In 1983, Sugar Hill Records released an LP for the French market, together with the local subsidiary label Vogue. The product features on side A four songs by the Bronx hip-hop group Funky Four aka Funky Four Plus One, and on side B four songs by the Harlem hip-hop group The Crash Crew. Funky 4+1 is born around 1977/1978 and now consists of Keith "Keith Caesar" Keith, Jeffrey "Jazzy Jeff" Miree, Keith "DJ Breakout" Williams and Sharon "Sha Rock" Green, originally the "Plus One [More]" of the Funky Four. Guy "Rahiem" Williams left the group to join the Furious Five, while Rodney "Lil' Rodney C!" Stone and Kevin "KK Rockwell" Smith left the group in 1981 to pursue a career as a duo, taking part in the movie "Wild Style" (1983). The Crash Crew is born around 1977 and consists of Darryl "DJ Larry C" Calloway, George "G. Man" Belton Jr., Larry "MC La Shubee" Miller, Barry "Barry B-Stro" Bailey, Michael "EK Mike C" Fleming and Reginald "Reggie Reg" Payne.
"King Heroin" opens this collection and is the only track not released as a single by the Funky Four. Released in 1983 in the wake of Melle Mel & Duke Bootee's socio-conscious hit "The Message", the Funky Four make a track entirely dedicated to the problem of this specific drug in the ghetto, inspired by the James Brown track of the same name released over ten years Before. The track is solid, boasts a good funky beat and good rapping, it also achieves good sales success, even if it is not a hit. "Do You Want to Rock (Before I Let Go)" is the group's second track, originally their third single released, their second on Sugar Hill Records and the only one released in 1982. The beat created by Sylvia Robinson and Jigsaw Productions veers towards more danceable and disco sounds. "Feel It (The Mexican)" is the last single from Funky 4+1, who disbanded shortly after. The beat made by Sylvia Robinson is good and uses a sample of "The Mexican" by British rock band Babe Ruth — it credits Ennio Morricone among co-writers because the song samples "Per Qualche Dollaro in Più (For a Few Dollars More)", 1965 — the guys perform the hook with the vocoder and deliver short verses in this festive cut. These two tracks are released under the name "Funky Four".
"That's the Joint" is the last cut of side A, Funky Four Plus One's hit and their signature song, released in 1980. First single of the Funky Four Plus One More with the Sugar Hill Records of Sylvia and Joey Robinson Sr., after leaving the Enjoy Records of Bobby Robinson (not related to the other Robinsons). Produced by Sylvia Robinson and Jigsaw Inc. (Clifton "Jiggs" Chase sometimes is credited) with a dope beat and great rapping by the group, with a great performance by Sha Rock, "That's the Joint" could be a springboard for the career of the group, to which, however, the head of Sugar Hill immediately clip the wings and nip the career in the bud. A few years later, the boys retire from the scene. After the breakup of the group, Jazzy Jeff pursued a solo career and signed with Jive Records in 1985, releasing his only album that same year, "On Fire". Sha Rock is then part of the soundtracks of the films "Beat This!: A Hip Hop History" and "Beat Street", both released in 1984.
The Crash Crew side of songs also opens with their unreleased track, the instrumental "Scratching", a six-minute track produced by Sylvia Robinson with a good funky beat. By a curious coincidence, "Breaking Bells" is the third single of the Harlem group, and the second with Sugar Hill, just like "Do You Want to Rock" by the Funky Four. This beat is also made by the head of Sugar Hill Records. "On the Radio" is the third track the group features on this collection, their fourth single, released on Bay City Records, a subsidiary of Sugar Hill. The track is a clear highlight of the compilation, beautiful. There's a huge sample from Fantasy Three's "It's Your Rock", Sylvia Robinson's production is excellent and the guys' performance is phenomenal. The b-side closes with the track "We Are Known As Emcees (We Turn Party's Out)" aka "Knows as MC", again produced by Sylvia Inc. The song is a kind of ballad, with a funky beat, rnb hook, and average rap. The Crash Crew remained on the Sugar Hill roster until the label's disbandment in 1985.
The album is a good listening for fans of the first days of hip-hop, with a couple of gems. 7/10.
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