Steinski (advertising writer, DJ and record collector Steve Stein) produced his first record in 1983. In response to a nationwide call for entries by Tommy Boy Records for the "Hey Mr. DJ Play That Beat Down By Law Switch The Licks Mastermix Contest," he and partner Double Dee (engineer and studio wizard Douglas DiFranco) produced "The Payoff Mix". A panel of 10 judges, including Afrika Bambaataa, Shep Pettibone and Arthur Baker, unanimously chose the Double Dee & Steinski mix as the winner.

Within two weeks "The Payoff Mix" became a Top 10 record on urban radio nationwide. The mix couldn't be sold due to clearance problems (of course), and it is still one of the most desirable and prized bootleg recordings in hip hop.

"The Payoff Mix" became the first record in a series now known as The Lessons. Double Dee and Steinski followed up with cut and paste landmark "Lesson Two: The James Brown Mix," which Fatboy Slim called "the record that always gets the crowd going." Then came "Lesson 3: The History of Hip Hop." The Lessons series quickly became highly sought after collectibles and led to homage records by DJ Shadow (Lesson 4), Cut Chemist (Lessons 4 and 6), DJ Format (The English Lesson), and DJ Bombjack (Lesson 7).

Soul Bus mp3
Steinski
From the It's A New Day Redux Project

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