Iconic DJ and founder of The Loft, also known as the "first underground dance party" in New York, David Mancuso has passed away. He was 72.

Mancuso is widely known for inspiring many of today's influential DJs as a legitimate art form and championed the underground party scene in 1970 with his inaugural event called Love Saves The Day. The positivity he inspired on and around the dancefloor gave way to future discotheques like Paradise Garage and The Gallery.

Mancuso was inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame in 2005 for his outstanding work as a DJ and is honored by many as not only a big fixture of New York's scene, but also as one of the true pioneers of DJing and dance music culture as we know it today.

Another one of my heroes gone too soon ...rest in power David Mancuso. You changed my life forever. #mydjidolhttps://t.co/MOPn7QdbRq

— KingBritt (@kingbritt) November 15, 2016

“@Mixmag: RIP to a true pioneer, David Mancuso ????- so many icons & originators we lost this year..#LoveSavesTheDaypic.twitter.com/lQfVY2H1Vf”

— Roger Sanchez (@djrogersanchez) November 15, 2016