R.I.P Sir Juice aka..Mr. Magic’s Rap Attack

Posted on October 2nd, 2009 by visionist.
Categories: Culture Capture Champs, History, NYC, R.I.P.

Mr. Magic (died October 2, 2009), an important figure in the world of hip hop radio, debuted in 1983 on WBLS-FM in New York City with the first exclusive rap radio show to be aired on a major station. Billing itself as Rap Attack, Magic’s show featured Marley Marl as the DJ and Tyrone “Fly Ty” Williams as the show’s co-producer. Magic’s reign on the New York City airwaves lasted six years and was instrumental in broadening the scope and validity of hip-hop music.^[1]

During the mid-80s there was a rivalry between Mr. Magic and Kool DJ Red Alert, who hosted a weekly show on WRKS-FM. The feud also played out between proxy rap groups, the Juice Crew and Boogie Down Productions (see The Bridge Wars). The Juice Crew – headed by Mr. Magic’s on-air assistant, DJ Marley Marl – was named after one of Magic’s aliases, “Sir Juice.”^[2]

As confirmed by DJ Premier, Mr. Magic died on the morning of October 2, 2009 from a heart attack.^[3]

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