Twenty-three years prior to the original publication of this article in September 2002, the burgeoning rap scene in New York City faced a harsh awakening. The murder of Scott “La Rock” Sterling in August 1987 was more than just the tragic loss of a promising DJ; it was a pivotal moment that profoundly shaped the trajectory of hip-hop. La Rock’s life and untimely death cast a long shadow, influencing the sound, business ethos, and social consciousness of the genre we know today.
While his career was tragically cut short, Scott La Rock’s impact is undeniable. With Boogie Down Productions (BDP), he laid the groundwork for gangsta rap through the raw street narratives and stark imagery of their seminal album Criminal Minded. Beyond the music, La Rock’s entrepreneurial spirit shone through B Boy Records, a Black-owned independent label that championed the independent hustle crucial to early hip-hop.
“Scott would have been Puff before Puff, no question,” remarked Chris Lighty, a close confidant of La Rock and later founder of Violator Records, emphasizing La Rock’s business acumen. “But without the dancing. He approached the music as a business at a time when most people just wanted to be down and make records.” This business-first mentality, coupled with his artistic vision, set La Rock apart as a true innovator.
Born on March 2, 1962, in South Ozone Park, Queens, Scott Monroe Sterling’s upbringing was far removed from the gritty Bronx streets he would later immortalize in his music. His parents separated when he was four, and Scott grew up with his mother, Carolyn Morant, a dedicated municipal employee. Their family moved from Queens to the Morisania and then Morris Heights sections of the Bronx during his youth. At Our Savior Lutheran High School, Scott excelled both academically and athletically, graduating in 1980 before pursuing higher education at Vermont’s Castleton State College. He earned a varsity letter in basketball, but realizing the NBA was not in his future, he shifted his focus to his other passion: music.
Lee “The Mack” Smith Jr., La Rock’s college roommate, recalled their priorities in a 1987 New York Times interview: “Our turntables were on our desks and our books were on the floor.” Music was clearly more than a hobby; it was a driving force in La Rock’s life even during his college years.
After graduating in 1984, Scott returned to New York City, seeking both employment and a foothold in the music industry. Through his mother’s connections, he secured a job as a social worker at the Franklin Armory Men’s Shelter in the Bronx. However, his nights were dedicated to the burgeoning hip-hop scene, DJing at the Broadway Repertoire Theatre on 145th Street, a local hotspot.
La Rock’s natural charisma and DJ skills quickly earned him recognition. DJ Red Alert remembers him as “a smooth, approachable brother” who “could relate to any type of person.” This ability to connect with diverse individuals was a key element of his rising influence.
While DJing was his entry point, La Rock’s ambition extended to music creation. He began learning beat-making from his Bronx friend Ced Gee (later of Ultramagnetic MCs) and searched for a rapper to partner with. Ironically, he found his MC not in a club, but at the homeless shelter where he worked.
One of La Rock’s duties at the shelter was distributing subway tokens to residents seeking job interviews. He soon discovered some residents were falsely claiming interviews to get tokens for other purposes. When La Rock confronted one such individual, a heated exchange ensued. The resident called La Rock a derogatory term, suggesting he was close to being homeless himself. La Rock retorted that the man was simply lazy. Security intervened, and the resident was removed.
That resident was Kris “KRS-One” Parker, a 20-year-old graffiti artist and self-proclaimed “philosopher” who favored street life over traditional work. Fate intervened three months later when La Rock and KRS-One crossed paths again at Ced Gee’s apartment, both working on music. La Rock, extending an olive branch, invited KRS-One to one of his DJ gigs.
KRS-One vividly remembers his introduction to the hip-hop scene at Broadway R.T. in the summer of 1985: “My mind got blown clean out of my head,” he recalled, overwhelmed by the presence of hip-hop luminaries like Mantronix and Doug E. Fresh.
La Rock took a liking to KRS-One and two other shelter residents, Joseph “Just Ice” Williams, Jr., and Derrick “D-Nice” Jones. KRS-One describes their early days: “He’d invite us down and we’d hang out way past the nine p.m. curfew, get drunk and party. At the end of the night Scott would take us all out for breakfast and we’d talk about who we were gonna be and what we were gonna do.” These formative experiences solidified the bond between La Rock and his future BDP crew.
