The five commonly recognized elements of hip hop are the following: B-Boying (breakdancing), MCing, DJing, Graffiti Art and Beatboxing.
At least, so I always heard. Recently though I’ve discovered that there is some controversy as to what the fifth element actually is. Many now claim it is knowledge or overstanding of hip hop culture itself. Still others contend that there are now actually 9 elements going so far as to include fashion, language, culture and entrepreneurialism being the new additions. Finally, there are those who only accept the first four… whichever definition you opt for, however, Arizona’s own DJ Element embodies them all.
Born and raised in Phoenix on the Salt River Indian Reservation, DJ Element (born Logan
Howard) began DJing in 1994. Within five years he had released his first mix-tape and formed the Versatile DJ’s with fellow turntablist DJ Abel. Element twice ventured to Oklahoma City where, both times, he took the title for Culture Shock DJ Battle Champion. The early 21st Century was a very prolific time for Element as he released The Origin (2000) Digger’s Delight (2001) and Freestyle Session Mixtape Vol. 5 (2003). For the past seven years, Element has kept himself busy touring the world, opening for countless hip hop artists and becoming associated with numerous communities throughout hip hop culture including Armory Massive and the Furious Styles Crew.
In recent years, Element has released two more albums, continues to serve as one of the resident DJ’s at the Blunt Club in Tempe, and is currently on his first tour of the summer, playing cities around the country on the 2010 Truth With Your Whiskey Tour.
Not long after he gets back to town, DJ Element will be heading back out on the road on one of the illest tours I have heard of, the 2010 Rock The Bells Festival featuring Snoop Dogg, A Tribe Called Quest, Wu-Tang Clan, Rakim, KRS-One, Slick Rick, DJ Premier, Immortal Technique, Street Sweeper Social Club, plus tons more.
Without question, DJ Element deserves to share the stage with these legends. Make sure to catch him live when he’s back on home turf or save your pennies and make it out to the Rock The Bells Festival if you can. Long live AZ Hip Hop!
