19 years ago today, Roc Raida celebrated his 25th birthday at Club Vinyl. Not only were the rest of his X-Men crew there, but the 5th Platoon also showcased. This clip was edited to show just the end of the showcase. Although some of these routines are now very familiar to us, a few of them were premiered for the first time on this night.
From the moment you hear Rob Swift juggling “Flash It To The Beat” you know you’re in for a show. Raida jumps on next with his “Going Back To Cali” routine followed by another beat juggle before passing it off to Total Eclipse (who was the newest member of the X-Men back then). E destroys “Think (About It)” and “Scenario” and then Rob jumps back on to drop his infamous “Rock The Bells” routine. Raida closes out the night with “Sucker MCs” incorporating body tricks which was always a big part of his performances. He ends his set with LL’s “Jack The Ripper” accompanied by Total Eclipse and then gives us his traditional Raida smile when he is finished.
The sets were not flawless, but that was always part of the gamble back then. Using vinyl and different equipment each time you performed, you never quite knew how they would respond to what you had practiced at home. Nonetheless, these were some of the most entertaining shows in the 90’s from one of the top DJ crews to ever exist. Nearly 7 years since Raida has passed, he would have been 44 today. RIP.
