Born Curtis R. Brown in 1960, in the Bronx, New York, Grandmaster Caz got his start in Hip Hop in 1974. Originally known as DJ Casanova Fly, he teamed up with his high school friend Louie Lou aka DJ Disco Wiz and began his storied journey through the annals of Hip Hop history.
In 1978, Caz would pen the lyrics that would eventually be used in rap music’s first hit song “Rapper’s Delight” by the Sugarhill Gang, inadvertently making Caz “Hip Hop’s first ghostwriter.” In 1980, Caz became Captain of the legendary Coldcrush Brothers and they proceeded to become one of the most influential groups in Hip Hop history. Everyone from Run DMC to Big Daddy Kane, Will Smith, Rakim, Tupac, Nas, Biggie, Wu Tang, Freddie Foxx, Jay-Z, and more credit Caz and his Coldcrush Brothers as early influences. Caz’s Coldcrush Brothers made their film debut in the Hip Hop movie Wild Style in 1983.
Caz has been a frequent panelist, speaker, historian, and ambassador for Hip Hop. Caz published a book of his lyrics aptly titled Written and appeared in rapper/actor Ice T’s directorial film debut Something from Nothing: The Art Of Rap, which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in 2012. Caz is prominently featured in the Netflix documentary Hip Hop Evolution and his Casanova Fly persona is featured in the Netflix series The Get Down. He’s been voted #11 of the 50 Greatest MC’s by Blaze magazine, 6th greatest of all time by Kool Moe Dee in his book There’s a God on the Mic: The True 50 Greatest MCs, and voted #1 of the great MCs starting from 1979 by Complex Magazine.
Caz has been recognized and acknowledged by the Hip Hop community and industry for his many contributions to the culture. He is a member of the DMC Technics DJ Hall of Fame, The Zulu Nation Hall of Fame, and The Bronx Walk of Fame with Proclamations from The UN, Brooklyn Councilwoman’s Office, The Brooklyn Borough President, The NYC Council, The Bronx Chamber of Commerce, and two Bronx Borough Presidents, Adolfo Carrion and Ruben Diaz Jr.
Grandmaster Caz also serves on the board of The Bronx Music Heritage Center, The Windows of Hip-Hop Advisory Council, and The Kennedy Center’s Hip Hop Council and Advisory Board and hosts a show on LL Cool J’s Rock the Bells radio platform as one of its icons.
