The never ending bond between rap music and live performance

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In a previous piece, I discussed Kendrick Lamar’s song “Not Like Us” and the role of rap in mainstream music. I suggested that from the very beginning, hip-hop has always had a complex relationship with the music industry, often being shaped and marketed as a commercial product.

I disagreed with the common idea that rap’s goal was always to become as popular as it is today. Instead, I believe that mainstream brands use hip-hop to improve their own reputation and increase sales.

I realize I might have oversimplified how hip-hop and the recording industry relate. While recording rap certainly expanded its reach, it remained closely tied to its origins in live performance – something often captured on unofficial recordings and even video. It wasn’t a complete break from the culture’s roots.

The Wild Style Effect

“Beat This!: A Hip-Hop History” is a 1984 BBC documentary directed by Dick Fontaine. Hosted by the renowned DJ Gary Byrd, the film explores the origins and future of hip-hop culture, featuring interviews and performances by key figures like Malcolm McLaren, Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa, and Soul Sonic Force. It highlights hip-hop’s connections to New York City and African American history.

One memorable moment features the Cold Crush Brothers performing as DJ Charlie Chase plays the music for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’s song, “Gettin’ Money.”

As a huge fan, I always loved the production on “Gettin’ Money.” It was done by Pumpkin – that’s Errol Eduardo Bedward, a real pioneer who made music for some classic early rap labels like Enjoy, Profile, and Tuff City. What’s really cool is that the beat actually samples Level 42’s “Starchild” from way back in 1981! It’s a brilliant touch.

I hadn’t heard Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’s “Gettin’ Money” before I saw Cold Crush perform, but I was instantly captivated. I immediately tried to identify the song using Shazam and searched for the lyrics to find out where it came from.

I was surprised to learn this performance wasn’t from a Cold Crush Brothers song, which was a little disappointing. Growing up with rap in the 2000s, I mostly knew hip-hop through recordings and albums, so that’s what I expected.

I used to think rappers would have lots of readily available albums. But then I discovered groups like the Cold Crush Brothers, who were famous for their incredible live shows, even though most recordings of those performances only exist as tapes.

In his 1984 book, *The Rap Attack: African jive to New York hip hop*, David Toop recounts how Afrika Bambaataa described live performance recordings on cassette tapes as the early form of rap albums.

Early hip-hop spread thanks to recordings made by fans or the artists themselves – groups like the Fearless Four would even sell their tapes. These recordings were shared by playing them on boomboxes and by making copies and trading them, helping hip-hop travel across New York City, the surrounding areas, and eventually the whole country.

According to Steven Hager’s 1984 book, *Hip Hop: The Illustrated History of Break Dancing, Rap Music, and Graffiti*, unauthorized recordings of music were widely circulated, finding their way into both prisons and military bases worldwide.

Early rap records definitely sounded different from live performances, but they often followed a similar structure to what you’d experience at a hip-hop show, and that structure was captured on the recordings.

In a previous article about making hip-hop, I touched on how early record labels like Sugar Hill and Enjoy would have their in-house musicians recreate popular drum breaks they found on tapes and in clubs. A good example is Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five’s 1979 hit “Superrappin’,” which heavily samples the song “Seven Minutes of Funk” by The Whole Darn Family.

As a huge fan, I always thought of “Superrappin'” as what the Furious Five *actually* sounded like when they were performing back in the day. And it turns out I was right! There’s a 1979 tape floating around – Troy Smith on YouTube has it, he’s got an amazing collection of old hip-hop – and it’s them rapping over the original beat, just like in the song. It’s incredible to hear how close the song is to their live performance!

According to JayQuan The Hip-Hop Historian in a YouTube video about Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, some believe the practice of early rap songs being re-recorded with live bands marked a turning point for the worse in hip-hop. This is because the re-recordings often left out the DJ, diminishing their role and disrupting the traditional balance between the DJ and the MC – a key element of the genre’s origins.

Despite these challenges, as rap music evolved, artists increasingly tried to capture the energy of live performances by recording them and releasing them on vinyl, hoping to connect fans with the roots of hip-hop.

The 1983 record “Death Mix – Live!!!”, released as a 12-inch single by Paul Winley Records, actually came from a recording of a 1979 performance by Afrika Bambaataa and the Universal Zulu Nation at James Monroe High School in the Bronx.

This performance featured Afrika Bambaataa, DJ Jazzy Jay, Kool DJ Red Alert, and the Soul Sonic Force, which included members Mr. Biggs, Pow Wow, Hutch Hutch, Lisa Lee, Sundance, Ice Ice, Master Bee, and Master Ice. According to Sundance, the Funky 4 + 1, with DJs Breakout and Baron, were also at the high school event, and may have been competing against Bambaataa’s group.

Living up to his name as the “Master of Records,” Bambaataa’s recording showcases the group expertly blending beats from artists like The Jackson 5, Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, Rick James and The Stone City Band, and Yellow Magic Orchestra.

