The Disco DJ: By Cornelia Stokes and Alanna Brown.
The Disco DJ consisted of heterosexual African Americans, and some women. Many of them were musicians, poets, or visual artists. The focus of a disco DJ was individual records as opposed to commercial radio or radio programming. Disco DJ’s were known to lengthen songs, for example, extending a 3-minute song to a 16-minute song. The DJ was considered a new type of pop star; playing new instruments such as the twin turn tables and a mixer. The sound system established the discothèque as a new performance environment. Dance parties, night clubs, lofts, and bars were often times owned by member of the mafia. DJ’s did not only play famous records, they mixed sequenced and programmed them, creating an innovative way of presenting pre-recorded music in an uninterrupted way. One example of a disco DJ is Frances Grasso, who was the innovator of disco blending
