Understanding the History of Rap Music-5

Understanding the History of Rap Music-5

CHART #2: 1979-'84

Why is it so difficult to sort out hip-hop's maze of claims, counterclaims, and contradictions? Nobody worried about documenting what remained essentially a local scene, nor the diehard separation between the B-Boy and disco camps, which never acknowledged each other's contributions. With the success of Kurtis Blow's "Christmas Rappin'" (1979) and "The Breaks" (1980), along with "King Tim III (Personality Jock)" (Fatback, 1979) and "Rapper's Delight" (Sugarhill Gang, 1979), the original categories evolved into "just plain ol' rap!" as Kurtis would have it.

Grandmaster Caz -- His rhymes are said to have provided the backbone of rap's (and Sugarhill's) first big hit....

Sugarhill Gang -- Michael "Wonder Mike" Wright, Guy "Master Gee" O'Brien, and Henry "Big Bank Hank" Jackson. "Rapper's Delight," "8th Wonder," "Apache," "Funk Box."

The Treacherous Three -- "Feel The Heartbeat"

Grandmaster Melle Mel & The Furious Five -- "White Lines (Don't Do It)," "Jesse." Recruited new members and kept group's name for two years following the '83 split.

Sugar Hill Records
Rahiem: "The way they were able to get records on the street -- that was amazing! If we cut that week, the record was on the street next week."

Spoonie Gee -- "Monster Jam," "Spoonin' Rap," "Spoonie Is Back"

The Sequence -- Angie B, Cheryl the Pearl, Blondie. "Funk You Up," "Monster Jam," with Spoonie (well, what else would you call it?)

Grand Master Flash & The Furious 5 -- "The Message," "Freedom," "It's Nasty (Genius Of Love)," "New York, New York"
Flash -- Went to Elektra with Raheem and Kid Creole
Rahiem -- "Reflecting back, 'Message II (Survival)' and 'New York, New York' should have been on The Message album. That wasn't in our foresight, and I guess it wasn't in Sylvia's either."
Remained rap's preeminent group until discontent with their label, and internal dissension, led to court battle, then split into rival camps. Rahiem: "I remember one Christmas 'The Message' had been out a few months, and we were expecting some kind of money, and when it didn't happen, I remember the group pitching a bitch about it. When I say 'divided,' we were divided over our decisions, and when I say 'conquered,' we were conquered...over money. In the music business, you don't get what you deserve -- only what you negotiate."

Kurtis Blow -- Early successes led to supporting Bob Marley and the Commodores on tour and management by Russ Simmons. Russell's younger brother Joey Simmons (Run) broke his arm, so he couldn't DJ for Blow in 1980. No matter; Blow produced Joey's crew as well as the Fat Boys, who both reaped considerable benefits from Kurtis' guitarist, Larry Smith, and multi-instrumental DJ, Davy DMX!

Run DMC -- "It's Like That," "Sucker MCs," "Rock Box"

Fat Boys -- né the Disco Three, c. 1983. "The Human Beatbox" Darren "Buff" Robinson (died of cardiac arrest in '95), Mark "Prince Markie Dee" Morales, Damon "Kool Rock-ski" Wimbley

Afrika Bambaataa -- "Planet Rock," "Funk You," "Renegades Of Funk," all smashes on Tommy Boy Records.
Mr. Biggs
Pow Wow
MC G.L.O.B.E.
Jazzy Jay -- producer, "Jazzy Sensation"

"Love Bug" Starski -- "At The Fever"/"You Gotta Believe," 1983

Rob Base & D.J. E-Z Rock -- "It Takes Two"

Whodini -- "Friends"

UTFO -- "Roxanne, Roxanne"

Juice Crew -- Roxanne Shanté, M.C. Shan, Biz Markie, Big Daddy Kane. All off to solo careers.
The History of Rap Music..

Understanding the History of Rap Music-4

Understanding the History of Rap Music-4

Chart #1: The Early to Mid-'70s

In the beginning there was rhythm...until something else emerged from New York City's South Bronx: a rougher, rowdier spin on funk innovators like James Brown, George Clinton, Marvin Gaye, and Sly Stone. Rap. Based on the fundamentals of "beats" (copped off other people's records) and "breaks" (assisted by a turntable and some discreet crossfading), the MCs' contrasting delivery styles soon split along two camps: Disco and B-Boys.

