DJ Hollywood

DJ Hollywood (born Anthony Holloway; December 10, 1954) is an American MC and disc jockey. His rhythmic MC sets have led him to be credited as one of the first-ever rappers.

Career In the 1970s, DJ Hollywood became known for DJ sets during which he addressed the audience with rhythmic call-and-response segments. In contrast to earlier MCs like Coke La Rock, who simply spoke over backing tracks, DJ Hollywood incorporated rhythm and rhyme into his sets, which has led him to be described as the progenitor of "hip-hop-style rapping" by figures such as Kurtis Blow and author Jonathan Abrams. Abrams identifies DJ Hollywood's influences as Jocko Henderson, Pigmeat Markham, Gil Scott-Heron, and Rudy Ray Moore. Before long, club owners in the South Bronx hired Hollywood to play at a club called Club 371.

DJ Hollywood is featured in the 2024 PBS series Disco: Soundtrack of a Revolution.