Oldschool Hip Hop

Back in hip-hop's old school era – roughly 1978-1982 – albums were the exception and not the rule. Hip-hop became a lot more album-minded with the rise of its second generation (Run-D.M.C., Whodini, the Fat Boys, among others) around 1983-1984, but in the beginning, many MCs recorded nothing but singles. Two exceptions were the Sugarhill Gang and Kurtis Blow, whose self-titled debut album of 1980 was among hip-hop's first LPs and was the first rap album to come out on a major label. Thus, Kurtis Blow has serious historic value, although it is mildly uneven. Some of the tracks are superb, including "The Breaks" (a Top Five R&B smash in 1980) and "Rappin' Blow, Part Two," which is the second half of Blow's 1979 debut single, "Christmas Rappin'."

As one of the first successful rap acts, Whodini albums quickly became standard bearers and necessary purchases for fans. The Brooklyn-raised trio of Jalil Hutchins, Ecstasy, and DJ Grandmaster Dee first came to national attention with the single "The Haunted House of Rock." Their third record, Back in Black, is the follow-up to a multi-platinum album, 1984's Escape.