Grandwizzard Theodore is regarded as the creator of the scratch and needle drop that DJs continue to use today. He is featured in the first Hip Hop movie Wild Style and the movie Scratch. His life story was detailed in the Netflix series The Get Down.
Grandwizzard Theodore has received numerous awards including the Source Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000, the Vanguard Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001, the Rane Best Performer Award and DMC DJ Hall of Fame Award in 2002, the Premier Party Award in 2007, Walk of Fame Award in 2009, the Temple of Hip-Hop Award in 2012, among others, as well as four proclamations in 2003, 2006, 2008, and 2014.
He has taught at the NYC Scratch Academy since 2002 and has DJ’d for Kurtis Blow, Roxanne, Sant’e, Melle Mel, Force MDS, Big Daddy Kane, KRS One, among others. In 2014, he was the first DJ to receive Guitar Center’s Rock Walk of Fame Award with Grandmaster Flash and DXT. Grandwizzard Theodore travels around the world teaching Hip Hop classes and playing venues.