Disco: Appealed more to black disco crowd and stressed crowd response over actual rhyming.

Pete DJ Jones -- New York's #1 DJ, c. early '70s. His mixing style and sound system kept 'em moving with MCs the Disco King and JT Hollywood.

DJ Hollywood -- c. 1974. One of the genre's early top New York DJs; assisted by DJ Junebug, who was murdered in the early '80s. Key record: "Hollywood's World."

Eddie Cheeba -- New York's #1 DJ, c. 1975-77, earning $2,000 a night.

"Love Bug" Starski -- Goes back to the days of Pete DJ Jones. His career peaked in the mid to late '70s. Kurtis Blow: "The only guy I ever saw who could play to both crowds. Nobody could mess with 'Love Bug'!" Key record: "Gigolette."

Early Originators:
Plummer
Maboya
Grandmaster Flowers (supported James Brown at Yankee Stadium).
All came in Jones' wake as disco DJs/MCs

Kurtis Blow -- né Walker; Kool DJ Kurt, c. 1976.
Felt drawn to both camps for different reasons: "When I saw Pete (DJ Jones), I realized it didn't have to be one or the other."

B-Boys: More in touch with the streets than their counterparts. Favored a tougher, rapid-fire rhyming approach.

Kool DJ Herc -- "The godfather of hip-hop"; despite his slight rhyming skills, his massive stature and sound system inspired such followers as...

"Herculoids"

Afrika Bambaataa -- Founded modern B-Boy style. Ex-Black Spades gang leader's 26 record crates made him a topflight DJ.

Grand Master Flash -- "Herculoid" who created his own aggressive turntable style. As Raheem notes: "To see Flash at that time, you'd be in awe. He'd catch (a record) in the air...handcuffed!" Accompanied by "Cowboy" Keith Wiggins, one of rap's first certified MCs, Flash formed Future Players. Often strapped for cash, they didn't seem strapped for acts, as attested by earlier efforts.

Paul Winley -- Issued two Bambaataa 12-inch singles in 1980, including "Zulu Nation Throwdown."

Bobby Robinson -- Enjoy Records (1979-82). Debuted Flash and crew ("Superrappin'") and Funky 4 + 1, which included future Furious Fivester Raheem, among others.

Sylvia Robinson, Joe Robinson, Joey Robinson Jr. -- Family-run Sugar Hill took over when Bobby Robinson of Enjoy Records dropped out of the scene.

Russell Simmons -- Then a local promoter (c. 1979-80).
The history of Rap Music

Understanding History of Rap Music-3

Understanding History of Rap Music-3

DJ Hollywood was the first rhythmic disco rapper. Unlike Herc he was not confined to the South Bronx. He would DJ downtown, midtown, and throughout the five boroughs of New York City -- although he gained his fame at Club 371 in the Bronx. His flyers read: "Featuring the Golden Voice of DJ Hollywood."

Hollywood was mainstream disco, but he was also the first DJ to interweave that sound with rhythmic rap as we all know it. And unlike the DJs and MCs before him who were basically like radio announcers generating crowd participation, Hollywood put raps together in rhythm with chants -- with eloquent, simple rhymes and a lot of crowd response. "Everybody scream!" was his house-rocker, and "Throw ya hands in the air!" became a chant heard at concerts around the world.

In 1975, '76, and '77 Hollywood became New York's #1 DJ and, space permitting, could draw up to 2,000 people on any given night. During that time Club 371 became the #1 club in the city. I remember going there back in 1977. The lines wrapped around the block. It was impossible to get in if you didn't have the juice. Luckily I knew Reggie Wells, the club's musical director, who went to CCNY with Russell Simmons and I.

As with Pete DJ Jones and Kool DJ Herc, not only did Herc and Hollywood dislike one another, but neither recognized nor respected the other's contributions. For the most part, even their fans were different. The B-Boys were from the ghetto, while disco was for the middle class and the rich. But there was hip-hop in both worlds. It was the hip-hop tug-o'-war -- disco rappers versus the B-Boys.