Scott La Rock pictured with D-Nice and KRS-One in a promotional image for Boogie Down Productions, showcasing the early trio that shaped the sound of BDP.
In the fall of 1985, Scott La Rock and KRS-One began their musical collaboration. After initial setbacks, including a single released under the name Scott La Rock & the Celebrity 3, La Rock responded to an advertisement from Rock Candy Records and Filmworks seeking rap artists. He pitched the idea of a subsidiary label, B Boy Records, to be run by himself and KRS-One. Rock Candy agreed, and Boogie Down Productions was born, establishing their office in the Bronx’s Hunt’s Point area, with profits split evenly between La Rock and KRS-One.
BDP quickly began recording, creating demo tapes with early versions of tracks like “Elementary” and “Criminal Minded.” They attempted to get their music to Mr. Magic, a prominent DJ from the Juice Crew, but were dismissed. KRS-One’s reaction to this rejection was immediate and defiant: “We’re wack? MC Shan is wack!”
This slight fueled the creation of “South Bronx.” La Rock booked a mere two hours of studio time, and KRS-One laid down a track that was a direct diss to Mr. Magic, Marley Marl, Queensbridge, and the entire Juice Crew. “South Bronx” was a bold declaration of Bronx pride and a challenge to the established Queens hip-hop scene.
Chris Lighty remembered his reaction to hearing “South Bronx” for the first time: “Scott played me ‘South Bronx’ for the first time and I was like ‘Damn, we goin’ at them like that?’” La Rock’s response was purely business-driven: “Yeah, why not? It’s a business. What’s stopping us?” This fearless approach was characteristic of La Rock’s vision.
La Rock brought copies of “South Bronx” to DJ Red Alert at KISS FM and DJ Raoul at the Latin Quarter. MC Serch of 3rd Bass vividly recalled the impact at the Latin Quarter: “That was the first time that I ever saw a DJ play the same record back to back, over and over again.” “South Bronx” became an instant sensation, dividing the hip-hop community and igniting the infamous “Bridge Wars.”
The Juice Crew responded with MC Shan’s “Kill That Noise,” and BDP retaliated with the iconic diss track “The Bridge Is Over.” Capitalizing on the momentum of the “Bridge Wars,” Scott La Rock and KRS-One finalized their debut album, Criminal Minded, a record that would revolutionize rap music.
With production assistance from Ced Gee, La Rock crafted a groundbreaking sound for Criminal Minded – raw, hard-hitting beats with innovative sampling, yet still melodic and engaging. KRS-One’s lyrics painted a vivid and unflinching picture of street life in the Bronx during the crack epidemic. The album cover, conceived by La Rock, further solidified their image: a photo of the duo armed with guns and grenades, reflecting the “Criminal Minded” philosophy. As Lighty explained, “The title Criminal Minded was really his plan. He was like, ‘Let’s talk about reality, and do what we have to do to get the money, but not become criminals ourselves.’”
The iconic cover of Boogie Down Productions’ “Criminal Minded” album, a visual representation of the raw and confrontational themes explored within the music, a concept envisioned by Scott La Rock.
Released in early 1987, shortly after the birth of his son, Scott Sterling Jr., Criminal Minded was an instant critical and commercial success, selling approximately 300,000 copies in its first year. Despite the album’s success, B Boy Records’ questionable business practices limited La Rock and KRS-One’s financial gains.
The album, however, caught the attention of Warner Brothers A&R executive Benny Medina, who later managed stars like Will Smith and Jennifer Lopez. In August 1987, Medina offered BDP a $275,000 major label deal. Excited by this opportunity, La Rock and KRS-One planned to announce the signing at Madison Square Garden during the Dope Jam Tour, where they were scheduled to perform with Public Enemy and LL Cool J. They also began working on tracks for their next album, By All Means Necessary, including future classics like “My Philosophy,” “Stop the Violence,” and “I’m Still #1.”
Tragedy struck on a Tuesday night when D-Nice, a young member of their crew, was assaulted in the Highbridge neighborhood of the Bronx. The following afternoon, La Rock, KRS-One, Just Ice, their manager Scotty Morris, and bodyguard Darrel were meeting at a McDonald’s in Manhattan. They had just finalized a production deal for Just Ice’s album.