Despite being a famous and sought-after recording, Afrika Bambaataa strongly disliked the “Death Mix.” He specifically criticized its poor sound quality, which he said was due to it being a copy of a copy, as he explained in David Toop’s book, *The Rap Attack*.

Although Afrika Bambaataa’s first recordings came out on Paul Winley Records in 1980 – the tracks “Zulu Nation Throw Down” featuring Cosmic Force and “Zulu Nation Throw Down (Volume #2)” with Soul Sonic Force – he only contacted Winley after failing to get Sugar Hill or Enjoy Records interested in his music.

Although the first “Zulu Nation Throw Down” event gained popularity within Manhattan’s new wave music scene, those involved weren’t compensated. A follow-up, “Volume #2,” didn’t have much impact. Bambaataa had ambitious plans for his music, but he felt Paul Winley wasn’t fully supporting his vision. Ultimately, neither Bambaataa nor Winley were satisfied with how the “Zulu Nation Throw Down” releases turned out.

It’s unclear whether Afrika Bambaataa actually created the “Death Mix” tape, or if he simply shared a copy with Paul Winley, or if Winley obtained it at a later date. It’s also uncertain why Winley decided to release it four years after it was recorded and three years after his last Bambaataa-related release.

Judging by the album’s description and its 1983 release date, it appears Winley aimed to highlight Afrika Bambaataa’s DJ talent while also benefiting from the popularity he and Soul Sonic Force were enjoying at the time. They were gaining recognition for their influential early electro tracks on Tommy Boy Records, including hits like “Planet Rock,” “Looking For The Perfect Beat,” and “Renegades of Funk.”

No matter why he did it, the vinyl release of the “Death Mix” tape is a perfect example of how early rap records highlighted the genre’s energetic, party-focused beginnings. This was different from Bambaataa’s earlier work with Paul Winley Records, which featured more polished arrangements from the Harlem Underground Band.

One of the first live recordings that really stuck with me was DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince’s famous “Live at Union Square, November 1986.” It originally appeared on their second album, *He’s The DJ, I’m The Rapper*, released in 1988.

As a kid, I always thought the four-minute album track was the complete song. Later, I found out a longer version existed, and DJ Mr. Magic first played it on his “Rap Attack” radio show on WBLS – it was an exclusive! He also hosted their concert at Union Square and introduced the group onstage, which is probably how he got a copy of the extended recording.

Musician Brandon Shaw’s YouTube channel, Digging The Greats, has launched a new four-part series exploring the history of mixtapes and their impact on hip-hop, radio, and the use of cassette tapes. The first installment is now available and offers a fascinating look at this connection.

DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince’s 1986 show in Union Square is a great example of how rap songs were built back then – through live performances and practiced routines. The recording ends with them performing what would become their hit song, “Rock The House,” which was the title track of their first album, released around 1987.

Early attempts to capture the energy of live rap shows on album happened in the very beginning of hip-hop recording. Notable examples include *Live Convention ’81* and *Live Convention ’82*, both likely recorded at performances between T-Connection in the Bronx and the Celebrity Club in Harlem, and then released by Disc-O-Wax Records.

Disc-O-Wax was the record label owned by Johnny Soul, who ran a record store on 125th Street, just across from the Celebrity Club. He handled getting the records produced and distributed.

The *Live Convention* albums may have been released after an earlier attempt to create a *Live Convention 1977-1979* album fell through. This earlier attempt involved a mixtape compiled by Kenny Wilson, an engineer from the Bronx. Wilson discussed this in a 2007 interview, which is archived on the blog of Jeff Chang, author of *Can’t Stop Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation* (2005).

Early ’80s albums called *Live Convention* showcase a lot of pioneering hip-hop artists, including Melle Mel, Sha Rock, Spicey Dee, Kool Moe Dee, Chief Rocker Busy Bee Starski, The Fantastic Five, Grand Wizzard Theodore, AJ Scratch, Grandmaster Flash, Easy Mike, and Disco Bee.

David Toop, in his book *The Rap Attack*, refers to *Live Convention ’82* as an unofficial recording. Kenny Wilson confirmed in an interview that the two albums released were made from cassette tapes, which explains their somewhat poor sound quality. The album covers for *Live Convention* show a cartoon image of what appears to be a DJ lifting records, with a reel-to-reel tape machine in the background.

Despite the poor audio quality, these records are remarkable because they both include a sample from Masterfleet’s 1973 song, “Academy Awards.” In that track, Nichelle Nichols – famous for playing Uhura in *Star Trek* – announces the nominees for Best Actor. What’s unique is that the skit features only Black actors and films from the early 1970s.

Beyond live concert recordings, one of the most well-known efforts to capture hip-hop culture on film is likely the 1982 movie *Wild Style*, directed by Charlie Ahearn. He worked closely with Fab 5 Freddy – a highly influential artist, director, and musician in the hip-hop world – who also stars in the film.

