The Hot Mix 5 were an American DJ crew originating from Chicago, Illinois and formed in 1981. The founding members were Farley "Funkin" Keith (later known as Farley "Jackmaster" Funk), Mickey "Mixin" Oliver, Scott "Smokin" Silz, Ralphi Rosario and Kenny "Jammin" Jason. In 1982, Scott Silz was asked to leave the group and in was replaced by Julian "Jumpin" Perez in 1984, as the winner of a HMF sponsored DJ Battle. Another DJ, Jeff Mills, was supposed to be a sixth member, but Silz mentioned in an interview that he never showed up, leaving just the five members.
Created to act as the resident DJs on Chicago FM radio station (now defunct) WBMX 'Saturday Night Live Ain't No Jive' mix show hosted by Armando Rivera, the members quickly established themselves on the radio as the first mix show team of dj's. As their popularity grew, a second show, Friday Night Jams, was added as well as noontime hour-long mixes during the week dubbed the Hot Lunch Mix. The Chicago house music scene exploded with other DJ/Artists who listened to, followed and submitted their tracks for airplay to the Hot Mix 5 members for use in the weekly mix show on WBMX.
Farley left in 1987 to join competing station WGCI. In lieu of a permanent replacement, a rotating group of guest mixers filled the fifth slot including Bad Boy Bill, Mike "Hitman" Wilson, and Frankie "Hollywood" Rodriguez. Kenny, Mickey and Ralph later moved to WGCI to rejoin Farley.
The City of Chicago, Illinois recognized the Hot Mix 5 members contribution to the creation of the House Music genre and honored them by presenting each member with an individual street named after them, and a "Hot Mix 5 Way" street which is located downtown on the corner of Michigan Avenue and Balbo Drive. Today The Hot Mix 5 members continue to perform globally individually and sometimes as a team.
Famous quotes containing the words hot and/or mix:
“And deep into her crystal body poured
The hot and sorrowful sweetness of the dust:
Whereof she wanders mad, being all unfit
For mortal love, that might not die of it.”
—Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892–1950)
“Intimately concerned as we are with the system of Europe, it does not follow that we are therefore called upon to mix ourselves on every occasion, with a restless and meddling activity, in the concerns of the nations which surround us.”
—George Canning (1770–1827)