more.....
"To understand the history of rap, 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.
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. I've had many debates about Pete DJ Jones' precise timing and Kool Herc's playlist. 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. I remember him -- he deserves the credit.
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 (via Kool DJ Herc). 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 ***** 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 (my other hero) 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?) "
"To understand the history of rap, 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.
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. I've had many debates about Pete DJ Jones' precise timing and Kool Herc's playlist. 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. I remember him -- he deserves the credit.
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 (via Kool DJ Herc). 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 ***** 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 (my other hero) 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?) "
