by Cedric ‘BIG CED’ Thornton
August 1, 2024
‘Thank you for believing in me and embracing me for what I’ve been doing’
Legendary hip-hop DJ Kool DJ Red Alert, who is commemorating 40 years in radio, was honored with a statute in Harlem, New York, where he grew up.
The sculpture was unveiled on Friday, July 19, at Montefiore Square, West Harlem, located at 138th Street and Broadway.
BLACK ENTERPRISE got the opportunity to speak to the legendary Kool DJ Red Alert about how the statue of him came to be, how it felt to witness an honor being unveiled, and what he has to say to the people who have supported him over 40 years.
Red Alert stated that a good friend of his, Irving Pantin, introduced him to the sculptor of the piece, Sherwin Banfield, and that started the process of getting his likeness made. Banfield has also done statues of other iconic hip-hop figures, The Notorious B.I.G., LL COOL J, and ‘The Cipher in Queens’ in Socrates Park that features Phife Dawg from A Tribe Called Quest, Jam Master Jay from Run-DMC, and Prodigy of Mobb Deep.
He said that Banfield was interested in meeting with him in anticipation of building a statue. The conversation took place last year.
“The gentleman called me up, and he said let me have a sit down so I can feel you out and get an idea of where I want to go with this.”
According to the legendary DJ, they spoke, and Red didn’t think much about it because he was working on other projects. Two and a half months later, Banfield contacted him again and told him the sculpture was done. Red didn’t realize that he was working on it. Banfield asked him for a mix to incorporate the music into the sculpture so people would hear it when they saw the statue.
“It’s a mix that you would hear within the sculpture when people come to view it.”
The unveiling was surreal for Red Alert, and he didn’t realize the impact he and his work had on people over the years. When it was uncovered, he had many questions.
“There were so many different types of feelings inside me. Is this real? Is this me? Is this how people feel for me, and you know, it’s a little bit of everything, but at the same time, I learned to grab it and soak it and take time to endure the whole thing.”
He did have something to say to all who have been in his corner for years and still listen to his work and/or tune into his shows.
“What I want to say is to each and every person that has spent time listening to me. People on the radio or in the clubs, or you heard the tape or anything in person, one time or another throughout your time. Thank you for believing in me and embracing me for what I’ve been doing.”
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