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Scott La Rock
Scott La Rock
Background information
Birth name	Scott Monroe Sterling
Born	March 2, 1962; The Bronx, New York City, U.S.
Died	August 27, 1987 (aged 25); The Bronx, New York City, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop
Occupations	DJ; producer;
Years active	1986–1987
Labels	B-Boy
Formerly of	Boogie Down Productions;

Scott Monroe Sterling (March 2, 1962 – August 27, 1987), known by the stage name DJ Scott La Rock, was an American hip-hop disc jockey and music producer from the Bronx, New York. He was a founding member of the East Coast hip hop group Boogie Down Productions. He was also known for his association with the rapper KRS-One who was a member of Boogie Down Productions.

Sterling's death in August 1987 is said to be the first murder of a major hip hop artist.^[1]

Early life

Scott Sterling was born on March 2, 1962, in the Bronx, New York City. His parents separated when he was four years old, so he was raised by his mother, Carolyn Morant, a municipal employee.^[2] They moved from Queens, New York City, to the Bronx: first Morrisania and then Morris Heights.

He excelled in both academics and sports at Our Saviour Lutheran High School, graduating in 1980. He attended Castleton State College in Vermont and earned a varsity letter in basketball there.^[2]

Career

La Rock returned to New York City in hopes of finding work and making inroads in the music industry. Through a connection of his mother's, La Rock landed a job as a social worker at Franklin Armory Men's Shelter on 166th Street in the Bronx. At night, though, he spun records at the hip hop hot spot the Broadway Repertoire Theatre.^[2]

During his time as a social worker, La Rock met rapper KRS-One in 1986 at Franklin Men's Shelter where KRS resided. The pair formed Boogie Down Productions (BDP) with DJ Derrick "D-Nice" Jones, a cousin of the shelter's security guard, Floyd Payne.^[2] The group's 1987 debut album, Criminal Minded, is considered a hip hop classic.^[3]^[4]

Murder

On August 27, 1987, D-Nice was assaulted by men upset that he had been talking to one of their ex-girlfriends. D-Nice asked La Rock to help defuse the situation. Later that day, La Rock, Scotty "Manager Moe" Morris, DJ McBooo, D-Nice and BDP bodyguard Darrell rode a Jeep CJ-7 to the Highbridge Homes Projects^[2]^[5] building on University Avenue in the South Bronx.^[2] As they were leaving, bullets were fired through the side and top of the Jeep. La Rock struck his head on the dashboard, not realizing at the time he had been struck by a bullet in the back of his head.^[5] He was driven to Lincoln Hospital. He was conscious as he was wheeled into the emergency department, telling doctors he was feeling cold and tired. After lifesaving efforts failed, he was declared brain dead, and his mother later made the decision to terminate life support and donate his organs.^[6]^[7]