MMM's innovative and masterful technique of bringing sample-laden, soul beat-collage up in the mix's foreground pioneered much of what has fueled abstract (and concrete) hiphop's progression to this day. Contrary to the belief of the MTV generation, the Mix Master's greatest achievements have little to do with his now-classic collaborations with the Beastie Boys, and everything to do with the fact that he taught Invisible Skratch Pikl Q-Bert how to crunk the turntable up right. The two became legendary pioneer scratch DJs, were staunch rivals (Mike holds three DMC competition world titles--an unbroken record, FYI) and later joined forces in the Skratch Piklz to churn out perfectly encapsulated and compressed life-affirming capsules of raucous sound--all with the flick of a wrist.