Respecta.is - The Ultimate Hip Hop Portal

The first volume of the three-part Kurtis Blow Presents the History of Rap is subtitled The Genesis, which means that it covers a period of time when rap was strictly a live art form and rarely made it to record. That means, of course, that the disc is filled with funk records -- specifically ones with extended rhythm breaks and grooves that provided ideal instrumental backdrops for rappers. The Genesis leans toward the obscure, where even the most familiar names (James Brown, the Isley Brothers, Booker T. & the M.G.'s, the Jackson 5) are represented with unfamiliar songs, and the remainder of the compilation is filled with cult artists (Baby Huey, Michael Viner's Incredible Bongo Band, Black Heat, Rhythm Heritage). While many of these songs may be unfamiliar, there are beats and samples that have been popularized through sampling, which makes listening to the disc fascinating. Unfortunately, it never becomes truly intoxicating, since it's a historical recording that's designed for education, not entertainment, but anyone interested in the birth of hip-hop will find it necessary listening.

As the second installment of Kurtis Blow Presents the History of Rap, The Birth of the Rap Record chronicles the moment that hip-hop entered the popular consciousness. The record that broke the doors down was "Rapper's Delight," which is represented here, like the ten other tracks on the compilation, in an extended version that allows both the beats and the rhymes to flourish. Where most early rap compilations focus on records that made an impact on the R&B charts, The Birth of the Rap Records is devoted to the underground. There are a number of familiar songs here -- "The Breaks," "The Message" -- but the majority of the disc is devoted to underappreciated artists like the Sequence, Spoonie Gee, "Love Bug" Starski, Davy DMX and Funky Four Plus One More, or unfamiliar songs by artsits like Afrika Bambaataa and the Treacherous Three. Unlike its predecessor, The Genesis, Vol. 2: The Birth of the Rap Record plays smoothly, making it a rare historical release that is as entertaining as it is educational.

Where Kurtis Blow Presents the History of Rap, Vol. 2: The Birth of the Rap Record chronicled rap's first forays into the mainstream, Vol. 3: The Golden Age documents the point when hip-hop culture became an undeniable part of popular culture. There are more hits on The Golden Age than on any other disc in The History of Rap, featuring classics by such artists as Run-D.M.C. ("Rock Box"), Whodini ("Friends"), the Fat Boys ("Jail House Rap"), UTFO ("Roxanne, Roxanne"), Public Enemy ("Rebel Without a Pause"), Boogie Down Productions ("Criminal Minded"), Big Daddy Kane ("Raw"), Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock ("It Takes Two"), and Biz Markie ("Vapors," "Just a Friend"). At that time, rap was becoming more diverse, boasting different rhyming and production styles -- where early rap was similiar stylistically, there was a world of difference between the dizzying hardcore of Public Enemy and the comedy shenanigans on Biz Markie. The musical depth of rap is evident on The Golden Age -- it certainly does not all sound the same -- and while it does overlook some artists, it nevertheless is an invaluable sampler, capturing the essence of the era.