Day 457 of Staying the Fuck Inside

Continuing my pondering of the hierarchical structure of the hip hop designations of Jam Master, Mix Master, Rock Master, and Grandmaster…

Would “DJ” (as in DJ Jazzy Jeff, DJ Red Alert, DJ Kool Herc, etc.) be considered akin to a Neophyte grade? Or would this be more like the lower level sumo wrestlers, working their way up to Yokozuna?

Or, if it’s more akin to Neophyte, could it be possible that when Grandmaster Flash turned over leadership of the Furious Five to Melle Mel (who assumed the role of Grandmaster), had Flash crossed the Abyss, and achieved Ipsissiumus status?

If so, giving Melle Mel the role of Grandmaster to conduct the affairs of the Outer Lodge of the Furious Five would make sense, as Flash would have more otherworldly concerns at that point.

This obviously meant initiating a new “Furious Fifth” into the Lodge.

Is it possible that the album cover for The Message may have been conceived during this transitional phase, and the reason for 7 people on what should have been a 6 person album cover was a coded “Message” (and the actual “Message”?) that this transition of power was in the works?

It’s like a jungle, sometimes it makes me wonder how I keep from going under.