 Release date: May 19, 2009 Available at fine book stores as well as online at www.amazon.com |
| Half-Cuban, half-Puerto Rican, Luis “DJ Disco Wiz” Cedeño is 100 percent Boogie Down Bronx. Born in the 60s, Wiz struggled in a turbulent and violent relationship with his alcoholic father while trying to protect his mother who was suffering from breast cancer. Raised in the 70s, Wiz learned the code of the streets while hustling with his crew, the East Side Boys. In 1975, Wiz discovered salvation when he hooked up with the legendary Grandmaster Caz to form the Mighty Force Crew, waging some of the biggest DJ battles in the Bronx during Hip Hop’s earliest years.
When Hip Hop first hit, the DJ was king. Rockin’ the party on two turntables for the b-boys and fly girls on the dance floor, DJs like Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa, and Grandmaster Flash pioneered an art form that has come to define our times. The first Latino DJ in the game, Wiz, along with Caz, went on to make a “mixed plate” in 1977 which combined sound bites, special effects, and paused beats. An innovator, originator, and a battle-style DJ with no fear, Wiz swept through the Bronx like a tornado. But the streets wouldn’t leave him in peace. After being convicted on an attempted murder charge, sentenced to nine years in prison, and forced to leave his baby daughter, Wiz was incarcerated upstate at the tender age of 17, where he learned the true meaning of desperation. But as time went on and he overcame his struggles with violence, drugs and alcohol, and women, Wiz eventually liberated himself from the path of self-destruction through love, self-respect, and self-determination. Featuring over 50 never-before-seen photos, It’s Just Begun: The Epic Journey of DJ Disco Wiz, Hip Hop’s First Latino DJ is a gritty and gripping tale of one man’s struggles to not only survive, but to triumph over adversity and abuse that will make your blood run cold. By conquering unimaginable obstacles, Wiz offers inspiration to anyone who has ever wondered, “Why me?” Luis “DJ Disco Wiz” Cede√±o, the first Latino Hip Hop DJ, is credited, along with Grandmaster Caz, for being the first DJs to make a “mixed plate” in 1977. In the years since, Wiz has been an influential force in educating the world about the early years of Hip Hop. Wiz was a major contributor in the opening of the Experience Music Project in Seattle in 2000, and was instrumental in the making of Jim Fricke and Charlie Ahearn’s Yes Yes Y’all (Da Capo Press, 2002). He was also featured in the Emmy-nominated VH1 Rock Doc NY77: The Coolest Year in Hell, and is the creator and founder of the Hip-Hop Meets Spoken Wordz series. Ivan Sanchez is the author of Next Stop: Growing up Wild Style in the Bronx (Simon & Schuster, 2008), and was awarded the National Novel honors for his first fiction offering in 2004. His work has appeared on SaborHR.com, SiTV.com, and HipHopGame.com, and he is currently developing a TV series based on Next Stop, with the help of April Lee Hernandez. Sanchez is also an anti-gang youth advocate and motivational speaker, who works with the Virginia Beach Police Department’s gang unit. Miss Rosen Editions, a division of powerHouse Cultural Entertainment, spotlights contemporary urban culture with titles including Public Access: Ricky Powell Photographs 1985-2005, Bombshell: The Life and Crimes of Claw Money, New York State of Mind by Martha Cooper, Do Not Give Way to Evil: Photographs of the South Bronx, 1979-1987 by Lisa Kahane, It’s Just Begun: The Epic Journey of DJ Disco Wiz, the First Latino Hip-Hop DJ by Ivan Sanchez and Luis “DJ Disco Wiz” Cede√±o, FUN! The True Story of Patti Astor and more. Publisher Sara Rosen, Associate Publisher and Senior Vice President of Marketing & Publicity of powerHouse Books and editor of powerHouse Magazine since 2006, also curates exhibitions at The powerHouse Arena. Please visit: Every Friday, DJ Disco Wiz hosts Hip Hop Chronicles: from 10pm-12am EST on www.urbanlatinoradio.com It’s Just Begun: The Epic Journey of Dj Disco Wiz, Hip Hop’s First Latino DJ |
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