Kurt Walker (born August 9th, 1959), better known by his stage name
Kurtis Blow, is an American rapper and record producer.[1] He is
one of the first commercially successful rappers and the first
to sign with a major record label. "The Breaks", a single
from his 1980 eponymous debut album, is the first certified gold
record rap song.
In 1979, aged twenty, Kurtis became the first rapper to be signed
by a major label, Mercury, which released "Christmas Rappin'".
It sold over 400,000 copies. Its follow-up, "The Breaks",
sold over half a million copies.[1] He released ten albums over the
next eleven years. His first album was Kurtis Blow, while his second
was the Top 50 pop album Deuce. Party Time featured a fusion of rap
and go-go. Ego Trip included the hits: "8 Million Stories," "AJ," and "Basketball".
His 1985 album, America, garnered praise for its title track's music
video. From this album, the song "If I Ruled the World" became
a Top 5 hit on Billboard's R&B chart. In 1996, fellow rapper
Nas debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with a cover version of
the song.
Besides his own work, Kurtis has been responsible for hits by The
Fat Boys and Run DMC.[1] Run began his career billed as 'The Son
of Kurtis Blow.' Lovebug Starski, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Full Force,
Russell Simmons and Wyclef Jean all have been produced by, or have
worked with, Kurtis. Former label mates René & Angela
had their R&B chart topping debut "Save Your Love (For #1)" produced
by Blow.
Along with Dexter Scott King, Blow coordinated "King Holiday," a
song to celebrate Martin Luther King’s birthday. The Mercury/Polygram
single, co-produced by Blow, included the collaborative efforts of
Whitney Houston, New Edition, Stephanie Mills, El Debarge, James "JT" Taylor,
The Fat Boys and Run DMC.
Blow's acting performances and music coordination in several films
includes Leon Kennedy’s Cry of the City and the hip hop film
Krush Groove. The New York Daily News called his cinematic works, “Noteworthy,
a dynamic presence.”[citation needed] As host and co-producer
for Das Leben Amerikanischer Gangs, an international film production's
focus on the West Coast gang scene, Blow crossed international waters
for inner city justice (1995). As host and associate producer for
Rhyme and Reason Kurtis gives an informative account of the status
of hip hop (1998). The History Of Rap, which he produced and wrote,
has been planned for a cinema release.
Kurtis has spoken out emphatically against racism. He was an active
participant in the Artists Against Apartheid record “Sun City”.
Kurtis also speaks out against alcoholism and drug use. He has served
as a spokesperson for The National Ad Council. He is an integral
part of its youth campaign and can be seen and heard in print, radio
and television nationwide in the 'Say No To Drugs' campaign. He has
been involved with Phoenix House of California, a substance abuse
organization with black community emphasis.[citation needed] In spite
of this, he was arrested on Dec. 02, 2010 for possession of marijuana
at Los Angeles International Airport[2] In 1995, he started working
on-air in radio, Power 106, the #1 CHR radio station in Southern
California. He hosted 'The Old School Show' on Sunday nights, featuring
hits from the past. He also works for Sirius Satellite Radio on the
Classic Old School Hip Hop station Backspin 43.
Beginning in 1996, Blow was featured in a hip hop display at the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The display still stands. In 1998, the
group Next released "Too Close", in which the music of "Christmas
Rappin'" was sampled. ASCAP honored Blow and Next at a gala
affair on May 26, 1999. In 2002, he traveled to the Middle East to
tour the Armed Forces bases performing seventeen shows for the troops.
The tour consisted of shows in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia,
Krgystan, Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman. Blow said, “It
was a tour I will never forget,” and “I did the Bob Hope
thing.”
