Grandmixer Dxt, born Dwight Errington Myers, was an internationally renowned DJ and hip hop pioneer. Born in the Bronx in 1958, he was an early adopter of turntablism, the art of manipulating sound with turntables. He was also one of the first DJs to combine different genres of music, particularly funk and hip hop.
Myers began his career in the early 1970s as a DJ at the Bronx's legendary Disco Fever nightclub. He quickly made a name for himself as a pioneering turntablist and master of the "scratching" technique. He was also the first DJ to incorporate a beatbox into his sets.
In 1984, Myers earned worldwide recognition when he appeared in the groundbreaking hip hop documentary Wild Style. In the film, he demonstrates his turntable skills by scratching between two copies of the same record. He would go on to feature in many other films, including Beat Street and Scratch.
In 1986, Myers released the iconic album Grandmixer DXT and the Turntable Orchestra, which featured a mix of classic funk, soul, and hip hop. The album was hugely influential in the development of hip hop, and its pioneering use of scratching and beatboxing has been cited as a major influence on modern-day turntablists.
Myers also worked with several influential artists, including pioneering rap group the Furious Five and hip hop producer Afrika Bambaataa. He also served as the house DJ for "Yo! MTV Raps" from 1989 to 1993 and hosted the "Grandmixer DXT Show" on London's Kiss FM.
Myers passed away in 2009, but his legacy continues to live on. He has been credited as a major influence on the current generation of DJs and turntablists, and his groundbreaking work has been recognized by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, which inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 2016.
