Soul Jazz Records Presents Yo! Boombox (Early Independent Hip Hop, Electro And Disco Rap 1979-83)
Artist: Various Artists
Title: Yo! Boombox (Early Independent Hip Hop, Electro And Disco Rap 1979-83)
Label: Soul Jazz Records
Cat.#: SJRLP5307
Format: 3x12" Vinyl LP, Compilation, 1x7" Vinyl
Country: UK
Released: 2023
Style: Hip Hop
Track Listing:
Record 1
A1 The Carver Area High School Seniors - Get Live '83
A2 Mike T - Do It Any Way You Wanna
B1 Chapter III - Real Rocking Groove (Rap & Breaks)
B2 Sinister Two - Rock It, Don't Stop It
Record 2
C1 Sangria - To The Beat Y'All
C2 Funky Four Plus One More - Rappin' And Rocking The House
C3 The Just Four - Girls Of The World (Genis Rap & Breaks)
D1 Eye Beta Rock - Super Rock Body Shock
D2 Funky Constellation - Street Talk (Madam Rapper)
Record 3
E1 Kool Kyle The Starchild - Do You Like That Funky Beat (Ahh Beat, Beat)
E2 The Just Four - Jam To Remember
F1 Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five - Super Rappin' No.2
F2 Silver Star - Eei Eei O
Record 4 (7")
G1 Magic's Trick - Magic's Rap (Mono Mix)
G2 Magic's Trick - Magic's Rap (Stereo Mix)
‘YO! BOOMBOX’ is the new instalment of Soul Jazz Records’ Boombox series on the early days of hip-hop on vinyl and features some of the many innovative underground first-wave of early rap and disco rap records made in the USA in the period 1979-83.
The album includes the first releases of seminal groups such as Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five and The Funky Four Plus One More through to a host of rarities and little-known obscurities such as the Carver Area High School band’s ‘Get Live 83’, an awesome record made at a Chicago high school.
The album is released as a deluxe triple LP complete with full inner sleeves of extensive sleeve notes, exclusive photography and original label artwork. There is also a special deluxe version that comes with an extra bonus rare 7” single of ‘Magic’s Rap’ by Magic’s Trick, aka ex-marine Magic Fraga, a record that was only
ever available on US military bases. The album also comes as a deluxe double CD pack with 30-page booklet and slipcase.
‘YO! BOOMBOX’ also features the stunning photography of Sophie Bramly, one of a very select group of photographers (alongside Henry Chalfant, Martha Cooper, and Joe Conzo) who were allowed full access to document the exciting early days of hip-hop in New York.
These first exuberant wave of innocent, upbeat, party-on-the-block rap records were the first to try and create the sounds heard in community centres, block parties and street jams that first took place in the Bronx in the mid-1970s. Where the first DJs - Flash, Kool Herc and Bambaataa – were back-spinning, mixing and scratching together now classic breakbeat records like The Incredible Bongo Band’s ‘Apache’ or Babe Ruth’s ‘The Mexican’, these first pre-sampling rap records were all made using live bands, often replaying then current disco tunes. As Chic’s ‘Good Times’ was to ‘Rappers’ Delight’, the songs here feature then-current dancefloor hits such as the Tom Tom Club’s ‘Genius of Love’, Cheryl Lynn’s ‘To Be Real’, MFSB’s ‘Love Is the Message’ while MCs rapped over the top, creating a unique new sound. In fact, the links between disco and rap date back earlier to the ‘party style’ MCing of figures such as the legendary DJ Hollywood or radio DJs like Frankie Crocker.
This new Soul Jazz Records collection celebrates these first old-school rap records, bringing together rare, classic and obscure tracks released in the early days of rap.