Kurtis Blow — Kurtis Blow

Kurtis Walker was born in Harlem in 1959 and in the early seventies he became passionate about hip hop and approached this culture initially as a breakdancer and subsequently performing as DJ in the block parties and in clubs with the name of Kool DJ Kurt. He gets the stripes of MC around 1977 and on the advice of his manager Russell Simmons, who shortly thereafter founds the independent label Def Jam Recordings, he changes the moniker to Kurtis Blow. He performs with several artists of the hip hop scene of the early seventies and his DJ is Russell's younger brother, Joseph Simmons, who in the same period founded his group together with Darryl McDaniels and Jason Mizell.

Around the same time, JB Moore is a Billboard writer with a past as a folk bassist. One of his friends in the magazine is Robert Ford, Jr.: this dude is an avid black music reviewer and learns about DJ Kool Herc's work, discovering that there's a fermented undergrowth of new music that's quivering in the poorest neighborhoods of New York. Ford promotes the genre with his articles and then, through Run, gets acquainted with Russell Simmons: Ford has the idea of ​​writing lyrics for rap songs and quits his job, Simmons has the man who can interpret them, it's Kurtis Blow, who manages to make a name for himself in the underground scene of Harlem in the same period. Ford wants the first song to be a Christmas one — inspired by a Billboard colleague who receives royalties every year — and calls his childhood friends to form the band, however, there are no financial funds to produce it seriously: to their rescue, JB Moore, who also collaborates in writing the lyrics, arrives.

The result of the union of all these talents is "Christmas Rappin'", a song that's sent to every possible and imaginable label. Over twenty record labels reject it, nevertheless, this team doesn't give up and in the end a label decides to take risks: Mercury Records. The single was released in Christmas 1979 and is an immediate success, in a few months it sells over 400,000 physical copies and also gets a first airplay in the New York radio stations. Mercury decides to sign Kurtis Blow and Russell Simmons.

First solo album in the history of the genre (second ever after "Sugarhill Gang"), which gives him several historical records in hip hop: he's the first solo artist to sign and produce music under a major label, the first to release a solo album, the first to achieve commercial success (the first to have a single gold certificate from the RIAA, and an album present in the Pop chart), the first to perform on national and international concert tours, and the first to obtain sponsors. A rough assembly of rap, simple lyrics and disco-funk rhythms given by a funky support band, this record presents several pearls, surely the iconic-classic "The Breaks" (written by Ford & Moore: first hip hop record certified gold by RIAA, second to enter the much coveted Billboard Hot 100, charting #87), along with the proto-conscious rap of Hard Times", the rap rock crossover "Takin' Care of Business" and the festive braggadocio of "Rappin' Blow, Pt. 2" continuation of the '79 single "Christmas Rappin'", the cut that convinced Mercury Records to sign with Kurtis Blow and Russell Simmons. Fun, naive, solid, good album, that stands the test of time falling in the last two tracks: the R&B ballad with a jazzy touch for women ("All I Want in This World") and the aforementioned rap rock cover of Bachman-Turner Overdrive, where Kurtis Blow doesn't appear inspired. It's an absolute must-listen for every hip hop historian.

Rating: 7.7/10.