GRANDMASTER FLASH BECOMES FIRST DJ TO WIN “NOBEL PRIZE FOR MUSIC”

BY KIERAN DEVLIN • JUNE 13, 2019

Grandmaster Flash has become the first DJ to win the Polar Music Prize, often dubbed the "Nobel Prize For Music".

The prize was founded by Stig Anderson, better known as ABBA's lyricist and manager, in 1989. Previous winners include Led Zeppelin, BB King, Metallica, and Paul McCartney.

Flash, real name Joseph Saddler, accepted the prize from the King of Sweden, saying the award was "in honour of every DJ, every rapper, every graffiti artist, and every breakdancer".

He further commented: "This thing that I did had not existed before, and I am one of many where I come from. It ended up being called hip-hop, taking the drum break from pop, rock, jazz, blues, funk, disco, R+B, and using duplicate copies of records. I would take one section and repeat it over and over again."

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