The Roots Of Hip Hop
Listed below are some of the first Hip
Hop/Rap tracks that were released in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Apart
from the first item, which is included here because of the non
conventional design of the Sugarhill label, most of the other records
illustrated below have remained fairly obscure to this
day.
|
 |
|
| Artist |
Sugarhill Gang |
| Title |
Rappers Delight |
| Label |
Sugarhill |
| Year |
1979 |
| Producer |
|
|
Comment |
Presumably either the 1st version
of the label before the more famous logo arrived, or maybe a
Canadian release? |
| | |
| Artist |
Crowd Pleasers |
| Title |
Rockin' The MIc |
| Label |
Start Fresh |
| Year |
1984 |
| Producer |
E.Tillman &
J.Jackson |
| Comment |
|
| |
| |
 |
 |
|
| Artist |
Eddie Cheeba |
| Title |
Lookin' Good |
| Label |
Tree Line |
| Year |
1979 |
| Producer |
Larry McNeal |
| Comment |
|
| |
| |
| Artist |
Glen Adams & DJ
Freeze |
| Title |
Chicken Scratch |
| Label |
Capo Records |
| Year |
1983 |
| Producer |
Judy Mason & Glen
Adams |
| Comment |
|
| |
| |
 |
 |
|
| Artist |
Glen Adams & DJ
Freeze |
| Title |
Chicken Scratch |
| Label |
Moonglow
Records |
| Year |
|
| Producer |
Judy Mason & Glen
Adams |
| Comment |
This release sees the
mix by Marley Marl appear on a different label. What happened
to Capo? |
| |
| | |
| Artist |
The Jazzie
Ladies |
| Title |
Blowin' Your
Mind |
| Label |
Prelude Records |
| Year |
1983 |
| Producer |
S.Hurdle &
W.Brathwaite |
| Comment |
Looks like a soul track but is one of
the few rap cuts on this famous New York disco
label. |
| |
| | |
 |
 |
|
| Artist |
Jazzy Dee |
| Title |
Get On Up |
| Label |
Laurie Records |
| Year |
1983 |
| Producer |
Stan Dixon |
| Comment |
This is probably the label that
brought us The Shirrelles way back when, but recorded
where? |
| |
| | |
| Artist |
Jimmy Spicer |
| Title |
Adventures Of Super
Rhyme |
| Label |
Dazz Records |
| Year |
1980 |
| Producer |
M.Nelson, B.Nichols &
C.Campbell |
| Comment |
Billy Nichols turns up yet
again. |
| |
| | |
 |
 |
|
| Artist |
Kool Kyle |
| Title |
It's Rockin
Time |
| Label |
Enjoy Records |
| Year |
1981 |
| Producer |
Bobby Robinson |
| Comment |
One of the first times that Pumpkin
appears on vinyl. |
| |
| | |
| Artist |
Captain Crunch & The Funky
Bunch |
| Title |
The Gigolo
Groove |
| Label |
Califirnia Gold |
| Year |
1981 |
| Producer |
Jerry Hooks |
| Comment |
Not too many LA based Old Skool Raps.
This is one of them. |
| |
| | |
 |
 |
|
| Artist |
Lonnie Love |
| Title |
Young Ladies |
| Label |
Profile Records |
| Year |
1981 |
| Producer |
Taharqa & Tunde-Ra
Aleem |
| Comment |
Was Lonnie one of the Aleem
brothers? |
| |
| | |
| Artist |
Magic Mike Crew |
| Title |
Magic Mike
Theme |
| Label |
Rappers Rapp Disco
Co, |
| Year |
1983 |
| Producer |
Rich Cason |
| Comment |
Who was Magic
Mike? |
| |
| | |
 |
 |
|
| Artist |
Chapter Three |
| Title |
Smurf Trek |
| Label |
Grand Groove |
| Year |
|
| Producer |
Brad
Osborne |
| Comment |
Don't know who this band
were. Most likely part of the Glen Adams
empire. |
| |
| |
| Artist |
Cholly Rock |
| Title |
Cash Money |
| Label |
CMI Records |
| Year |
1983 |
| Producer |
Billy Mersey |
| Comment |
The label says the record
was released out of Michigan. Was this band the same outfit
that also released a track for Salsoul? |
| |
| |

|
 |
|
| Artist |
Community People |
| Title |
Education Wrap |
| Label |
Delmar International |
| Year |
1980 |
| Producer |
Delmar Donnell |
| Comment |
|
| |
| |
| Artist |
The Caution crew |
| Title |
Rhyhtm Rock |
| Label |
Galleon Records |
| Year |
1983 |
| Producer |
Jimmy Williams |
| Comment |
Was the producer the same
Jimmy Williams that released 'All My Lovin'
for Salsoul Records? |
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