Hip Hop 101

Early Life and Artistic Ambitions

Growing up in a family of artists, Gregory Keltgen (aka DJ Abilities) had early ambitions of working in the visual medium, but it wasn't until he discovered Hip-Hop that he found an art form he truly identified with, and he immersed himself in all aspects of the culture.

Discovering Hip-Hop and Turntablism

After trying his hand at B-Boying, MCing, and even drawing graffiti-inspired comics, Abilities ultimately gravitated toward the turntables, becoming a DJ at age 17. He soon found himself deeply embedded in the Hip-Hop scenes of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, linking up with friends and future-collaborators who would become the foundation of Rhymesayers Entertainment, and it wasn’t long before he established a name for himself.

DJ Competitions and Early Successes

After only two short years of intense practice on the turntables, DJ Abilities went on to compete in the legendary DMC DJ competitions in 1999. He won the regional title and advanced to the U.S. finals that year, before doing it again in 2001.

Collaborations and Contributions

Soon after, Abilities was also garnering attention for performing all the scratches on El-P's classic debut, Fantastic Damage, as well as contributing his turntable talents and production skills to other cult favorites like The Anti-Album by Semi.Official, and The Taste of Rain Why Kneel? by Deep Puddle Dynamics, among others. But above all, his name would become most celebrated throughout the 2000s as one-half of the dynamic Hip-Hop duo Eyedea & Abilities.

Event Age Restriction

This event is 21 and over. Any ticket holder unable to present valid identification indicating that they are at least 21 years of age will not be admitted to this event, and will not be eligible for a refund.