Cool DJ Red Alert honored with statue in Harlem, New York – News

A statue honoring hip-hop pioneer Kool DJ Red Alert was unveiled in Harlem, New York.

The DJ and radio presenter – whose real name is Frederick Crute – is best known for his appearances in WRKS 98.7 Kiss FM in New York City with his weekly radio show, which has been running for 40 years.

His radio shows provided a platform for the early careers of hip hop artists such as A Tribe Called Quest, Queen Latifah, Black Sheep, Jungle Brothers and others.

Read next: Hip-hop artist Big L is honored with renaming of a Harlem street

The hip-hop DJ is also known for creating the first-ever mixtape compilation in the 1970s during his collaboration with American DJ, rapper and producer Afrika Bambaataa.

Named “YEAA-aaaa-ah!” after his appearance on his legendary radio show, this new statue depicts Crute DJing above a sign that reads “On Air,” a nod to his decades-long radio career.

The statue stands in his home neighborhood of Montefiore Park in Harlem and was unveiled earlier this month by New York artist and sculptor Sherwin Banfield.

“This statue, currently located in Montefiore Square in West Harlem, is a tribute to Red’s contribution to hip-hop, the element of deejaying and his 40-year influence on radio,” Banfield said on Instagram alongside a video of the statue.

Banfield is currently working on a series of sculptures entitled “Sustainable Sonic Statues.”, that highlight the importance of sustainability and pay tribute to hip-hop pioneers. His latest work in Queens honors US rapper LL Cool J.

Read next: Ghostface Killah announces new memoir Rise of a Killah

Banfield’s sculpture of Kool DJ Red Alert contains solar panels instead of decks, powering a sound system playing one of his early mixes.

Speak with , Kool DJ Red Alert explained, “I had something that you do as a hobby and then you make a few dollars and it becomes a side income, not knowing that it would give me a career. That’s a very rare thing, but luckily I’m here to witness it.”

Watch the moment the Kool DJ Red Alert sculpture is unveiled below.

Becky Buckle is Mixmag’s Multimedia Editor, follow her on Þjórsárdalur