'Boombox: Early Independent Hip Hop, Electro and Disco Rap 79 - 82' Various 3xLP Vinyl

Soul Jazz Records’ new Boombox features some of the many innovative underground first-wave of rap records made in New York in the period 1979-82, all released on small, independent, often family-concern record companies, at a time when hip-hop music still remained under the radar.

This 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. But where 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 rap records were all made using live bands, often replaying then current disco tunes, whilst MCs rapped over the top, creating a unique sound that later became known derisively as old school.

And while hip-hop started in the Bronx, rap on vinyl began in Harlem where long-time established rhythm and blues producer-owned record companies such as Joe Robinson’s Enjoy Records, Paul Winley’s Winley Records, Delmar Donnel’s Delmar International and Jack Fatman Taylor’s Rojac and Tayster were the first off the mark to realise the commercial potential of rap music - releasing early ground-breaking records that all quickly followed in the wake of the first rap record, The Sugarhill Gang’s Rappers Delight, a million-selling worldwide hit.

This collection celebrates these first old-school rap records, bringing together rare, classic and obscure tracks released in the early days of rap.

Tracklisting:

A1 Mr. Sweety G – At The Place To Be
A2 Love Bug Star-Ski & The Harlem World Crew – Positive Life
A3 Neil B – Body Rock
B1 Super 3 – Philosophy Rappin' Spree
B2 Bramsam – Move Your Body
C1 Black Bird & Kevski – On The Go
C2 Harlem World Crew – Rappers Convention
C3 Willie Wood & Willie Wood Crew – Willie Rap
D1 Bon Rock & The Rhythm Rebellion – Searching Rap
D2 Sugar Daddy – One More Time
D3 Spoonie Gee & The Treacherous Three – The New Rap Language
E1 TJ Swan – And You Know That
E2 Portable Patrol – Cop Bop
E3 Master Jay – We Are People Too
F1 Sweet G – Boogie Feelin' Rap
F2 Mistafide – Equidity Funk