History and Legacy of Diggin’ in the Crates

The Diggin’ in the Crates (DITC) movement is a legendary hip-hop collective that originated in the Bronx, New York, during the 1990s. The DITC movement celebrated the art of crate digging and the power of music to bring people together. The DJs and producers in the group were passionate about digging through crates of old vinyl records to find samples for their music. The DITC movement was a pivotal moment in hip-hop history and significantly impacted the genre’s evolution.

The DITC collective was founded in 1990 by Lord Finesse, a Bronx-based DJ and rapper who had already made a name for himself with his debut album “Funky Technician.” Lord Finesse brought together a group of like-minded individuals who shared his passion for digging through crates of vinyl records to find the perfect sample. These individuals included Diamond D, Showbiz, A.G., Buckwild, Fat Joe, and OC.

The DITC movement quickly gained momentum, and the group began releasing a series of classic hip-hop albums throughout the 1990s. The group’s first release was Diamond D’s “Stunts, Blunts and Hip Hop” in 1992, followed by Lord Finesse’s “Return of the Funky Man” in 1992, Showbiz and AG’s “Runaway Slave” in 1992, and Fat Joe’s “Represent” in 1993.

The DITC movement was not just a group of producers and DJs but a collective of talented MCs with unique sounds and styles. The group’s music was characterized by its heavy use of samples from old soul and jazz records, hard-hitting beats, and clever wordplay. The DITC collective also had a reputation for being fiercely independent and eschewing the commercial trappings of the music industry.

The DITC movement continued to produce classic hip-hop albums throughout the 1990s and into the early 2000s. The group’s final release was OC’s “Starchild” in 2005. Although the DITC collective has not released any new music recently, its influence on hip-hop culture remains significant.

The Diggin’ in the Crates movement was pivotal in hip-hop history. The collective’s unique sound and style, characterized by its heavy use of samples, hard-hitting beats, and clever wordplay, has influenced generations of hip-hop artists and producers. As the DITC movement gained momentum, other hip-hop artists and producers took notice of the group’s sound and style. The DITC collective inspired a generation of producers and DJs to dig deep into crates of old records to find unique and innovative samples. Today, their influence can be heard in the music of today’s top hip-hop artists.

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