When rap music was just being born in the late 1970s, no one knew what it would become several decades later. Namely, the most influential art form of the past 50 years. But even back then in its nascent days, just as the sounds and styles were percolating, some songs were written and performed that have managed to stand the test of time.
Here below, we wanted to explore three songs from hip-hop in the 1970s that have done just that. A trio of tracks that were created just when the genre was beginning—during rap’s Big Bang, if you will—that have subsisted through the decades. Indeed, these are three classic rap songs from 1979 that have stood the test of time.
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“Christmas Rap” by Kurtis Blow (1979)
At just 20 years old, the New York City-born rapper Kurtis Blow became the first emcee to be signed to a major label (Mercury). And with that came his hit standalone single “Christmas Rap,” which sold over 400,000 copies upon its release. Before Run-DMC, before Jay-Z, before Dr. Dre, there was Kurtis Blow letting people know that the burgeoning genre of rap music was alive. And just a year later in 1980, Blow released the hit single “The Breaks,” which sold nearly 1 million copies. On “Christmas Rap,” he sings,
‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house
Hold it now! Wait, hold it. That’s played out. Hit it!
Don’t you give me all that jive about things you wrote before I’s alive
‘Cause this ain’t 1823 — ain’t even 1970
Now I’m the guy named Kurtis Blow and Christmas is one thing I know
So every year just about this time, I celebrate it with a rhyme
“Rapper’s Delight” by The Sugarhill Gang from Sugarhill Gang (1979)
The first true mainstream rap song to hit the radio waves, this song has since remained a part of the culture. Music lovers can hear it on throwback radio stations to this day thanks to its bright and inviting tone and humorous and endearing storytelling. True fans know there are two versions of the song, the six-minute single and the 14-minute extended version. But however you listen to it, the track can’t help but put a smile on your face. It opens,
Now what you hear is not a test, I’m rappin’ to the beat
And me, the groove, and my friends are gonna try to move your feet
You see, I am Wonder Mike, and I’d like to say hello
To the black, to the white, the red, and the brown, the purple and yellow
But first I gotta bang-bang the boogie to the boogie
Say up jump the boogie to the bang-bang boogie
Let’s rock, you don’t stop
Rock the riddle that’ll make your body rock
“To the Beat Y’all” by Lady B (1979)
The first female rapper to cut a single, Lady B’s percussive track “To the Beat Y’all” takes its title from a common refrain amongst early rappers. A Philadelphia hip-hop pioneer, her song does several things. It proves the party ability and power of rap. It demonstrates Lady B’s early prowess. And it sets an incredible example for not just women in rap but for all those who will pick up a microphone and get the night rocking. On the track, Lady B raps,
I’ve got a style that’s all my own
You got Lady B on the microphone
I’m no Perri Johnson or Butterball
I just stopped by to freak out you all
I got a little black book with a thousand pages
With a listing of men that range from all ages
To the beat y’all, check it out y’all
Don’t stop
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Photo by Anthony Barboza/Getty Images
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