Kurtis Blow

In 1976, he joined a group called “The Force.” Russell Simmons was a member of that group. The Force sponsored parties around NYC until 1978, when Simmons was convinced by Kurtis to promote some parties in Queens, New York.^[2] After becoming an MC on his own, Kool DJ Kurt changed his name to Kurtis Blow (as in body blow)^[1]. Kurtis began to sell himself as “the number one rapper in Queens,” with Russell’s help^[2]. Kurtis taught Russells younger brother Joseph, who at the time was known as “DJ Run, the Son of Kurtis Blow.” He later changed his name and went on to become the first third of Run-D.M.C.^[1]

Kurtis Blow, one of the founders and creators of recorded hip hop/rap, stands as an emerging leader in a new generation of rappers with street sense, social criticism, and commercial savvy, a timeless artist and hip hop legend, Kurtis Blow has been instrumental in raising up a generation of MC’s, and he will soon carry the torch for hip hop music into new arenas.

In 1979, at the age of twenty, Kurtis Blow became the first Rapper to be signed by a major label. Mercury released “Christmas Rappin,” and it sold over 500,000 copies and it became an annual classic. Its gold follow up “The Breaks” helped ignite a still spreading international “Rap Attack.” He released 10 Albums over 11 years -- The first entitled “Kurtis Blow”, his full length debut and his second, a Top 50 Pop Album “Deuce,” a big hit across Europe; “Party Time” which featured a pioneering fusion of Rap and Go Go; “Ego Trip,” which includes the hits “8 Million Stories”, “AJ”, and “Basketball” and in 1985, “America.” “America’s video innovation received a MTV Monitor Award. From this album, the song “If I Ruled the World” became a top 5 hit on Billboard’s R & B chart. Columbia/Sony recording artist Nas debuted at # 1 on the Billboard’s Pop Album chart with a cover of the song in 1997.

He was honored to coordinate “King Holiday”, along with Dexter Scott King, a song to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King’s Birthday. The Mercury/Polygram single co produced by Kurtis Blow includes the collaborative efforts of Whitney Houston, New Edition, Stephanie Mills, El Debarge, James “JT” Taylor of Kool & the Gang, The Fat Boys and Run DMC among others. It has become an annual Holiday Classic.