DJ Hollywood became another hero of mine because of his great voice. The man had style and class. DJ Junebug, the DJ behind Hollywood, was just as exceptional as Pete DJ Jones and Grand Master Flash. Tragically, he was murdered in the early '80s. God bless you, DJ Junebug.

Grand Master Flash (Joseph Saddler) earned his name with his speed on the turntables. He rose to legendary status in the world of hip-hop right as Kool Herc's reign was ending. A B-Boy to the extreme, Flash's DJ style took Herc's playlist to the next level. He was the first (even though some say it was the Grand Wizard Theodore) to utilize "scratching" and "cutting" -- taking two records and keeping the break repeating continuously -- thus rearranging the song and creating an extended instrumental groove over which the MC or rapper could entertain the crowd with raps. Flash studied the techniques of Kool DJ Herc, Grandmaster Flowers, Maboya, Plummer, and Pete DJ Jones. But it was Flash's desire to emulate Pete's style while playing the "antidisco" music favored by Herc that led to his turntable experimentations -- and took hip-hop to the next level.

In 1974 Flash began playing parties in the neighborhood and gained quite a reputation for rocking the house. Two years later he teamed up with rapper Keith Wiggins, who soon became known as Cowboy, and the pair rocked parties throughout the South Bronx. (Note: Flash, a B-Boy, did not play the same circuit as Hollywood, a disco rapper, but they were both hot at the same time.)

In 1976 Flash and Cowboy were joined by Melle Mel (Melvin Glover), Kidd Creole (Nathaniel Glover), Mr. Ness -- aka Scorpio (Eddie Morris) -- and later Rahiem (Guy Williams). Who knew then that they would become the premier rap group of the early '80s? Grand Master Flash & The Furious 5 went on to gain immense recognition in the recording industry with several hit records.

I didn't get a chance to experience Flash until late '77, because I was a DJ and an MC myself, doing disco shows in and around New York. When I did see him perform at the Hotel Diplomat, there was a spotlight on his hands. He had rings on every finger, and the reflection of the spotlight on his rings made it seem as if his hands were sparkling as he cut up the beats. He was a most incredible DJ; he inspired me to get back to the B-Boy school of hip-hop. So it was a dream come true when I finally got the chance to work with Flash & The Furious 5 in 1978. We were called Grand Master Flash & The Furious 7 (Kool Kyle was the seventh MC).

Afrika Bambaataa is a bona fide hip-hop legend. He is affectionately known as the grandfather of hip-hop, having been a part of the movement since 1972. The former gang leader of the Black Spades, Bambaataa is the founder of the Zulu Nation, an organization dedicated to peace, love, and unity. The Zulu Nation is said to have worldwide membership of more than 400,000, including some of rap music's brightest stars. Celebrated master of the beats, Bambaataa is known to have more than 25 crates of records! His 1982 hit, "Planet Rock," is still a highly sampled reference standard.

I have talked about Flash and Bambaataa in Volume 1 because they were influential during these early days. Since their records actually came out later, I will mention them in the next volume as well. Also, Run DMC and I will be mentioned in Volumes 2 and 3 although we were significant back in these early days as well.

There were many MCs, groups, and DJs who participated during the beginning of rap, and they should not go unrecognized. This "family tree" traces their lineage:
History of Rap Music

Understanding the history of rap music-2

Understanding the history of rap music-2

The B-Boy crowd was different from the middle class blacks who were represented at Pete DJ Jones' parties. There was no dress code at a B-Boy party; we were younger and wore tennis shoes, jeans, mock necks, Playboys, Kangols, sweatsuits, etc. I remember many weekends going downtown to 43rd Street and Lexington Avenue to Nell Gwynn's on Friday night to check out Pete DJ Jones, and then traveling uptown the following night on the Number 4 train to the Bronx to check out Kool Herc at the Executive Playhouse. I was torn between these two DJs. Songs like:

"Give It Up Or Turnit A Loose (In The Jungle Groove Remix)" by James Brown. This is the national anthem of hip-hop. Every B-Boy, MC, rapper, DJ, rap group, break-dancer, and aerosol artist knew this song, and when it was played at a party or club, everyone knew it was time for the best B-Boys to do battle. Definitely the highlight of the night.

