Industry News

Carlos De Jesus, legendary disco DJ on New York City radio station WKTU Disco 92.3 and the original host of New York Hot Tracks from 1983-1986 on WABC-TV, died Monday, according to the New York Daily News.

As a DJ in the late 1970s and early 1980s, De Jesus, along with co-DJs Paco, Rosko, Freddie Colon and others, he helped transform WKTU from a middling soft-rock station to a disco-centric tastemaker that rose to become the number one radio station in New York City during his time there, where he eventually climbed to a position as program director.

He later became the first host of the weekly hour-long television series New York Hot Tracks, which was syndicated to over 110 different markets in its seven-year run and often featured De Jesus introducing disco tracks from different nightclub hot spots around the city. De Jesus was the host from 1983-1986, leaving before the show's conclusion in 1989.



In addition to his widespread reputation as a leading proponent of disco music, he is also known to have been one of the first DJs to play hip-hop music on the radio, adding "Rapper's Delight" by the Sugarhill Gang to the station's playlist in 1979, a record that is usually cited as one of the first rap songs ever made.

Below, check out De Jesus' interview with Madonna right before premiering her video "Burning Up."