives of Joe Conzo, Ernie Paniccoli and Jamel Shabazz. The other one is ALL OUT WAR A B-Boy Story. He has also been working with Michael P and Dug 1 on Turntable Timmy, an animated series that teaches children about hip-hop culture.

He is currently working on a book based on his life titled, It’s Just Begun: The Epic Journey of Hip-Hop’s First Latino DJ, Disco Wiz. He is also a board member of The Universal Federation for the Preservation of Hip Hop Culture.