"Get Into Something" by The Isley Brothers. Many people remember The Isley Brothers for their ballads, but this song has a drum break that is incredible. Excellent for the B-Boy break-dancer in you.

"Melting Pot" by Booker T. & The M.G.'s. This song is one of my favorites. The jazz feel epitomizes what hip-hop is all about. You'll love this one.

"Listen To Me" by Baby Huey. A strictly underground song for real B-Boys and Kool DJ Herc fans. Strong intro with strong R&B tracks.

"Scorpio" by Dennis Coffey & The Detroit Guitar Band. This song was a big national hit in 1971. Very funky and with an incredible break as well. Young MC used it in "Bust A Move" as did LL Cool J in "Jingling Baby."

"It's Just Begun" by The Jimmy Castor Bunch. The song's intro is probably its most popular part: "What we're gonna do right here is go back -- way back." Check out the guitar solo and the break.

"Apache" by Michael Viner's Incredible Bongo Band. This is one of the records Kool DJ Herc brought over from Jamaica. A calypso hip-hop feel with incredible percussion breaks. Also check out the guitar line that the Sugarhill Gang pilfered in their version of the same song.

"Hum Along And Dance" by The Jackson 5ive. Only a real B-Boy or a hard-core Jacksons fan would know this song. It may seem unbelievable that Michael Jackson contributed to the creation of hip-hop, but if you don't believe me, check out how funky this song is.

"Love The Life You Live" by Black Heat was another of my B-Boy favorites. This song has the most incredible break for your power moves. Many people know the original by Kool & The Gang, but this version is for the real B-Boy.

"Theme From S.W.A.T." by Rhythm Heritage. Pete DJ Jones loved to cut up the break of this song whereas Kool Herc couldn't quite pull it off. Remember the TV series S.W.A.T.? We're going way back here....

"Dance To The Drummer's Beat" by Herman Kelly & Life actually came out during the end of Kool Herc's reign. Hollywood, Eddie Cheeba, Starski, and Flash made it popular in the late '70s. There is a great percussion break that became very popular, enabling the DJ to show his skills.

"King Tim III (Personality Jock)" by Fatback was the first rap record. King Tim III was a rapper from Harlem who got a break by landing a job with old school dogs of funk Fatback. He would rap during the band's musical breakdowns, entertaining the crowd with call and response. When it comes to giving credit for making the first rap record, people get amnesia.

It is mandatory to express the importance of these songs. You have to understand that disco music was the hottest thing out -- it was a craze that infiltrated all of American society. We were the rebels who couldn't relate. We weren't going for it. These songs represent our attitude. They FEATURE strong R&B dance tracks, some with roots in Jamaica and Africa . These are 12 of my favorites out of about 100. I love the breaks of these songs -- they enabled the B-Boys to get off their best moves, creating a circle of people around them who would watch amazed as the best would battle in dance. I was one of those B-Boy dancers and one of the best in Harlem. I loved to travel up to the Bronx and battle with the Herculoids (Kool Herc followers): The Nigga Twins, Clark Kent, D.ST, DJ Coke La Rock, etc. When I went to Pete's gigs there was rarely any competition, except for when I battled Dancin' Doug from the Polo Grounds for the crown of Harlem. I lost that night at Nell's, so I think I was about the second best B-Boy in Harlem. What a feat -- ugh -- I mean defeat! But as for Kool DJ Herc and the Herculoids, they blasted NYC with a trend that soon became a culture for all the world to embrace. (Did you know I changed my name to Kool DJ Kurt for a while in 1976?)
History of Rap Music..

Understanding the History of Rap Music

To understand the history of rap music, you need to know two things:

1. Rap is talking in rhyme to the rhythm of a beat.

2. Hip-hop is a culture, a way of life for a society of people who identify, love, and cherish rap, break dancing, DJing, and graffiti.