In a 1998 interview with Frank Broughton, preserved digitally by Red Bull Music Academy in 2019, Fab 5 Freddy described his early experiences with the roots of hip-hop. Growing up in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, he was first exposed to DJs like Grandmaster Flowers, Frankie D, Master D, DJ Plummer, and Ras Maboya. He also mentioned DJs from outside of Brooklyn, such as Pete DJ Jones, who influenced artists like Kurtis Blow and Grandmaster Flash.

There’s some debate among New Yorkers about whether DJs Fab 5 Freddy calls “disco DJs” truly belong in hip-hop’s history. However, they were just as crucial as Bronx pioneer Kool Herc in building the foundation for hip-hop within New York’s mobile DJ scene during the 1970s.

As explained by Broughton and in the *Hip-Hop Evolution* episode “Underground to the Mainstream” (directed by Darby Wheeler), Fab 5 Freddy’s background as a graffiti artist and painter was key to the creation of *Wild Style*. His art career gave him strong connections to the downtown Manhattan art scene, particularly in areas like the East Village.

He worked alongside prominent artists such as Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat, and collaborated with bands like Blondie, Talking Heads, and Tom Tom Club. He played a key role in introducing hip-hop culture to the largely white art, new wave, and punk rock scenes.

Fab 5 Freddy helped bring hip-hop to a wider audience in two ways. First, he introduced artists to the world of graffiti. Second, he leveraged his connections and organized art shows, which led to bookings for hip-hop pioneers like Afrika Bambaataa, DJ Jazzy Jay, Grand Mixer DXT, and the Cold Crush Brothers at popular downtown clubs such as the Mudd Club, Club 57, Negril, the Ritz, the Roxy, and Danceteria.

According to David Toop’s *The Rap Attack*, Afrika Bambaataa explained that the growing popularity of cassette tapes – played loudly on boomboxes in the streets – was another key element in spreading the music into the city center.

Fab 5 Freddy started making the film *Wild Style* because he wanted to ensure graffiti art was recognized as a significant cultural force, rather than dismissed as a minor, folk-based craft. He believed culture needed music, art, and dance, and he aimed to demonstrate how graffiti was connected to breakdancing, DJs, and MCs – all key elements of the hip-hop scene.

This film feels like the first time hip-hop culture was presented as we know it today. While it’s common now to see all the elements connected, back then they weren’t always linked so directly. Similar to how cassette tapes helped spread the music, *Wild Style* really aimed to document what was happening in the hip-hop scene in the very early 1980s.

Charlie Ahearn created a story for the film focusing on an artist named Raymond, who goes by the tag Zoro. Lee Quiñones, a graffiti artist and friend of Fab 5 Freddy, played the role. Both Quiñones and Freddy were part of the Fabulous 5 graffiti crew. Ahearn had been wanting to make a film about Quiñones for several years, and production on Wild Style began around 1981, according to a recent interview he gave to Woodbury House.

The film is mostly remembered as a vibrant collection of artists, musicians, and dancers from the hip-hop world, and also features appearances by downtown personalities like actress Patti Astor, who portrays a reporter named Virginia.

According to Steven Hager in his book *Hip Hop: The Illustrated History of Break Dancing, Rap Music, and Graffiti*, Astor, much like her character in the film *Wild Style*, developed a strong interest in graffiti. She went on to co-found the Fun Gallery with Bill Stelling, a space that exhibited and sold artwork from numerous artists, including prominent graffiti writers like Kenny Scharf, Fab 5 Freddy, Lee Quiñones, and Keith Haring.

If you didn’t experience the early days of hip-hop battles – like those between groups such as the Cold Crush Brothers and the Fantastic Five at Harlem World – the film *Wild Style* offers the next best thing. It features performances by both groups at the Dixie Club in the Bronx, allowing viewers a glimpse of what those legendary battles were like. Interestingly, the Fantastic Five are shown in the film under the name ‘Fantastic Freaks’.

Fab 5 Freddy oversaw the music for the film, working with Charlie Ahearn and Chris Stein, Blondie’s guitarist, to produce the soundtrack. Because Ahearn wanted to avoid copyright issues, Fab 5 Freddy and a team of musicians created original music for the film. However, the soundtrack also included existing songs, like the use of Chic’s “Good Times” played by Grand Mixer DXT during the end credits.

The song “Down By Law,” featuring Fab 5 Freddy, provides the backdrop for rapping scenes throughout the film. Many DJs also appear, including Grand Wizzard Theodore, Charlie Chase, Toney Tone, AJ Scratch, K. K. Rockwell, Stevie Steve, Grandmaster Flash, and Grand Mixer DXT.

Essentially, films like *Wild Style* and earlier live recordings demonstrate a strong connection between hip-hop and how it’s been recorded – whether on tapes, records, or film. Although technology and hip-hop’s popularity have changed over time, this connection will always be important for preserving key moments in hip-hop history.

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2025-10-12 16:02