When RAP was DISCO (1979-1983)

**Nano** · September 2nd, 2003, 08:34 PM

Seems like today I'm in a posting mood! Anyway, here's another home made compilation with disco hits which featured raps back in the day. This would be since "Rapper's delight" (which I have in another disc) till "The message" time, well before rhythm machines and samples.
Now, some of these songs I didn't see as raps at the time, really. But now... it's obvious they are!

1-FATBACK - King Tim III (Personality Jock) (arguably the very first rap record)
2-KURTIS BLOW - Rappin' Blow Pt. 2 8)
3-KURTIS BLOW - The breaks
4-FRANKIE SMITH - Double Dutch bus
5-MEL BROOKS - It's good to be the King
6-PINO D'ANGIO - Ma quale idea (first rap in Italian?)
7-PERUCHO CONDE - La cotorra criolla (first in Spanish)
8-VAUGHAN MASON - Rockin' big guitar
9-BONROCK - Searchin' rap (over Unlimited Touch's 'Searching to find the one' theme)
10-EVASIONS - Wikka wrap
11-TOM TOM CLUB - Wordy rappinghood
12-TOM TOM CLUB - Genius of love
13-WHODINI - Magic's wand (first rap with a rhythm machine)

I would like to have year of recording of most of this tracks (only know about tracks 1,2,3 & 13). They are from 1980-82, but I would like to check with the vinyl editions.
BTW, anyone remembers a 12' with a rap version of "Another one bites the dust"? I think it was on a yellow label.

**originalbigm** · September 2nd, 2003, 09:48 PM

Originally Written by Nano

I would like to have year of recording of most of this tracks (only know about tracks 1,2,3 & 13). They are from 1980-82, but I would like to check with the vinyl editions.
BTW, anyone remembers a 12' with a rap version of "Another one bites the dust"? I think it was on a yellow label.

#8-Jammin Big Guitar-Vaughan Mason 1981Brunswick Label
#10 Wikka Wrap-Evasions 1981 Sam label

Another One Bites The Dust-Sugar Daddy 1980 BC Records

**SandraDee** · September 3rd, 2003, 05:22 PM

Nano, what about 'The Lover In You' by the Sugarhill Gang from '82? I love this track & it's co-written by Pete Wingfield who was behind Mel Brooks' 'Its Good To Be The king' track. Infinitely better than Rappers Delight which I completely hate for what it did to the classic 'Good Times'. :evil:

**Forrrce** · September 3rd, 2003, 10:35 PM

Originally Written by Nano

1
4-FRANKIE SMITH - Double Dutch bus 1981
5-MEL BROOKS - It's good to be the King 1982
9-BONROCK - Searchin' rap (over Unlimited Touch's 'Searching to find the one' theme) 1981
10-EVASIONS - Wikka wrap 1981
11-TOM TOM CLUB - Wordy rappinghood 1981
12-TOM TOM CLUB - Genius of love 1981

**Nano** · September 3rd, 2003, 11:48 PM

Hi Steely, I think I don't know that Sugarhill track, will check it out if I find it on Soulseek. Certainly "Rapper's Delight" can be boring, plus was really overplayed back then.

Thanks for the help with the record dates, fellas... Keep 'em comin'!

**discodoc** · September 13th, 2003, 11:59 PM

There was a fantastic mix with a rap and mad samples on Rick Rubin's label Basic. It was on the Basic Beats Sampler compilation and is called the Dusted B-Boy Remix. SOOOO worth the effort of finding, if it's still available!

**Giovanni** · October 3rd, 2003, 09:56 PM

PINO D'ANGIO' Ma quale idea 1980

**disconetfan** · November 11th, 2003, 11:00 AM

i know what you mean. I have a live recording from Disco Fever back in '81. It is disco. At first they were playing regular disco hits like search and find the one, msfb, and then there guest came. Some person who was rapping. All they did was rap over a disco record and the dj scratched a few times.

**Rab** · November 16th, 2003, 06:01 PM

2 of the earliest rap records I can remember was "Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick" and "Reasons to be Cheerful" by Ian Dury and the Blockheads, so this was around 1976. This gives some credence to rap having some origins in Britain.

**Forrrce** · November 17th, 2003, 12:08 AM

Originally Written by Rab

2 of the earliest rap records I can remember was "Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick" and "Reasons to be Cheerful" by Ian Dury and the Blockheads, so this was around 1976. This gives some credence to rap having some origins in Britain.

Rab, I'll take issue with these titles being from 1976 (1979!) and rap?! I can see where you're coming from with the comparison but I'd still put Lord Dury's delivery somewhere else on that one... :o :D

**Nano** · November 17th, 2003, 11:32 AM

It has been said -and convincingly justified- that the origin of rapping is Jamaican dub, taken to America's East Coast by Jamaican artists and DJs of Caribbean origin. Jamaican DJ Kool Herc is frequently quoted as the first one to do this in the Bronx, NYC.

I have "Hit me with your rhythm stick"... it's a good song, but has more to do with disco (Chaz Jankel was Ian Dury's keyboardist/producer) than rap.

**Rab** · November 17th, 2003, 05:43 PM

Rab, I'll take issue with these titles being from 1976 (1979!) and rap?! I can see where you're coming from with the comparison but I'd still put Lord Dury's delivery somewhere else on that one... :o :D

These 2 records from the 70's would be considered rap, it would also be a bit sophmoric to assume rap in the 70's is going to sound like rap now. Music evolves, but the catagory is constant.

Also, Chas Jankel, "Glad to Know You" would be rap. Rappers Delight by Sugar Hill gang has to do with disco as well, but its rap.

**Forrrce** · November 17th, 2003, 05:47 PM

You consider these to be 'rap'. I don't.

**Giovanni** · November 17th, 2003, 06:22 PM

Originally Written by Rab

These 2 records from the 70's would be considered rap, it would also be a bit sophmoric to assume rap in the 70's is going to sound like rap now. Music evolves, but the catagory is constant.

Also, Chas Jankel, "Glad to Know You" would be rap. Rappers Delight by Sugar Hill gang has to do with disco as well, but its rap.

You're out of the path, mate!

**QUINNY** · November 18th, 2003, 06:32 AM

It's amazing how much one can forget.

A true piece of Disco Rap that I only revisited the other day for the first time in 20 years was Patrick Gammon - Do My Ditty. Good rap tune at about 118 BPM, but with a really commercial female sung chorus that seems divorced from the rapping to some extent. This was a popular record for me. Wish I still had a copy, but it was one of those that got ruined in a flood. Still, I have a snippet of it on cassette tape (thank goodness) that I can play in another 20 years time.

BTW: I agree, Ian Dury & Blockheads was spoken rather than rapped. It's the only way he could sing.