In the early '70s, when I was about 13 or 14 and disco was monopolizing the mainstream airwaves, the rap movement was just being born. A man by the name of Pete DJ Jones was about the most notable DJ during those early days. To me he epitomized the true meaning of a DJ. He had the precise timing necessary to enable the partygoer to dance nonstop while keeping the break of a record playing continuously. He had a clean mixing style and an excellent sound system.

I remember seeing Pete at a club called McCoys on 43rd Street and Third Avenue (midtown Manhattan) in 1972. I was 13 then and got in the club by using a phony ID. What I experienced that night was something that not only changed the course of my life, but also would eventually revolutionize the music industry. Pete was New York's #1 DJ. He had an MC named JT Hollywood (not to be confused with DJ Hollywood, who came on the scene around 1973), who was the first real MC I can remember. (During those early days an MC was the master of ceremonies -- the host of the party, show, or gathering. He told the crowd where they were and the DJ's name. He motivated them to have a good time.) What really knocked me out about JT Hollywood that night was when he said to the people, "If you want to have a good time tonight, somebody say 'Oh Yeah.'" The crowd of 1,000 responded by shouting, "Oh Yeah!"

Pete DJ Jones became my hero, and I followed him everywhere. I studied him, his style, his playlist, his MCs: JT Hollywood, JJ the Disco King, and the great "Love Bug" Starski. I followed him to all of the big midtown black clubs: Nell Gwynn's, Pippins, Nemos, Justine's, Ipanemas. I became a Pete DJ Jones follower and a DJ myself later on that year.

The teenagers of the South Bronx and Harlem didn't have the money to pay for admission to the expensive midtown and downtown clubs, so they had their own parties. Along the way, clubs, house parties, and block parties sprang up all over New York ghettos, giving birth to the neighborhood DJ and MC. Something of a mutation of disco, hip-hop was also a rebellion against disco.

Kool DJ Herc, the godfather of hip-hop, was a Jamaican-born DJ who moved to the Bronx in 1967. With his unique playlist of R&B, soul, funk, and obscure disco, Herc quickly became the catalyst of the hip-hop way of life. The kids from the Bronx and Harlem loved his ghetto style, which gave birth to the concept of the B-Boy. The B-Boy -- or beat boy, break boy, Bronx boy -- loved the breaks of Kool Herc, and as a result soon created break dancing. These were the people of the hip-hop culture. While Pete DJ Jones was #1 for the black disco crowd in NYC, Herc and the B-Boys were the essence of the hip-hop movement, because of they lived the lifestyle. The way they danced, dressed, walked, and talked was unique, as opposed to most of the disco artists and fans of the time, who were not as in touch with the urban streets of America.
History of rap music

The Fat Boys

THE FAT BOYS (HISTORY OF RAP MUSIC)
" The Fat Boys left a major impression on popular mainstream rap of the early ‘80s. One of the first groups to actually showcase the human beatbox artform over comedic rapping, The Fat Boys presented themselves humorously as a rap group known for poking fun at their own weight problems rather than looking sharp with the coolest image that seemed to be a marketing-must at the time. The human beatbox was perfected by Darren Robinson and became
the first to record this vocalization.

The Fat Boys played an important role in the early foundation of emcees taking over hip-hop.The three members, The Human Beat Box, Prince Markie Dee and Kool Rock-ski all grew up rapping in the same neighbourhood. Darren perfected the talented technique of making percussion-like sounds with his voice box and mouth. As his parents could not afford a drum machine, he was left with no option hence why Darren Robinson was called The Human Beatbox. Before 1984 known then as the Disco 3, the group entered the Coca-Cola/Tin Pan Apple rap contest at Radio City Music Hall and won the event hands down. First prize was a record contract, second prize was a stereo, and the group wanted the stereo! They were somewhat disappointed. However shortly after winning the contest, in October 1983 their first single, "Reality", was released on Sutra Records. The Human Beat Box (also known as ‘Buff Love,’ ‘Doc Nice,’ and ‘The Ox That Rocks’), provided a rhythm track that was a first in recorded vocalization.

