Given the power and strength of the hip-hop market today compared with 30 years ago, many people don’t realize that the movement started not with rappers, but the originators including DJs, MCs, Writers, and B-Boys. In an exclusive interview with DJ Disco Wiz for Label Networks TV during the MAGIC Fashion Trade show this fall, we discovered the roots of the movement and why it’s important to start at the beginning in order to move forward.

“I hail from the mighty boogie town of the Bronx,” explains DJ Disco Wiz, “and the line we’re representing is clothing dedicated to the original form of hip-hop called The Originators.” The collection, which includes graphic T-shirts, hoodies, long sleeve shirts, jackets, and track jackets for b-boys and b-girls pays tribute to the original hip-hop DJs, MS, spoken word performers, and graffiti artists by providing a percentage of each piece to the individual artist represented.

Similar to our interview with Grandmaster Caz (see also “Akon, Grandmaster Caz, 50 Cent, Omarion, DJ Nick Cannon, Nelly, Russell Simmons, Travis Barker, Gene Simmons, Blacksmith among the Musicians Featured at MAGIC Illustrating Strong Ties of Musicians + Streetwear—Label Networks Captures the Scene”) last spring, DJ Disco Wiz understands the importance of recognizing the history of the movement before it was going off and honoring the original artists that made it what it is from the ‘70’s.

“It’s 32 to 33 years later and it’s a global massive movement,” explains Wiz. Fashion has always been a part of hip-hop because kids in the ‘hood unite themselves by what they do, their clothes, but also how you wear them, which made us different from everyone else in the day.”

“But what people don’t know are the roots of hip-hop which are based on peace, love, and unity. Hip-hop has so many things through its history and you have to go back and know this and see this before you can progress again. I mean, it’s at a funny place now where it’s over-saturated. It’s good to have clothing lines and great artists, but hip-hop is about the people and you have to reach them and inspire them or else you miss the train.”

Four years ago, the Originators’ Al B contacted Wiz and said, we want to honor you guys—you should be out there. Today, the concept goes beyond the clothes because it’s really more about education. Each piece has a biographical hang-tag that explains the artist that inspired the design.

In terms of where hip-hop is going and  how he feels about being a pioneer, Wiz says, “I’m surprised everyday. I’m 46 and old but a 16-year-old at heart and this makes me stand outside the box and know in my heart that I’ve been a part of something.” Current projects for the legend include a show on VH1 with Grandmaster Caz, a project in New York that talks about the hip-hop scene in ’77, the blackouts, and DJs coming from house parties. He’s also working on various showcases of spoken word and a documentary that takes a look at the history of the culture. “As the first of our culture, we were conscious to hang onto our flyers and photograph ourselves so we have this history. I’ve got a book almost done now to be published by Simon and Schuster which is getting picked up as a film.”

The message of The Originators is educational and to inspire others. It represents what it was really like back in the day, “a melting pot of Latinos which was always a part of hip-hop culture—a black and brown mixer of disco,” says Wiz. “ There were many aspects to hip-hop such as grime, B-boying, MCs, DJing, and we came from a certain social and economic backdrop. We’re talking about real hip hop…the message is the most important thing.”

In terms of the collection, they include pieces such as an OG allover print, old school arrows of graffiti text, representations of the Rock Steady Crew, Taki 183, the first NY tagger in ’69, Tracy 168 subway series, Stay High 149’s “Voice of the Ghetto” campaign, Mr. Curtis, “Love Bug” Starski who coined the term “hip-hop,” Kurtis Blow, Mr. Melle Mel, Grandwizzard Theodore who was the inventor of scratch, DJ Disco Wiz, the grandmaster of Latino hip-hop, Fantastic 5’s MC, among others.  

As Al explains about the collection, “For every piece sold bearing one of the pioneers of the ‘70’s likeness, they get a piece of it. It’s to honor these pioneers. We keep our marketing efforts grassroots and do things like these trade shows. But we don’t advertise. We’re in an interesting position because hip-hop came from a grassroots beginning and people respond to The Originators in that way and to what we’re doing because they feel our sincerity.”