Funkmaster Flex
A New York radio titan who turned car trunks into bass-blasting concert halls and broke hip-hop records for a generation.
Born 1968 (age 58)·American DJ and radio host·Birthday: August 5·Generation X
Biography
In 1992, Funkmaster Flex took over Hot 97's first dedicated hip-hop show, shifting the station's identity and anchoring New York as rap's center. Born Aston George Taylor Jr. in the Bronx, he built his reputation spinning at clubs and block parties in the late 80s. His aggressive mixing style and deep crate of exclusive tracks earned a fierce following. Flex's power came from his 'bomb drops'—world premieres of hotly anticipated singles that sent shockwaves through the industry. He became a cultural gatekeeper and master showman. His car audio competitions turned automotive sound systems into spectacles of sonic force.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Funkmaster was born in 1968, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Funkmaster Was Born
The biggest hits of 1968
#1 Movie
2001: A Space Odyssey
Best Picture
Oliver!
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Funkmaster's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1968Born
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1973Started school
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1981Became a teenager
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Could drive
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1986Could vote
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Turned 21
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1998Turned 30
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 40
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 50
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 58 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Hosted the first dedicated hip-hop radio show on New York's powerhouse station Hot 97, transforming its format in 1992.
- Pioneered the 'bomb drop' radio premiere, making his show a mandatory stop for artists launching major records.
- Built a multimedia brand through his long-running TV show 'Ride with Funkmaster Flex' and signature automotive events.
- Released a series of influential mixtapes and compilation albums that captured the raw energy of New York street rap.
Did You Know?
He is a certified automotive technician and owns a custom car shop in the Bronx.
His record for most consecutive hours as a DJ is over 150 hours, set for a charity event.
He famously broke up a fight at a 1995 concert by playing Bob Marley's 'One Love' until the crowd calmed down.
“I don't follow trends, I set them.”