The group earned their famous name of The Fat Boys when during a European tour, their manager Chris Stettler was presented with a $350 bill for extra breakfasts. The name seemed fitting after this. Soon after they dropped their second single "Fat Boys" and was released in May 1984 kicking off with The Human Beatbox performing his vocal beatbox and then bringing in the 808 which was at the time, the B-Boy drum machine of choice. Prince Markie Dee and Kool Ski-Rock busted out the lyrics of "I'm overweight but it ain't no thing, because I'm always fresh and guaranteed to pass any MC contest."The Fat Boys were immortalized from their performance on the Krush Groove film about Def Jam’s CEO Russell Simmons and Run DMC. The Fat Boys showcased their appeal at a performance in high school, after being kicked out of science class for disruptive beatboxing and again at a rap contest where they imitated their real-life accounts of the Coca-Cola/Tin Pan Apple contest Radio City Music Hall. Later they starred in their own
comedy film, The Disorderlies.By early 1995 Darren Robinson was diagnosed with lymphedema, a rare crippling disease.

On December 10th, 1995, Robinson passed away at 28 years young from cardiac arrest during a
severe bout with respiratory flu. Prior to his death he was working on a production deal
with Sony as well as a Fat Boys reunion album. The two surviving members plan on completing
the album using the vocals Robinson cut prior to his death.The Fat Boys have left one of the
greatest impressions on hip-hop. They represent a positive, fun era in hip-hop. Their
inspiring and creative work made us smile at the lighter side of life, never presenting the
bad imagery of guns, drugs and disrespect of the law. They gave us a sense of appreciation
for the humour in our lives despite the hardships we struggle through. For this made the
trio ground-breaking.“The Fat Boys made us laugh at ourselves as well as think about the consequences of our actions. They possessed what many rap artists’ today lack - creativity. On stage, video, and wax, the Fat Boys stretched the stereotypical boundaries of machismo and dared rappers to challenge their untapped creative potential. It saddens me that some up-and-coming producers haven't sampled tracks like "Can You Feel I" or "In the House"; both sound just as fresh today as they did ten years ago.”
The history of rap music...

The Cold Crush Brothers

THE COLD CRUSH BROTHERS (History of Rap Music)

The Cold Crush Brothers was formed in 1978 during a time of discombobulated relations between performers alternating between groups in a circuit leaving very few established crews to form any ground work. However 1978 became the era of the MC and Cold Crush formed the most definitive rapping group alongside Flash's Furious Five, Theo's Fantasic Five, Bam's Soulsonic Force and The Funky Four plus One paving the way for the next generation of devastating mic controllers.The original Cold Crush line-up consisted of founder, Original DJ Tony Tone who was affiliated with the Funky Four, Easy A.D. From the salaam Brothers, DJ Charlie Chase with the latin group Tom & Jerry, Mr. Tee, Whipper Whip and Dot-A-Rock. Later after Whipper Whip and Dot-A-Rock moved away from the group joining the Fantastic Five with the Livingstone Brothers, Charlie Chase brought onside Grandmaster Caz from the Mighty Force who is today credited with being The first prominent MC in the book of hiphop and Almighty KayGee from the Jamaican Cheeba Crew and JDL.

Known memorably for their stage performances including the harmonic and melodic routines setting them apart from the other groups, the Cold Crush Brothers set the standards for the current trend in MC-ing or Hip Hop. Their notoriety was so spoken of other crews gained strength and credibility from having the courage to battle against them for supremacy. This would lead to the infamous war with the Fantastic Five.

On July 3rd, 1981 the first battle took place with $1000 prize money at stake. The Fantastic Five won on the day but the rivalry was cast in stone. Cold Crush Brothers toured the five boroughs of New York City and up as far as Boston to perform their legendary prowess before going commercial. Their reputation was strengthened by the recordings of their live events on cassettes by Tape Master Elvis Moreno. They were released worldwide promoted via word of mouth. As well the Cold Crush Brothers were featured in the groundbreaking seminal hiphop movie 'Wild Style' in '82 with every member battling their arch rivals The Fantastic Five in a basketball and emceeing match simultaneously. A year after the movie's release the Cold Crush toured Europe and Japan with the Roxy Tour...."
The History of Rap Music...