Scott Monroe Sterling (March 2, 1962 â August 27, 1987), known by the stage name DJ Scott La Rock, was an American hip-hop disc jockey and music producer from the Bronx, New York. He was a founding member of the East Coast hip hop group Boogie Down Productions. He was also known for his association with the rapper KRS-One who was a member of Boogie Down Productions. Sterling's death in August 1987 is said to be the first murder of a major hip hop artist.