Grandmaster Flash, born Joseph Saddler, is a pioneering figure in hip-hop music and culture, known for his innovative DJ techniques and as a founding member of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. Emerging in the late 1970s from the South Bronx, his group was instrumental in popularizing the genre with their socially conscious lyrics and breakbeat DJing. Saddler himself is credited with developing techniques like quick mixing and "cutting", which became fundamental to turntablism. Their track, "The Message," is considered a landmark in hip-hop, addressing social issues in an unprecedented manner.