Long before Heads could go digging in the crates with two tabs of YouTube, Louis “Breakbeat Lou” Flores was a trusted source of dusty-sonic knowledge. One of the creators of the Ultimate Breaks & Beats compilation series, the New York City native helped take deep cuts by Dennis Coffey, ESG, and Roy Ayers, and put them in the crates of would-be iconic DJs and producers.

Involved with playing Hip-Hop music since 1974, Breakbeat Lou churned out game-changing compilations between 1986 and 1991. As a result, some of the records Lou compiled became priceless record store (and collector) relics, influencing the careers of the artists who originally made the cuts.

The latest guest on Dubspot Radio, Breakbeat Lou flexes his chops as a DJ. It’s not just rare groove or breaks that Lou cues up. The New Yorker plays The Pharcyde, Snoop Dogg, Run-DMC, before getting to some of what’s made him great: James Brown, Can, and a little splash of Ronnie Laws and even Bob James (who is in the news this week). If you want to see what a Hip-Hop mix sounds like, when inspired by the trailblazing days of the culture, this is your portal:

Related: D.I.T.C.’s Showbiz Digs In The Crates For An Hour-Long Mix Of Breakbeats (Audio)