Kurtis Blow

See all 25 pictures

Play Radio

Listen to Kurtis Blow Radio, featuring artists like Whodini, Spoonie Gee, Kool Moe Dee, The Sugarhill Gang and more…

• 
  Search on Spotify

  Yes, it scrobbles! Learn more

457,795 plays (119,587 listeners)
In your library (0 plays)

Shop now at Amazon | Send Kurtis Blow Ringtones to Cell

More options

• Download
• Amazon
• Send Ringtones to Cell
• Tonefuse Search

Add to my Library

Curtis “Kurtis Blow” Walker, (born on August 9, 1959, in Harlem, New York) is one of the pioneer rappers in the recording industry, and hip hop’s first mainstream star. “The Breaks” (1980) is one of hip hop’s undisputed classics, with its catchy disco tune and rapping style. Blow was influenced by DJ Hollywood.

He became an MC in his own right around 1977, and changed his name to Kurtis Blow (as in a body blow) at the suggestion of his manager, future rap mogul Russell Simmons. Blow began his career in New York City in the mid-1970s, when he was a breakdancer until switching to DJing under the name Kool DJ Kurt and then finally rapping. He was the first rapper to record a full length album on a major label (1979). This occurred after recording “Christmas Rappin”, his first single; during this time, “Rapper’s Delight” by the Sugarhill Gang became the first hit for hip hop. The whole field was derided as a fad, though, and thus there was much resistance to signing Blow. In 1980 he opened for reggae legend Bob Marley at the Madison Square Garden where he performed for an audience of 20,000.

He has appeared in several feature films, including Krush Groove and The Show. A duet with rock icon Bob Dylan called “Street Rock”, appeared on Blow’s 1986 album, Kingdom Blow[1] by special arrangement of Wayne Garfield (Garfield and Blow co-wrote, “Reasons For Wanting You” on Kingdom Blow)[2] and Debra Byrd, American Idol’s head vocal coach and former Dylan backup singer (see album credits).

Read more… Edit

Popular tags: hip-hop, rap, old school, hip hop, 80s  See more

Shouts: 85 shouts

Share this artist:

• Send
• Tweet

Top Albums

• The Best Of Kurtis Blow
  Kurtis Blow

  Buy

  • Download Album
  • Amazon MP3 $9.49
  • 7digital $9.99
  • iTunes Search
  • Buy Album
  • Amazon $9.99
  • eBay Search
• Kurtis Blow
  Kurtis Blow

  Buy

  • Download Album
  • Amazon MP3 Search
  • 7digital Search
  • iTunes $8.91
  • Buy Album
  • Amazon $6.99
  • eBay Search
• Best Of / 20th Century
  Kurtis Blow

  Buy

  • Download Album
  • Amazon MP3 $9.49
  • 7digital $9.99
  • iTunes Search
  • Buy Album
  • Amazon Search
  • eBay Search
• The Breaks (Re-Recorded / Remastered)
  Kurtis Blow

  Buy

  • Download Album
  • Amazon MP3 $0.99
  • 7digital $8.99
  • iTunes $0.99
  • Buy Album
  • Amazon Search
  • eBay Search

Top Tracks

• Last Week
• Last 6 months

1		The Breaks			495
2		Basketball			137
3		Christmas Rappin'			57
4		If I Ruled The World			55
5		The Breaks (Re-Recorded / Remastered)			50
6		Hard Times			35
7		AJ Scratch			22
8		Party Time			19
8		Starlife			19
10		8 Million Stories			18
11		Throughout Your Years			17
12		America			15
13		Way Out West			14
14		Tough			13
14		Rappin' Blow (Part 2)			13

Buy all tracks at Amazon MP3

See more