May 28–June 4, 1998

on media

Show Me The Cash Money

Veteran spin meister DJ Cash Money (aka Jerome Hewlett) was named as the first inductee into the DJ Hall of Fame sponsored by Technics turntable manufacturers last weekend in New York. Hewlett, a Philadelphia native who has been in the hip-hop spotlight for more than a decade, said that although the award is "long overdue," he is very pleased to see that the world finally recognizes Philadelphia as one of the birthplaces of rap.

"I've been in this industry for years," said Cash Money. "It feels good to get the recognition I deserve."

Hewlett began his career as a hip-hop DJ in the 1980s. He was the creator of "Transformer Scratch," a style of turntable mixing that allows DJs to mix records rhythmically; a style which has been adopted by many hip-hop DJs today.

Along with being the innovator of a unique mixing method, Hewlett was also one of the first DJs in Philadelphia to sign with Sleeping Bag Records, a major music label for hip-hop artists.

While creating hot mixes for Sleeping Bag, Hewlett competed in DJ competitions across the nation. In 1988, Cash Money won the right to represent the United States in the DJ World Championships in London, England, where he won the title of Greatest DJ in the World.

Cash Money has performed his craft in more than 20 countries. He has battled hip-hop DJs everywhere from Japan to South Africa. "Philly has pioneered a lot of things that have to do with hip-hop," said Hewlett, "and there are still many things for us to accomplish in the years to come."

DJ Cash Money can be seen at the Paradise Club on Front and Fairmount Streets on Friday nights. Starting June 6, he will host his own hip-hop revue called the "DJ Cash All World Show," from 6-8 p.m. on Philly 103.9 FM.

-Shean Baylor