By: Todd “DG” Davis
Rapindustry.com

 

DJ Lord Jazz, née Bruce A. Colston, of Lords of the Underground is a true legend in hip-hop, recognized for his innovative production, and contributions that helped shape the sound of the early ’90’s. As a founding member, his unique style left a lasting impact on the culture, inspiring many artists and fans. With a legacy that continues to influence, Lord Jazz remains a trailblazer and a key figure in the history of hip-hop.

Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, his love for music began early—shaped by a family of musicians and a deep connection to vinyl.

In college at Shaw University, he teamed up with Doitall and Mr. Funke to form Lords of the Underground, quickly landing a deal with Elektra/Pendulum Records. The group dropped classics like “Here Come the Lords”, “Keepers of the Funk”, and “Resurrection”, earning both critical acclaim and international success during hip-hop’s Golden Era.

Known for his turntable mastery and authentic approach to the craft, DJ Lord Jazz spent over a decade in Paris as a hip-hop ambassador, helping spread the culture globally. Today, he’s back in the U.S., now based in South Florida, where he continues to inspire and educate through his weekly Twitch show (@djlordjazz) and in-person Vinyl Vault DJ classes.

 

First things first, August 11th 2023 marked the 50th Anniversary of hip-hop — What exactly does that mean to and for you?   

What 50 years of hip-hop mean to me? 50 years of hip-hop represents a lifetime of culture, creativity and community. It means honoring the pioneers that came before me that built this great opportunity for all of us to love and cherish. I don’t know where I would be today if it werent for hip-hop. I met my wife in Paris, France, because of hip-hop; it means a lot to me.

To quote the late, great The Notorious B.I.G., “You never thought that hip-hop would take it this far!” — Was this something that you ever could’ve imagined?   

Never in my wildest dreams thought hip-hop would take it this far! In the late ’70’s and early ’80’s, they said it was just a fad or phase the young generation was going through not thinking it would become big at all…but because of the passion and love our community showed for it, rubbed off into the bigger corporations that decided that they can make money from it.

What are some of your fondest, most stand-out moments / memories during your lengthy tenure in this thing called hip-hop?  

Some of my stand-out moments would be making my song “Lord Jazz Hit Me One Time (Make It Funky),” this was always something i always wanted to do. Represent for the DJ culture; in the early ’90’s a lot of deejays were always in the back and never really got any shine, so I wanted to change that with a lil rap and scratch track. K-Def produced it, and when I tell you K has beats for days, he has beats for days!! Also, when we won our BET Award, and was honored by Mayor Sharpe James in Newark, NJ, for Lords of the Underground day, which is Sept 28th. It was a huge honor to be the first American hip-hop group to perform at the Montreux Jazz festival in Switzerland, and also in Angola in Africa.

That said, what are your future plans and / or goals for the 2026 season?   

My future plans are continuing my legacy with my DJ class called Vinyl Vault DJ, and also DJ’ing and producing for my crew, Lords of the Underground, and many more. I would like to sign a couple of younger acts to my production company, and shed my knowledge with them. I’m managing my daughter, Gloria Colston, a.k.a. DJ Glo; she’s an actress / DJ / music producer / engineer. Teaching the youth is what we’re supposed to do, and I’m doing just that; sharing my knowledge.

Switching gears here, what exactly do you want people to get from your music?   

What I want people to get from my music is something real; I  want them to feel the energy and emotion that I put in the music. Every beat, every cut and every rhyme. I’m here to connect people and make them nod their head or smile, because of something relatable. I experiment a lot, sampling from anywhere and anything, lol.

If you could collaborate with any one artist, living or dead, who would it be and why?          

If I could collaborate with someone, it would be Stevie Wonder…but this was a hard question because I have lots more, but Stevie is a genius and his voice is so heartfelt; I could really hear him on some of my production.

If you could play any venue in the world, which one would you choose and why?       

If I could play at any venue, which one would I choose? This is a tough question because I’ve played everywhere, but if I had to pick one it would be Lollapalooza festival in Chicago because I’ve never done it before, and it looks dope with all different generations of fans and genres.

 

 

On a more serious note, are you happy with the current state of hip-hop?   

Am i happy with the current state of hip-hop? I would say not extremely happy, but happy about it because hip-hop has taken so many people off the streets and made them millionaires…but at the same time, they’re killing each other at an alarming rate with the Drill rap. I’m a firm believer of pushing the envelope and being creative on the music side, but stay original and do things from your heart instead of jumping on any bandwagons. Be a leader, and not a follower

What do you feel has and will continue to be the key to your longevity?          

They key to my longevity is timeless music! At a time when we didn’t know our music would be classic, we were in college and having fun when we did Here Come the Lords and the music was for us to enjoy not knowing 35 years later people would be still playing and enjoying it, which is a blessing…but the key is to make undeniably great music. Music keeps us fresh and healthy for the most part; I still get excited and butterfies when I’m about to hit the stage!

Do you have any other outside / additional (future) aspirations, maybe even completely away from entertainment?  

My ideal aspiration would be owning my own lounge, and my wife by my side on the cuisine feeding the people healthy bites…and great vibes from the music selectors and bands creating an atmosphere for the grown and sexy!

What’s an average day like for you?  

An average day for me is waking up and thanking God for touching me and opening my eyes, because I’ve lost so many friends and family members over the past 6 years; it’s been tough. I check my emails, social medias…respond to promotors about shows and DJ gigs. Check on my kids that live in NYC now, and maybe do a couple beats and DJ sessions. Compile my music and make folders, because there’s tons of music that comes out and I try to stay up to date with it and build my crates up for any occasion.

What is your favorite part about this line of work? Your least favorite? And, why?   

My favorite part about this line of work is that I don’t call it work, it’s passion and dedication to the game. My least favorite is when you’re not doing any shows or gigs, the money dries up so you have to stay busy and consistent doing other things.

What advice would you have for someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?  

What advice I would give following in my footsteps would be learn about the business and all you can about social media and the power from it, because it’s very resourceful. A lot of the older generation artists don’t do the knowledge or are stuck in the old ways of doing things. You have to be open enough to want to understand this new age and time. The meaning of life is to give life meaning! Go for all your dreams and aspirations, only you can stop yourself.

Looking ahead, say five or maybe even ten years from now, where do you see yourself?     

Where do I see myself in 5 or 10 years? I see myself overseeing a prosperous and meaningful DJ Academy, teaching the youth and adults about DJ’ing, the culture and healthy ways of living. Traveling the Earth with my wife, and enjoying what I built in the past.

Any “parting” words for our readers?

Last but not least, I would say check out all my music if you haven’t already! Solo projects, as well as with my group, Lords of the Underground.  Follow me at: @lordjazzlotug @vinylvaultdj @lotug1