At the tender age of 13 and under the tutelage of Grandmaster Flash, Theodore Livingston was practicing his skills in his bedroom with the volume levels higher than what his mother thought acceptable. She stormed in and demanded that he turn it down. With his mother standing in the doorway, Theodore put his hand on the record to stop the music and unintentionally moved the record hand back and forth, creating the “scratch” sound, which is arguably one of the most influential techniques in DJing.

Recognizing the creative innovation in his accidental discovery, Theodore perfected the technique and performed it live at a local Bronx house party. The crowd went crazy. This was something they had never heard before.

Awarded the title “Grandwizzard” by his DJ peers, Theodore continued to rock the block party and battle scene, was featured in the Wild Style documentary and also contributed to the film’s soundtrack. He also created another influential DJ technique, the needle drop.

For the past 30 years, he has been touring and performing all over the U.S. and world.