Cholly Rock

Cholly Rock (Anthony G. Horne) is a first-generation B-boy out of the Bronx, born in 1960, who immersed himself in the nascent hip-hop/breaking culture from 1974 onward. He became one of the original Zulu Kings under Afrika Bambaataa, representing the Northeast Bronx. Beyond dance, he leveraged hip-hop roots into education and public health – showing that the movement was about more than moves.

Guru - The Founder of The Black Spades

Guru is a key figure in Bronx street history, known as a founder of the Black Spades, the influential youth organization born in the late 1960s in the Bronxdale Houses. In a time of racism and neighborhood turmoil, he helped shape the Spades into a disciplined force that protected Black and Latino youth. Under his early guidance, the group grew into one of New York’s most powerful street organizations and laid cultural groundwork that later fueled hip-hop’s rise, with members like Afrika Bambaataa carrying that energy into community-building and music. Though much of Guru’s story lives in oral history, his impact on Bronx culture and early hip-hop remains undeniable.

DJ Sinbad

DJ Sinbad became a member of the Black Spades in the 1970s. Over the years, many Black Spades got jobs at Pathmark. After that, Sinbad got into the music scene.

Sinbad and Tex, along with DJ Hollywood, played together. Sinbad and Disco King Mario lived in the same building at 1715 Buckner Boulevard in the Bronxdale Housing Projects. Sinbad lived on the 7th floor, and Mario lived on the 2nd floor. That’s where Sinbad and Disco King Mario connected.

Sinbad also became partners with DJ Afrika Bambaataa, who was from the Bronx River Housing Projects. Sinbad introduced Disco King Mario to Afrika Bambaataa, and the two linked up. From then on, I played under the name DJ Sinbad. As a Black Spade, my name was simply Sinbad.