Just Ice recounted suggesting a celebratory trip to Brooklyn, but La Rock declined, not being a heavy smoker. As their meeting concluded, La Rock received a call from D-Nice detailing the assault. As a father figure to D-Nice, La Rock immediately decided to address the situation.
Chris Lighty explained the rationale: “You can’t have someone doing that to the youngest member of Boogie Down Productions. That just don’t make no sense.” La Rock contacted Lighty and the Violators for backup. They arranged a meeting point in the South Bronx. La Rock, Darrel, and Scotty Morris drove to Highbridge in a red jeep, followed by D-Nice and the Violators in another car.
Arriving in Highbridge on University Avenue, they found D-Nice’s attackers. Darrel confronted and physically assaulted some of the individuals. La Rock then intervened, attempting to de-escalate the situation.
“It seemed like it was mellow,” Lighty recalled, “Well, as mellow as some kids that just got smacked up can be. Then [Scott and Darrel] were walking back to the car, and gunfire starts—from the ground level, and it seemed like from a couple of levels up too.”
The Violators returned fire, providing cover for La Rock and Darrel to reach the jeep. Suddenly, two .22 caliber bullets pierced the jeep’s soft top. La Rock, seated in the back, was struck in the neck and behind the ear.
Scotty Morris and Darrel sped away, navigating the chaotic streets to Lincoln Memorial Hospital. La Rock was admitted at 11:15 p.m., critically wounded.
An image evoking the somber atmosphere at Lincoln Memorial Hospital after Scott La Rock was admitted, highlighting the gravity of the situation and the uncertainty faced by his crew.
Lighty and the Violators arrived at the hospital, unaware of who had been shot. “When we got there and saw him,” Lighty said, “it was like watching your own father pass away.”
KRS-One, reached at Ms. Melodie’s home, rushed to the Bronx hospital. MC Serch, who arrived around midnight, described KRS-One’s shock: “Kris kept saying the same shit over and over… ‘We gotta keep going. We just gotta move on…’”
At 2 a.m., Scott La Rock lost consciousness. An hour later, he was declared brain dead. His mother, Carolyn Morant, made the difficult decision to remove him from life support the following afternoon, allowing loved ones to say goodbye.
News of the tragedy spread, and a large gathering of friends and colleagues convened at the hospital. KRS-One remained in the waiting room, unable to see La Rock in that state. MC Serch, who visited La Rock, recounted the heartbreaking scene: “He was laying there with his shirt off… with this white towel draped over him and his arms were out. His wife was on one side and his mother on the other. They were both holding his hands. He was laid out like Jesus on the cross.” Serch described La Rock’s eyes slightly open and tears streaming down his face, a poignant and lasting image.
Scott “La Rock” Sterling passed away on Friday, August 27, 1987.
The very next night, KRS-One, D-Nice, Red Alert, and the BDP crew honored La Rock’s memory by performing at Madison Square Garden. A large photograph of Scott was lowered, and the stadium erupted as BDP launched into “Poetry,” a powerful moment of collective mourning and hip-hop unity.
In May 1988, arrests were made in connection with La Rock’s murder. Cory Bayne and Kendall Newland were charged, but were acquitted in November 1989 due to a lack of witnesses. Their whereabouts remain unknown.
Scott La Rock’s untimely death profoundly altered the course of hip-hop. Warner Bros. rescinded their contract offer, but BDP signed with Jive Records. “Stop the Violence,” initially conceived before his death, became a movement championed by KRS-One in La Rock’s memory. KRS-One became increasingly politically and socially conscious, using his platform to advocate for peace within hip-hop. In 1989, he assembled a star-studded lineup of rappers for the benefit single “Self Destruction,” launching the Stop the Violence Movement and fostering a new era of conscious rap, paving the way for artists like A Tribe Called Quest and Brand Nubian.
Chris Lighty reflected on the tragedy: “Scott’s death was meant to happen for KRS to go out there and make people think. That’s what I have to think, otherwise it just doesn’t make any sense.” Scott La Rock’s legacy extends far beyond his music; he remains an enduring symbol of hip-hop’s transformative power, both musically and socially. —Noah Callahan-Bever
