In the late 1970s and into the early 80s, MCs constantly battled as means of gaining popularity and spreading their music amongst hip hop fans. While early DJ culture focused more on who had the best equipment and could perform the loudest, eventually technological advancement forced DJs to find new avenues to themselves apart(Katz 44,50). One of the most prominent ways Mcs sought to set themselves apart was by pushing the limits of their equipment to create sounds which had never been utilized before in hip-hop.  One of the leaders in the southern Bronx hip-hop and DJ culture was Afrika Bambaataa. The South Bronx neighborhoods, post deindustrialization, and urban planning, was heavily influenced by gang culture which was associated with perpetuating violence. Afrika Bambaataa organized the “Universal Zulu Nation”, a group of hip-hop influencers “to promote peace and unity among Bronx gangs”(Toop et. al). Consistent with DJ culture of the late 1970s and early 80s Bambaataa and his crew performed at parties for the local youth and communities. Bambaataa’s style of DJing featured “looped the percussive sections (breakbeats) from obscure rock, funk, and electro-pop records as rhythm tracks for rappers, adding unexpected layers to these beats using bits of cartoon melodies and film themes.”Toop et. al). Bambaataa’s early techniques of drawing upon the sounds of different genres helped to set him apart in the competitive DJ culture of the late 70s.