Scott La Rock
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Scott La Rock | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Scott Monroe Sterling |
| Born | March 2, 1962 Queens, New York, U.S. |
| Died | August 27, 1987 (aged 25) South Bronx, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupation(s) | Disc jockey, Producer |
| Years active | 1985–1987 |
| Labels | B-Boy Records |
| Associated acts | Boogie Down Productions, KRS-One, D-Nice, DJ Red Alert |
Scott Monroe Sterling (March 2, 1962 – August 27, 1987), known by the stage name DJ Scott La Rock, was an American hip hop disc jockey (DJ) and music producer from the Bronx borough of New York City. He is notable as a founding member of the East Coast hip hop group Boogie Down Productions.
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Early life[edit]
Sterling was born on March 2, 1962 in The Bronx, New York City, New York, he was raised by his mother, Carolyn Morant, a career municipal employee.[1] (His parents split when he was four-years-old.[1]) As a youngster, he moved from Queens to the Morrisania section of The Bronx, and then to Morris Heights. Scott excelled in both academics and sports at Our Savior Lutheran High School, graduating in 1980 and heading off to Castleton State College in Vermont. He earned a varsity letter in basketball there.[1] As it became clear that he would not become a professional basketball player, Sterling became more and more focused on music. At Castleton State, he used to DJ at Doogan's Bar on Friday nights with Lee Smith. He helped introduce the entire campus to music from New York City.
Career[edit]
Sterling graduated in 1984 and returned to New York City in hopes of finding work and making in-roads to the music industry. Through a connection of his mother’s, Scott landed a job as a social worker at Franklin Armory Men’s Shelter on 166th St in the Bronx. At night, though, he spun records at the hip hop hot spot, the Broadway Repertoire Theatre.[1]
During his time as a social worker, Sterling met rapper KRS-One in 1986 at Franklin Men's Shelter where KRS resided. The pair formed Boogie Down Productions (BDP) with DJ Derrick "D-Nice" Jones, a cousin of the shelter's security guard, Floyd Payne.[1] The group's 1987 debut album, Criminal Minded, is considered a hip-hop classic.[2][3]
Shooting[edit]
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Sterling met a violent death in 1987. His friend and BDP associate D-Nice had been assaulted by a couple of young men because D-Nice had been talking to one of their ex-girlfriends. D-Nice asked Sterling to try to help defuse the situation. Later that day, Sterling, Scotty "Manager Moe" Morris, DJ McBooo, D-Nice and BDP bodyguard Darrell, all riding in a red Jeep CJ-7 with a white fiberglass top on it, drove to the Highbridge Homes[1] Projects building on University Avenue in the South Bronx where the offending parties lived.[1] Sterling’s intention may have been to try to defuse the situation, but plenty of physical support arrived with him. As they were leaving, bullets were fired through the side and top of the Jeep. Sterling was hit in the head.
Critically wounded, he was driven in the Jeep to Lincoln Hospital, which was less than a mile away. He was conscious and talking to the doctors as he was wheeled into the emergency department. Sterling then stated to the doctor that he was feeling cold and tired. At first it was thought that his injuries were not life-threatening, and his friends last saw him being wheeled away into surgery. They couldn't go into the emergency department with him, so they went to the diner around the corner on Grand Concourse and East 149th Street to wait while he was treated. However, Sterling died in the operating room within one hour of being shot.
Two men were arrested and charged with Sterling's murder but were acquitted at the trial.[1]
Personal life[edit]
Sterling had one son, Scott Sterling Jr.
Discography[edit]
- Criminal Minded (1986)
- By All Means Necessary (1988) (La Rock was killed during the making of this album)
- Man & His Music (Remixes from Around the World) (1997)
- Best of B-Boy Records (2001)
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g h Callahan-Bever, Noah. "R.I.P. Scott La Rock – Remembering the BDP Legend 23 Years Later", XXL Magazine, 27 August 2010.
- ^ "500 CDs You Must Own: Hip-Hop". Blender. Archived from the original on 2008-08-09.
- ^ "500 Greatest Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone.
External links[edit]
- 1962 births
- 1987 deaths
- 1987 murders in the United States
- African-American rappers
- American hip hop DJs
- Rappers from New York City
- Entertainers from the Bronx
- Deaths by firearm in New York (state)
- Castleton State College alumni
- 20th-century American musicians
- East Coast hip hop musicians
- American hip hop record producers
- African-American record producers
- Murdered hip hop musicians
- Murdered American musicians
- 20th-century American businesspeople
- American social workers
- People murdered in New York City
- 20th-century American rappers
- Record producers from New York (state)
