Rockit

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"Rockit" was a single from Herbie Hancock's 1983 album Future Shock. The single was written by Hancock, bass guitarist Bill Laswell and synthesizer/drum machine programmer Michael Beinhorn.

Constructed and composed during the recording process at various studios, including Martin Bisi's in Brooklyn NY , "Rockit" was perhaps the first popular single to feature scratching and other turntablist techniques, performed by Grand Mixer DXT- an influential DJ in the early years of turntablism- using turntables as a musical instrument outside of a hip hop music context. Many later turntablists have cited "Rockit" as revelatory, inspiring their interest in the instrument.

The single was a major radio hit in the United Kingdom but more of an underground hit in the United States. The humorous music video, directed by duo Godley & Creme and featuring robots moving in time to the music, was among the earliest videos to feature African Americans on MTV and garnered five MTV Video Music Awards in 1984, including Best Concept Video, Best Special Effects, and Most Experimental Video.

In 1985 at the Grammy Awards, Hancock performed "Rockit" in the infamous synthesizer jam which also featured Thomas Dolby, Howard Jones and also Stevie Wonder.

In 1986 it was featured in the Soviet film The Courier alongside a hip hop dance sequence making it one of the songs to introduce hip-hop to the USSR. The song was later remixed by V-Video, an early Russian video company to be played with its logo.

It is also featured in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and is included in its soundtrack box-set, and was used in the movie Zoolander in the final runway scene.

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