Mr. Magic

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This article is about the Rap and Hip-Hop pioneer. For the song by Grover Washington, Jr., see that page.

Mr. Magic is a rap music DJ and MC. During the late 70's he recorded several short songs but never a full length album, some of these songs can be heard on the compilation The Third Unheard: Connecticut Hip Hop 1979-1983. He was most prominent on radio during the mid to late-1980s. In 2002, he made something of a comeback to DJ'ing when he featured on Grand Theft Auto: Vice City's radio station Wildstyle.

During the Golden era of Hip hop, there was a rivalry between Mr. Magic's show, "The Rap Attack," and DJ Red Alert's weekly DJ show on WRKS-FM. One of Mr. Magic's aliases was "Sir Juice," hence the loose hip hop collective known as the Juice Crew [1].

He capped off every show by saying "Get on it, doggone it. 'Cause any fool can learn from his own mistakes, but it takes a wise man, a wise guy like you to learn from the mistakes made by others. Be yourself, 'cause you might find yourself by yourself, and that's no fun."

[edit] References to Mr. Magic in music

Rapper Biggie Smalls referenced Magic on Juicy from Smalls' debut album Ready to Die. Smalls talks of his previous experiences before he became famous, stating "Every Saturday Rap Attack, Mr. Magic, Marley Marl", referring to the Magic's Friday and Saturday evening radio show on WBLS-FM in New York City and the show's DJ, the legendary Marley Marl.

2Pac also referred to Mr. Magic on "Old School" and "Thug Style" from the albums Me Against the World and R U Still Down? (Remember Me).

The song, Magic's Wand by the group Whodini makes various references to Mr. Magic. Including "Cause then Magic went on the radio And everybody said: "What a way to go!" The moment he went on the air It was plain to see a new phase was here He started out playing mostly rap Then they all said: "Nobody's into that" Well, they all turned out to be wrong Cause rappin on the mike had caught on strong"

Additionally, NaS mentions Magic by saying, "I miss Mr. Magic," on Halftime, from Illmatic.

Lauryn Hill gives a nod to Magic as well, in Nappy Heads (Remix) from The Fugees' Blunted on Reality; "Peace to Mr. Magic,"