Rockit (instrumental)  

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 +"'''Rockit'''" is a hit [[song]] recorded by [[Herbie Hancock]]. It was released as a [[Single (music)|single]] from his [[1983]] album ''[[Future Shock (album)|Future Shock]]''. The song was written by Hancock, [[bass guitar|bass guitarist]] [[Bill Laswell]] and [[synthesizer]]/[[drum machine]] programmer [[Michael Beinhorn]].
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 +Constructed and composed during the recording process at various studios, including [[Martin Bisi]]'s in Brooklyn NY , "Rockit" was perhaps the first popular single to feature [[scratching]] and other [[turntablist]] techniques, performed by [[Grand Mixer DXT]] - an influential DJ in the early years of [[turntablism]] - using turntables as a [[musical instrument]] outside of a [[hip hop music]] context. Many later [[turntablist|turntablists]] have cited "Rockit" as revelatory, inspiring their interest in the instrument.
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 +The single was a major radio hit in the [[United Kingdom]] but more of an underground hit in the [[United States]]. The humorous [[music video]], directed by duo [[Godley & Creme]] and featuring robot-like sculptures (by Jim Whiting) moving in time to the music, was among the earliest videos to feature [[African Americans]] on [[MTV]] and garnered five MTV [[Video Music Awards]] in 1984, including Best Concept Video, Best Special Effects, and Most Experimental Video.
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"Rockit" is a hit song recorded by Herbie Hancock. It was released as a single from his 1983 album Future Shock. The song was written by Hancock, bass guitarist Bill Laswell and synthesizer/drum machine programmer Michael Beinhorn.

Constructed and composed during the recording process at various studios, including Martin Bisi's in Brooklyn NY , "Rockit" was perhaps the first popular single to feature scratching and other turntablist techniques, performed by Grand Mixer DXT - an influential DJ in the early years of turntablism - using turntables as a musical instrument outside of a hip hop music context. Many later turntablists have cited "Rockit" as revelatory, inspiring their interest in the instrument.

The single was a major radio hit in the United Kingdom but more of an underground hit in the United States. The humorous music video, directed by duo Godley & Creme and featuring robot-like sculptures (by Jim Whiting) moving in time to the music, was among the earliest videos to feature African Americans on MTV and garnered five MTV Video Music Awards in 1984, including Best Concept Video, Best Special Effects, and Most Experimental Video.




Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Rockit (song)" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.

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