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Rob Swift Of Brolic Army DJ School On How To Write A Book That Sparks A Movement

An Interview With Jake Frankel

Personalize what you have to say — the more relatable the topic, the easier it will be for your reader to connect with you as the author.

As part of my series about “How to write a book that sparks a movement” I had the pleasure of interviewing Rob Swift.

Rob Swift, a DJ par excellence, stands out for his unique contributions to the art of DJing and more incredible hip-hop. His first crowning achievement was winning the DMC East Coast title in 1992. As a founding member of the X-Ecutioners DJ crew, he played a pivotal role in shaping the DJ culture. Today, Rob Swift has continued his relentless pursuit of fresh directions, expanding his palette into the stratosphere of the academic world and spending his time teaching worldwide. He’s lectured at Case Western Reserve University and Cuyahoga Community College (Cleveland, Ohio), and Indiana University (Bloomington, Indiana) and participated in on-site and virtual workshops for entities such as the American Embassy Tajikistan, Colombia, and the United Arab Emirates. Moreover, Rob recently taught accredited courses in the art of DJing at The New School University (NYC) and is currently the chief academic officer of Brolic Army DJ School.

Thank you so much for joining us! Can you share the “backstory” of how you grew up?

My dad, Jose Aguilar, immigrated to Jackson Heights, Queens, in 1969 from Colombia, South America. He worked his butt off for 2 years, then sent for my mother, Clara, and older brother John in 1971. I was born in 1972 at Elmhurst Hospital, making me the first in the Aguilar family to be born on American soil. I grew up in Jackson Heights, Queens. Specifically, on 89th Street between 37th and Roosevelt Avenues, right off the number 7 train.

It was a diverse neighborhood, and it still is. My block alone had families from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds. My building had Colombians, Guianese, Italians, Ecuadorians, Hondurans, Jewish people, Puerto Ricans, and whatever nationalities didn’t live in my building I could find on my block. It made the experience of growing up dope because I learned about different cultures from a very early age. That, to me, is where the beauty of 1970s New York lays. It was the tail end of the great migration to New York City, and I got to play with kids from all over the world. Looking back, though, I now realize we kids grew up in the poorer section of Jackson Heights. I lived in a cramped tenement building. We were in a one-bedroom apartment with messed-up plumbing and horrible ventilation. It was your typical urban dwelling with mice and roaches for roommates. But I grew up happy, nonetheless.

The kids in my neighborhood always figured out ways to have fun. If we weren’t playing on the block, we were taking the mile walk to 69th Street and Roosevelt Avenue, where the USA Roller Skating Rink was located. That was the epicenter for Hip-Hop in Queens. As a kid, I’d enter Breaking contests there and watch performances from groups like Run DMC, Fearless Four, Cold Crush Brothers, Just Ice, Kool G Rap, etc. As poor as my folks were, I wouldn’t change my childhood for anything because it made me the person I am today.

When you were younger, was there a book you read that inspired you to take action or changed your life? Can you share a story?

The Autobiography of Malcolm X is the book that significantly impacted me as a kid. I was inspired to read it from listening to Public Enemy when I was 16. Hip-hop was entering its “knowledge of self” era, and groups like Boogie Down Productions and PE helped me better understand why I grew up in the conditions I did through their music. The most valuable lesson I learned from reading Malcolm X’s autobiography was that the school system teaches you just enough to get a job and be a “productive citizen.” Still, proper education has to be a journey you take outside of school, specifically through reading. To this day, I try my best to read 3 to 5 books a year because the self-learning I’ve acquired through books has helped me understand how to filter information and think critically. And to always be bold and renounce the ideas of someone I previously held in high regard. To think for myself.

What was the moment or series of events that made you decide to bring your message to the greater world? Can you share a story about that?

In 2022, one year before the hip-hop community was to celebrate the genre’s 50th anniversary, despite the breadth and depth of the diversity within hip-hop, I began noticing a narrative about the culture exclusively belonging to Black people being proliferated. As someone who’s been interacting with every element of hip-hop since 1979, I knew better. Hip-hop is not a monolith. Neither does it segregate. Hip-hop integrates, and you either belong or don’t belong based on the creativity you bring. Any person (black, white, red, brown, purple, and yellow) who contributes a part of themselves that’s palpable to the DJing, rapping, dancing, or art elements of hip-hop from the Bronx, NY, to Moscow, is an individual thread that helps weave together the fabric of the culture, regardless of race. Yet, this new, divisive take on hip-hop was coming from people on social media who were not active members or contributors to the movement. It’s so easy to curate an online identity that makes it look like you’re a part of hip-hop and pontificate but to embody it, honestly, you must show and prove, not just talk. So, my way of walking my talk was to write The City of Hip-Hop with my co-author, Rasul Mowatt.

