Robert Aguilar, a.k.a. Rob Swift, grew up in Queens, New York and was already DJing by the age of 12 thanks to the influence of his father and older brother. In 1991, he was recruited to join a prestigious Harlem-based DJ crew called The X-Men. In 1992, Swift won the prestigious DMC East Coast title, and gained recognition within the DJ community. He soon started recorded with artists like Fat Joe, Akinyele, and Chi-Ali.
The X-Men eventually changed both their personnel and their name. They became The X-Ecutioners and narrowed down to Rob, his longtime friend Roc Raida, and Mista Sinista. That lineup released successful albums like
Built From Scratch and
Revolutions, toured the world, and worked with artists like Linkin Park, Big Pun, Everlast, Rob Zombie, and even the Blue Man Group.
Since leaving the X-Ecutioners, Rob has continued his experimentation. He’s worked with jazz artists like Herbie Hancock and Bob James, released
an album inspired by classical music, and even started teaching DJing at the New School in New York City.
