Hip Hop Legends DJ Premier &DJ Nasty Nes offer Up Heartfelt Condolances for Hip Hop Radio Pioneer Mr Magic
I just got the sad news that Mr Magic has passed away this morning (10/3/09) from a heart attack.
Mr Magic has been my mentor & his legendary Hip-Hop show “RAP ATTACK” on NY’s WBLS is THE show that played a BIG influence on my first Hip-Hop show on Seattle’s 1250 KFOX back in the 80’s, including the name for my Hip-Hop show “KCMU RAP ATTACK” from the 90’s to late 2000 & now with www.RapAttackLives.com.
Thank you Mr Magic for being such a positive influence in my Radio & Hip-Hop career. I owe a lot of my success to you because as a teenager I wanted to be just like you.
Here’s what DJ Premier says about the legendary, “MR. MAGIC”:
I WANT TO SEND OUT THE UTMOST RESPECT AND CONDOLENCES TO THE MEMORY OF JOHN RIVAS—-aka MR. MAGIC
HE PASSED AWAY THIS MORNING OF A HEART ATTACK…..
TRUE HIP HOP HEADS KNOW THAT HIS HISTORY IS SO LONG
DUE TO HIM BEING THE FIRST RAP MIXSHOW TO EVER BE ON COMMERCIAL RADIO ON NEW YORK’S WBLS–(107.5) WITH MARLEY MARL AND FLY TY IN 1982-1984…….THEN WENT ON TO WHBI IN OCTOBER OF 1984 AND THEN
BACK TO WBLS in 1985 and WDAS in Philly SIMULTANEOUSLY
HE PAVED THE WAY FOR ALL RADIO STATIONS THAT EVER DID MIXSHOWS AND ALSO SPARKED THE CAREER OF BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS DUE TO THE DISS HE SHOWED WHEN THEY CAME TO SHOP THEIR DEMO TO HIM AND WAS TURNED AWAY WHICH THEN SPARKED “SOUTH BRONX” AND “THE BRIDGE IS OVER”…….
HE WAS KNOWN FOR HIS DIRECT AND SARCASTIC ATTITUDE ON THE AIR AND EVERY ARTIST WANTED HIS APPROVAL WHEN IT CAME TO BREAKING NEW RECORDS……..HE EVEN HAD SONGS DEDICATED TO HIM BY THE LEGENDARY WHODINI–(“MR. MAGIC’S WAND”) WHICH WAS SURPRISINGLY PRODUCED BY ONE OF MY FAVORITE ARTISTS THOMAS DOLBY…….
SHOUTS OUT TO MARLEY MARL AND FLY TY FOR THE CORRECT INFORMATION ON THIS……
REST IN PEACE MR. MAGIC………….DJ PREMIER