Grandmaster Caz
Encyclopedia
Curtis Fisher better known by his stage name Grandmaster Caz or Cassanova Fly is an American "Old Skool" rapper, MC, and DJ. He currently works as a celebrity tour guide for Hush Hip Hop Tours
, a hip-hop cultural sightseeing tour company in New York City and is a Board member of The Universal Federation for the Preservation of Hip Hop Culture.
Career=
Caz first encountered rap in 1974 at a Kool Herc block party. Shortly after, he teamed with DJ Disco Wiz
under the name Casanova Fly to form one of the first DJ Crews, Mighty Force. Caz was also the first rapper to perform both DJ (Record) and MC (Vocal) duties.
In the late 1980s, he joined The Cold Crush Brothers
.
In 2008, he was one of the participants at the Cornell University Library conference on Hip Hop.
Artists who cite Grandmaster Caz as an influence include Big Daddy Kane
, Cory Gunz
Recognition=
In 1998, Caz was listed #11 out of Blaze Magazine's Top 50 MCs of all Time. He was also inducted into the Technics DJ Hall of Fame in 1999.
In June 2008, Grandmaster Caz was inducted into the Bronx Walk of Fame. A street plaque bearing his name is now on permanent display on the Grand Concourse
, the most famous thoroughfare in the Bronx.
Hush Hip Hop Tours
Hush Hip Hop Tours is a niche sightseeing tour of New York City that shows its customers some important locations in the history of Hip hop and the evolution of mainstream rap music. Tours take passengers on a journey around the lesser known landmarks of New York City...
, a hip-hop cultural sightseeing tour company in New York City and is a Board member of The Universal Federation for the Preservation of Hip Hop Culture.
Career=
Caz first encountered rap in 1974 at a Kool Herc block party. Shortly after, he teamed with DJ Disco Wiz
DJ Disco Wiz
DJ Disco Wiz in the Bronx, New York, USA, to a Puerto Rican father and a mother from Cuba. He is also credited with being the first Latino DJ in Hip-Hop music.- Old School :...
under the name Casanova Fly to form one of the first DJ Crews, Mighty Force. Caz was also the first rapper to perform both DJ (Record) and MC (Vocal) duties.
In the late 1980s, he joined The Cold Crush Brothers
The Cold Crush Brothers
The Cold Crush Brothers is a hip hop group that formed in 1979 in the Bronx, New York City, New York, alongside other early hip hop acts.-Formation:...
.
In 2008, he was one of the participants at the Cornell University Library conference on Hip Hop.
Artists who cite Grandmaster Caz as an influence include Big Daddy Kane
Big Daddy Kane
Antonio Hardy better known by his stage name Big Daddy Kane, is an American rapper who started his career in 1986 as a member of the rap group the Juice Crew. He is widely considered to be one of the most influential and skilled MC's in Hip Hop...
, Cory Gunz
Cory Gunz
Peter Cory Pankey, Jr. is an American rapper, better known by his stage name Cory Gunz. He is the son of rapper Peter Gunz, member of the rap duo Lord Tariq & Peter Gunz, and cousin of fellow rapper Junior. Gunz is currently signed to Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records, After Platinum...
Sugar Hill Gang Controversy
A 2009 book claims that the lyrics for The Sugar Hill Gang's seminal Rapper's Delight were plagiarized from the then-unpublished Caz's lyrics. In 2000, he set his account of the contretemps down in the song MC Delight.Recognition=
In 1998, Caz was listed #11 out of Blaze Magazine's Top 50 MCs of all Time. He was also inducted into the Technics DJ Hall of Fame in 1999.
In June 2008, Grandmaster Caz was inducted into the Bronx Walk of Fame. A street plaque bearing his name is now on permanent display on the Grand Concourse
Grand Concourse (Bronx)
The Grand Concourse is a major thoroughfare in the borough of the Bronx in New York City...
, the most famous thoroughfare in the Bronx.
Albums
- The Grandest Of Them All (LP) Tuff City 1992
- You Need Stitches: The Tuff City Sessions 1982-1988(LP) Ol' Skool Flava 2004
- Rare & Unreleased Old School Hip Hop '86-'87 (LP) Ol' Skool Flava 2006
- Mid Life Crisis(CD, Album) Jazz Child Records 2008
Singles & EPs
- Grandmaster Caz & Chris Stein - Wild Style Theme Rap 1 Chrysalis 1983
- Grand Master Caz* & Chris Stein - Wild Style Theme Rap No.1 (12", Promo) Toshiba EMI Ltd 1983
- Yvette / Mister Bill (12") Tuff City 1985
- Count Basey (12") Tuff City 1986
- Get Down Grandmaster / I'm Caz (12") Tuff City 1987
- You Need Stitches(12") Tuff City 1989
- Star Search (12") Tuff City 1992
- Grandmaster Caz with Whipper Whip* - To All The Party People (12") Tuff City 1994
- 45 King Old School Remixes Vol. 4(12", EP) Ol' Skool Flava 1996
- Grandmaster Caz & Chris Stein - Wild Style Theme Rap 1 / Wild Style Subway Rap Beyongolia 1998
- DJ Parker Lee Presents: Grandmaster Caz (12") Jazz Child Records 1999
- MC Delight (Casanova's Revenge) (12") Jazz Child Records 2000
- Grandmaster Caz & DJ Signify - Untitled (7") Grandgood Records 2003
- Grandmaster Caz & DJ Haitian Star - Move The Crowd / Scene Of The Rhyme (12", Ltd) 360° Records (2) 2005
Compilations
- Wild StyleWild StyleWild Style is a 1983 hip hop film produced by Charlie Ahearn. Released theatrically in 1983 by First Run Features and later re-released for home video by Rhino Home Video, it is regarded as the first hip hop motion picture...
Soundtrack 1983 - Crotona Park Jams (CD, Comp, Mixed) (Grandmaster Caz Self-released) 2008