Questlove Supreme Kurtis Blow
Dec 11, 2019
Hip-hop pioneer Kurtis Blow discusses his unique place in music history as rap’s first superstar, the transition from soul to disco, the early days of hip hop, their friendship with Russell Simmons, starting their own record label, blending genres in their music, their performance at a party, preserving hip hop history, becoming a master of ceremonies, and the Hip Hop Nutcracker.
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Birth of Hip-Hop Culture
- Kurtis Blow describes the electrifying early days of hip-hop as an emergent culture fueled by soulful funk breaks and dance battles at block parties.
- He highlights the significance of DJ Cool Herc extending breakbeats, which energized b-boys and b-girls to dance competitively in circles.
MCs and DJs Shaped Hip-Hop
- DJ Hollywood was the first emcee to master rhyming rhythmically and controlling crowd responses.
- Grandmaster Flash innovated by extending breaks on records to keep the dance energy alive longer, elevating the DJ's role.
Risking Danger for Hip-Hop
- Kurtis Blow traveled across NYC, riding scary trains to catch block parties, illustrating his passion despite dangerous conditions.
- Hip-hop served as a cultural savior amidst gang violence and drug wars engulfing Harlem and Bronx in the 1970s.