| Mr. Magic | |
|---|---|
 | |
|
Birth name |
John Rivas |
|
Born |
15 March 1956 |
|
Died |
2 October 2009 (aged 53) |
|
Genre |
Hip hop, electro |
|
Occupation(s) |
DJ |
|
Years active |
1979-2002 |
|
Label |
Posse, Profile |
|
Associated acts |
|
John Rivas (15 March 1956 - 2 October 2009), better known by his stage name Mr. Magic, was a prominent hip hop radio DJ and co-founder of the hip hop collective Juice Crew. His radio show Rap Attack was the first exclusive rap radio show to be aired on a major radio station, debuting in 1981 on WHBI-FM (now WXNY-FM) but moving to WBLS-FM the following year. Hosted by Rivas and deejayed by Marley Marl, the show was instrumental in broadening the scope and validity of hip hop music during the 1980s.
Rivas died of a heart attack aged 53.