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The 50 Most Influential DJs
10 years ago today, October 30, Jam Master Jay was murdered in cold blood. The legendary DJ, one third of Run DMC, is missed, but his impact on hip hop hasn't faded one bit. Jam Master Jay helped bring DJing to radios, stereos and TVs across the globe. And DJs are still a cornerstone of the culture, preserving real hip hop on the air, onstage, in the clubs and elsewhere. In honor of Jam Master Jay and his indelible contributions to the art, craft and science of the turntable, BET.com is counting down the 50 most influential DJs of all time. We only considered folks who were DJs in the true, traditionalist, hip hop sense of the word — rocking parties, mixing wax, breaking hit records, scratching samples, curating the culture — not mere on-air personalities or producers with DJ in their name. Without these turntable all-stars, we can't imagine what DJing, hip hop or even popular music today would look like. —Alex Gale
(Photo by Andre Csillag/WireImage)
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