Welcome back to the 200th episode of Eggs! To celebrate this milestone, we are thrilled to have our special guest, the revolutionary DJ Rob Swift. Born and raised in what would become the epicenter of hip-hop, Jackson Heights, Queens, Rob started his DJing at the young age of 12, influenced by his brother and father, DJs themselves. His education continued on the streets of 1980s New York City where he was exposed to all kinds of music from funk and jazz to old DJs like Grandmaster Flash and Grand Wizard Theodore. In 1991, Rob’s career kicked into overdrive when he joined the groundbreaking turntablist crew, the X-men, AKA the X-Ecutioners along with fellow legendary DJs Roc Raida, Total Eclipse, and Mista Sinista. He also won the DMC east coast title that year. In addition to working with everyone from Linkin Park to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rob appeared as the resident DJ on ESPNU and has achieved an unheard-of level of mainstream success.
Today, he is still producing music, including his latest drop, For heads that break, with Shawneci Icecold in 2021, in addition to his popular blog, and education programs which are teaching the next generation of DJs how to master the trade.
Here to talk about growing up a kid in 70 and 80s NYC, his incredible DJ career, the effect of COVID on the profession, the future of DJing and live music, and so much more, please join us in welcoming to the show, DJ Rob Swift.