What impact did you hope to make when you wrote this book?

To help people following the polarization within hip-hop in the last two years understand that hip-hop is like a jigsaw puzzle. To complete it, the puzzle maker needs to tether every piece. Some pieces have straight edges and frame the puzzle, while others help spell out the puzzle’s words or complete intricate details. Old, worn, simple pieces can make the picture’s core. Each piece is valuable because it allows surrounding pieces to connect. So, when you put together the puzzle of hip-hop, you don’t exclude, dismiss, or take for granted any of the pieces. The unique pieces make the puzzle complete because every piece is significant!

Did the actual results align with your expectations? Can you explain?

Honestly, I didn’t go into writing this manuscript with expectations. It’d be very egotistical of me to insist on particular book results. I’m just grateful to say I’ve completed the book, and now it’s available for people to read and learn more about hip-hop anecdotes not discussed in your typical hip-hop podcast or printed work.

What moment let you know that your book had started a movement? Please share a story.

The more I posted on xenophobia in hip-hop, the more I began noticing what I had to say, inspired dialogue amongst my followers on social media. What’s more, when I’d interact with fans in public, they would often thank me for using my voice to help tear down the walls erected to separate the hip-hop community. It’s like my platform became a place where people could learn the truth about the culture while offering their own opinions without feeling attacked. That’s when I knew I had started a movement of dissolving disinformation!

What kinds of things did you hear right away from readers? What are the most frequent things you hear from readers about your book now? Are they the same? Different?

Readers of The City of Hip-Hop mostly say how informative the book is. After reading it, they’ve come to understand how underneath the flashy, hyper-sexualized image of hip-hop today, there’s a deeper philosophical core to this counterculture. The book has helped them see how popular slogans like ‘The Benjamins,’ which have been around since the late 1990s, differ from the authentic hip-hop that initiated the movement in the 1970s.

What is the most moving or fulfilling experience you’ve had as a result of writing this book? Can you share a story?

Knowing that I’ve given back to hip-hop culture has been the most fulfilling experience. Putting together this manuscript made it so that the knowledge I’ve accumulated throughout the last four decades can be helpful information to someone else. In that sense, I’m repaying a culture that has created a pathway to experience myself as a breaker, graff writer, rapper, DJ, and now, author.

Have you experienced anything negative? Do you feel there are drawbacks to writing a book that starts such colossal conversation and change?

Nothing went to waste, regardless of my challenges or negative encounters from writing The City of Hip-Hop. I’ve used it all and wouldn’t delete any experiences that brought me where I am today.

Can you articulate why you think books, in particular, have the power to create movements, revolutions, and true change?

Books allow us to pass knowledge from generation to generation. They outlast the lifespan of their authors, making them forever!

What is the one habit you believe contributed the most to you becoming a bestselling writer? (i.e. perseverance, discipline, play, craft study) Can you share a story of an example?

My discipline and attention to detail when I communicate. I take pride in transmitting my thoughts to people because communication dictates our ability to navigate life. So, whether it’s thinking before I speak or carefully putting written words together, I know my reader’s understanding of the messages I’m trying to convey hinges upon the clarity with which I express myself.

What challenge or failure did you learn the most from in your writing career? Can you share the lesson(s) that you learned?

Writing itself is where the challenge lies. Putting words together cohesively and engagingly takes a lot of mental power. But I also see it as pivotal to my growth as a person. Every time I write, it’s like I’m accessing a portal into thoughts I wasn’t conscious of. So, as much of a challenge as it may be, it’s worth it!

Many aspiring authors would love to make an impact similar to what you have done. What are the 5 things writers need to know if they want to spark a movement with a book?

Number one, read. One of the most effective ways to become a good writer is to become a good reader. Number two, less is more. Reading takes enough focus as is, so aiming for a style of writing that is concise and straight to the point is essential. Number three, deliver value. Always make sure what you’re writing about is something the reader will find meaningful. Number four, write to express, not to impress. Be careful about trying to sound smart. People usually don’t want to be lectured to. Number five, personalize what you have to say — the more relatable the topic, the easier it will be for your reader to connect with you as the author.

The world, of course, needs progress in many areas. What movement do you hope someone (or you!) starts next? Can you explain why that is so important?

Considering this interview was all about communication, I think we as a society need a “movement” towards understanding how to speak with one another again. It feels like social media socializes us to talk at each other. Communication is a lost art and is a big part of why the world is so polarized. Humans need to relearn how to disagree and debate without attacking each other personally. This is important because otherwise, we’ll continue to hide behind our phones to express ourselves.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

Your readers can find me on Instagram, @brolicarm, and my DJ school, brolicarmydjschool.com.

Thank you so much for these insights. It was a true pleasure to do this with you.


Rob Swift Of Brolic Army DJ School On How To Write A Book That Sparks A Movement was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.