THE SUGAR HILL RECORDS STORY

If you are truly interested in being a TRUE rap fan, this is probably the absolute most important box set of old school rap that has ever existed. We are talking about pre-run dmc days, before white folks got a chance to steal this stuff or really, even listen to it. The cuts on these albums are permeated with two very distinct themes that are overlooked and underdone in later pop rap albums. First, there is an excessive amount of "scratching" and to tell the truth, it is absolutely awesome. Back in the day, the original DJs out on the streets were out ther making art out of records and turntables. This can best be exenplified in tracks such as "Electric Boogie." Second, there is an underlying feeling of political and social anger that really does not surface again until the emergence of the politically aware messages of Public Enemy in the late 1980s. The tracks here are mostly from the late 70s and early 80s and therefore exhibit the rap movement's earliest and most raw (and legitimate) depictions of the hardships of urban black life during that time period. Unfortunately, the pop music world did an excellent job of sweeping most of this under the rug. But this box set is the real deal. I especially find the Christmas Rap" by the Treacherous Three to be an excellent example of this cynical aesthetic. Finally, the best part about this rap compilation is the fact that ALL, and I mean ALL, of it is groovin' ass music. Let us not forget that no matter what, break dancing will always be cool and there is no better source of music than this box set to do the "Breakdance, electric boogie" (in robot voice of course) to.

Disc 1
1. Rapper's Delight / The Sugarhill Gang Long Version
2. Funk You Up / The Sequence Long Version
3. Rapper's Reprise / The Sugarhill Gang Jam-Jam
4. Super-Wolf Can Do It / Super Wolf Short Version
5. Hot Hot Summer Day / The Sugarhill Gang
6. And You Know That / The Sequence Short Version
7. Freedom / Grandmaster Flash
8. Monster Jam / Spoonie Gee
9. Baby Let's Rap Now, Pt. 2 / The Moments
10. People Get on Up / Positive Force

Corner Grab: DISC 1


Disc 2
1. 8th Wonder / The Sugarhill Gang
2. That's the Joint / Funky 4 + 1
3. The Birthday Party / Grandmaster Flash
4. Check It Out / Wayne And Charlie [The Rapping Dummy]
5. The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel / Grandmaster Flash
6. Showdown / Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
7. Let's Dance (Make Your Body Move) / West Street Mob
8. Spoonie Is Back / Spoonie Gee
9. Apache / The Sugarhill Gang
10. It's Nasty (Genius of Love) / Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five Short Version

Corner Grab: DISC 2

Disc 3
1. Hey Fellas / Trouble Funk Long Version
2. Sing a Simple Song / West Street Mob
3. It's Good to Be the Queen / Sylvia Robinson
4. The Lover in You / The Sugarhill Gang
5. The Message / Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
6. Whip It / Treacherous Three
7. Scratching / Crash Crew
8. Ooh Baby / West Street Mob Short Version
9. Scorpio / Grandmaster Flash
10. Making Cash Money / Busy Bee
11. Here Comes the Bride / The Sequence

Corner Grab: DISC 3

Disc 4
1. Message II (Survival) / Melle Mel & the Furious 5
2. Breaking Bells (Take Me to the Mardi Gras) / Crash Crew
3. Yes We Can-Can / Treacherous Three
4. The Word Is Out / The Sugarhill Gang
5. New York, New York / Grandmaster Flash
6. Girls / The Sugarhill Gang
7. Kick It Live from 9 to 5 / The Sugarhill Gang
8. Break Dancin' (Electric Boogie) / West Street Mob
9. All Night Long / Kevie Kev [Waterbed Kev] Waterbed
10. At the Ice Arcade / Chilly Kids
11. White Lines (Don't Don't Do It) / Melle Mel & the Furious 5 Long Version
12. We Are Known as Emcees (We Turn Party's Out) / Crash Crew

Corner Grab: DISC 4

Disc 5
1. Jesse - Grandmaster Melle Mel
2. Beat Street (From The Motion Picture Beat Street) - Grandmaster Melle Mel & The Furious Five
3. Livin' In The Fast Lane - Sugar Hill Gang
4. We Don't Work For Free - Grandmaster Melle Mel & The Furious Five
5. Step Off - The Furious Five
6. Xmas Rap (Un-Censored) - Trecherous Three
7. Busy Bee's Groove - Busy Bee
8. Turn It Up - Treacherous Three
9. The Down Beat - The Sugarhill Gang
10. Vice (From Miami Vice) - Grandmaster Melle Mel
11. Outta Control - Miracle Mike & The Ladies Of The 80's
12. Street Walker (Original) - Mass Production
13. The Message ('97 Dungeon Mix) - Grand Master Flash & The Furious Five

Corner Grab: DISC 5



This CD box was very hard to find, so I would like to hear your thougts about this old school joint.