Person · Male
DXT
US 80s hip hop, aka Grandmixer D.ST
- From
- United States
- Since
- present
- Rating
- ★ 5
- Releases
- 0
About
Derek Showard, better known by the stage name GrandMixer DXT, is an American musician, and the first DJ to use the turntable as a musical instrument.
Read more
Early in his career, he was known as Grand Mixer D.ST, a reference to Delancey Street on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, New York City. He was featured in the influential hip hop film Wild Style. Recognized as a pioneer, Grand Mixer DXT is credited as being the first turntablist. He was the first person to establish the turntable as a fully performable and improvisational musical instrument (Alberts 2002). He created the technique of altering the pitch of the note or sound on the record.
He is also credited with helping popularize DJing through his scratching on Herbie Hancock's single "Rockit", from the Bill Laswell and Material produced album Future Shock. He is also featured in the 2001 documentary, Scratch.
Member of
-
The Rockit Band background vocals, turntable
-
Dubadelic turntable
Links
Reference
Collaboration
Is person
Also known as
Grand Mixer DXT · GrandMixer DXT
Identifiers
- MusicBrainz
- d328a85b-99e4-495c-a871-4b3cc81abd2f
Data from MusicBrainz, saved 7 Nov 2026. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, covers from the Cover Art Archive and Apple Music.