Kurtis was a judge for the 8th annual Independent Music Awards.[3]
Contents
[show]
[edit] Minister
Deeply committed to Christianity, Kurtis attended ministry classes
at Nyack College[citation needed]. As Founder of The Hip Hop Church,
Kurtis serves as rapper, DJ, worship leader and licensed minister.[4]
He became an ordained minister on August 16, 2009. There are several
hip hop churches in the US, and he is involved with many of them. "Don't
get it twisted, God has always existed," said Kurtis, "and
in terms of these young people out here who love God but do not like
to go to church, only hip hop can bring them back to the church."[citation
needed]
[edit] References in popular culture
The They Might Be Giants song "Where Your Eyes Don't Go" on
their second album, Lincoln, featured the lines "You're free
to come and go/Or talk like Kurtis Blow."
The Ice Cube song "Now I Gotta Wet 'Cha" featured the line "I'll
Kurtis Blow yo ass away/Like AJ".
The R.A. the Rugged Man song "L.I.'s Finest" featured the line "These
are the breaks like Kurtis." and his song "On the Block (Golden Era)" features
the line "At the roller rink no skates on, early 80's girl chasing, Kurtis
Blow these are the breaks on."
The Tom Tom Club song "Genius of Love" featured the lines "Steppin'
to the rhythm of a Kurtis Blow / Who needs to think when your feet just go."
The song "Christmas Rappin'" was featured during a Christmas
episode of the TV sitcom Martin.
Bruce Haack's 1982 single "Party Machine" featured the lyric, "Low
low low like Kurtis Blow/ Down down down like James Brown."
The song "Music Matters" by Faithless mentioned Kurtis Blow: "From
Bamma Lamma to Tamla Mo, Curtis Mayfield to Kurtis Blow".
Blow is mentioned in the film Notorious.
In the biopic, when The Notorious B.I.G. was a child, he is shown to be a fan
of Blow. As an adult, The Notorious B.I.G. sings Blow's "The Breaks" with
his young daughter listening and learning it.
The 2Pac song "Old School" featured the line "Remember
poppin' and lockin' to Kurtis Blow, the name belts".
In the fourth chapter of Chronicles: Volume One, Bob Dylan says he knew Blow,
and that it was Blow who introduced Dylan to the rap genre of the time (mentioning
contemporary artists like Ice-T, N.W.A. and Public Enemy). Dylan also appears
on the first track "Street Rock" of Kurtis Blows 1986 album Kingdom
Blow
A brief reference to "8 Million Stories" was made in
the 2009 hit "Empire State of Mind" by Jay-Z.
In 50 Cent's film debut "Get Rich Or Die Tryin", there
is a party scene in Marcus's house where two girls are holding a
Kurtis Blow album and are singing lyrics from "The Breaks".
In Chris Rock's movie "CB4", MC Gusto says he's going
to send a search party and find Kurtis Blow.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
Kurtis Blow (1980, Mercury)
Deuce (1981, Mercury)
Tough (1982, Mercury)
The Best Rapper on the Scene (1983, Mercury)
Ego Trip (1984, Mercury)
America (1985, Mercury)
Kingdom Blow (1986, Mercury)
Back by Popular Demand (1988, Mercury)
[edit] Other albums
30th Anniversary of The Breaks CD - Krush Records - 2010
[edit] Gospel albums/Collaboration albums or mixtapes
Kurtis Blow Presents: Hip Hop Ministry (2007, EMI Gospel)
Just Do It (2008, Krush Groove/Trinity/B4 Ent.) (with The Trinity)
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost (2009, Krush Groove/Trinity/B4 Ent.) (with The
Trinity)
[edit] Compilation albums
The Breaks (1986, Polygram)
The Best of Kurtis Blow (1994, Mercury)
Best of... Rappin' (2002, Spectrum Music)
20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Kurtis Blow (2003,
Mercury)
[edit] Singles and EPs
1979: "Christmas Rappin'" (Mercury MDS-4009)
1980: "The Breaks" (Mercury MDS 4010)
1982: "Tough EP" (Mercury)
1983: "Party Time?" (Mercury)
1983: "Nervous" (Mercury)
1984: "Ego Trip" (Mercury)
1986: "The Bronx" (Mercury)