Mr. Magic (Born John Rivas)
DOB Unknown – October 2, 2009
Mr. Magic was a New York City disc jockey who helped bring hip-hop and rap to a much wider audience during the early ’80s. Premiering on WBLS in 1983, Mr. Magic’s “Rap Attack” program was the first to ever play hip hop exclusively on any major radio station in the U.S. For the next six years, the show helped launch the careers of such artists as Whodini, Marley Marl and Boogie Down Productions. He was also noted as an influence on the likes of Tupac Shakur and the Notrorius B.I.G. Younger generations may recoginize his name and voice as the DJ on Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Mr. Magic died of a heart attack on October 2, 2009.
RIP Mr Magic, you’ll be missed.
I loved you at metgars evers college Tuesday morns, they moved you to WBLS and the old Kats who were not rap fans (mainly jazz, r and b) were hatin on hip hop and rap music. They eventually removed you from the airways, I at the time was in the Mr.Magic Fan Club headed and I brought in a signed petition with a long letter over to WBLS’s Frankie Crocker explaining our need for Mr.Magic to play rap music back on the radio. I was awarded by the club pres. and mr.magic himself a certificate of participation, and then he won an big award for being best radio show personality in the nation. I went to college to pursue a radio announcing career wanting to be mr.magic and wow my mentor, my heroe, my # 1 radio jock died..you will always keep livin in my soul. i love you Mr.Magic, your music inspired me not to commit suicide as rappers with anger would rap lyrics felt inside all of us. R.I.P. King of all Kings in Radio.