At the height of the “Roxanne, Roxanne” era in early 80’s rap Doreen Broadnax was a much feared battle rapper named Sparky D – and then she discovered crack cocaine…
In the 70’s and 80’s when Harlem’s smooth style of R&B dominated the New York hip-hop scene DJ Reggie Wells was the master of the mix.
In 1977 two titans of the New York party scene met for a sound clash at the Executive Playhouse. One of them would fall into obscurity, the other would become a legend and a kid named Grandmaster Flash emerged as a rising star…
One day in 1982 five guys from the Bronx River projects recorded a song that would forever change the direction of modern music. The record: “Planet Rock.”
A generation ago at hot nightclubbing spots like Captain Nemos and the Hotel Diplomat a man would chant into the mic: “Who makes it sweeter?” And a crowd of thousands would shout back in response: “Cheba! Cheba! Cheba!” His name was Eddie Cheba…
Donald Goines and Iceberg Slim wrote novel after novel detailing the pain and suffering of lost and lonely souls in the ghetto. Spoonie Gee’s urban sermon “Street Girl” was the first rap record to capture that spirit…
In the beginning hip-hop clubs had no style, but that all changed when Sal Abbatiello bought the glitz and glamour of midtown clubs to the South Bronx…
Before Queen Latifah, MC Lyte and Salt and Pepa; three girls from the Dirty South rocked mics alongside hip-hop heavyweights of the first era…
Before they were Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Bronx group Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five had a long climb to the top. And then a song that none of them liked made them stars…
In 1975 there was only one King of Rap: DJ Hollywood was the royalty of rhyme and a star before there was any such thing as a rap record.
