DJ Kool Herc is widely credited with pioneering the breakbeat technique at early hip hop parties in the Bronx.
Born Clive Campbell in Jamaica, he moved to the Bronx and became known for playing instrumental breaks—the sections of funk records where the drums became especially prominent. Instead of letting one break end before the next began, he used two copies of a record to extend the break, creating a continuous rhythmic foundation for dancers and MCs.
Campbell’s back-to-school party at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue on August 11, 1973, is often treated as a foundational moment in hip hop history. It did not create every element of hip hop by itself, but it helped shape the DJ-centered performance style that later included rapping, breakdancing, and graffiti. Another common mistake is crediting DJ Kool Herc with inventing turntablism in its entirety; later DJs developed scratching, back-spinning, and other techniques.