Grandmaster Caz

 Curtis Fisher, known by his stage name Grandmaster Caz, is an American rapper, DJ, and songwriter born on April 18, 1960, in the Bronx, New York. He is best known as a member of The Cold Crush Brothers and for his contributions to the hip-hop industry as a pioneer and innovator.

Caz first encountered rap music in 1974 at a Kool Herc block party. He teamed up with DJ Disco Wiz to form one of the first DJ crews, Mighty Force. Caz was the first rapper to perform both DJ and MC duties, and he quickly became a crowd favorite. In the late 1970s, he joined The Cold Crush Brothers and quickly became one of the most influential members of the group.

Caz's biggest claim to fame is his contribution to The Sugarhill Gang's seminal 1979 hit, "Rapper's Delight." Caz is widely considered to be the main writer of Big Bank Hank's raps on the track, which introduced hip-hop to the mainstream and sold around five million copies. Hank had been Caz's manager before joining The Sugarhill Gang, and he used Caz's lyrics on the song without giving him credit. In response, Caz released a parody of "Rapper's Delight" in 2000 called "MC Delight," which tells his side of the story.

Caz continued to work in the hip-hop industry as a rapper, DJ, and songwriter throughout the 1980s and 1990s. He released several solo albums, including "The Grandest of Them All" and "Mid Life Crisis." In 1998, he was listed at number 11 in Blaze Magazine's Top 50 MCs of all Time. He was also inducted into the Technics DJ Hall of Fame in 1999.

In addition to his work as a musician, Caz is a board member of The Kennedy Center's Hip-Hop Council and an ambassador for hip-hop culture. He also serves as the CEO of GMC Entertainment Inc. and worked as a celebrity tour guide for Hush Hip Hop Tours, a hip-hop cultural sightseeing tour company in New York City.

Caz's legacy in the hip-hop industry has had a lasting impact on the genre. He has been cited as an influence by artists such as Will Smith, Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, and Jay-Z. He was portrayed by Jaleel White in an episode of the television series "Drunk History," and his contributions to the genre have been celebrated through induction into the Bronx Walk of Fame and the establishment of "Grandmaster Caz Day" by the Bronx Borough President.