Archive for August, 2010
Lady B is widely considered a hip-hop pioneer in Philadelphia.
She graduated from Overbrook High School.
Wendy Clark began spinning hip-hop records on WHAT 1340 AM in 1979 and solidified the hip-hop community in Philly.
Starting out, fresh out of high school, hanging out at Kim Graves (Philly’s top night club at the time) she befriended the late great DJ, Lawrence Levan. She would pick up the mic and mock Darryl Dawkins and Lloyd (World B.) Free (both played for the Philadelphia Seventy-Sixers at the time) and the other “toasters”, as rap was known at that time. Eventually she got better and better and was approached to do a record by legendary WDAS-FM jock, Dr. Perri Johnson.
In 1979 she became one of the first female artists to release a rap record- “To The Beat Y’all” on TEC Records. Due to the frugalness of the record company, she recorded the song in one take. She got some rhymes together and Lady B, her sister and legendary WDAS-FM radio personality, Mimi Brown put them on 3X5 cards and taped them up in the studio. She went into the booth, recited the rhyme once and the owner of the record company was like ”Okay that’s a take”. The cut was later picked up by Sugarhill Records and is included on many compilation albums.
Later she met Richard Cooper, a record promoter for Motown. He informed her that WHAT was looking for an intern. So she started to work there doing odd jobs and learning. She eventually convinced Mary Mason to let her spin some of the new records that she had accumulated (about a milk crate full) on the air.After bugging her, Ms Mason finally let her play some of the songs. The ratings shot through the roof and lady B was hired full time. After that Power 99fm outbidded WDAS for her services and she started working full time as a DJ. Street Beat was born and the rest is history.Her show broke hip-hop artists such as: The Furious 5, The Treacherous 3, Public Enemy, Run-DMC, LL Cool J, Queen Latifa, EPMD, UTFO, Mc Lyte, Schoolly D, Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, KRS-1, MC Breeze, 3XD, Heavy D, and many many more!
On her Radio show on 103.9 WPHI, she spotlighted local artists by interviewing them on her show and playing their music. She would also find diamonds in the rough. Independent local records that pleased her ear would actually find themselves in rotation. She is now broadcasting for the premiere satellite radio entity – Sirius Satellite Radio and on Philadelphia’s premiere R& B station WRNB 107.9fm. in Philly.
Lady B received the prestigious Philly Urban Legend Award in 2002 as a pioneer in Rap Music, the World Renowned Entertainment,” Role Model of Excellence Award, two Lifetime Achievement Awards (including the Douglass”Jocko” Henderson award) and is also listed in VIBE magazine’s History of Hip-Hop as “maybe the most influential female in hip- hop radio history”
Vibe’s History of Hip Hop refers to Lady B as arguably the most influential female radio personality in Hip Hop history.
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Info submitted by Funk Wizard Snow and Docta Shock
Okay, so maybe he isn’t exactly well known for his forays into hip hop, but in 1983 his song “Rockit” from the “Future Shock” album took scratching into the mainstream.
With the help of Grand Mixer D.ST., Hancock fused hip hop and jazz into a new sound. Many groups today have experimented with the a similar theme. Herbie and D.ST help start it all.
Official Site – HerbieHancock.com
Watch the video for “Rockit”
Fatback was basically a funk band that recorded in the 1970′s and 80′s.
As far as this site is concerned, however, it is one track in particular that lands it a place on this site.
The track is called “King Tim III (Personality Jock)”. It was released in 1979 and is considered by many to be the first hip hop song in history.
The song was released just before a certain other tune called “Rapper’s Delight“.
It appears on their 1979 album “XII”.
Listen to “King Tim III”
Anyone into hip hop during the late 1980′s and early 1990′s has undoubtedly heard of this guy.
Fred Brathwaite was born in 1959.
He has grown up to be one of hip hop’s most popular figures and he’s never had a hit single.
F5F’s first exposure to hip hop culture was as a graffiti artist in the 70′s. He studied painting in college.
He is responsible for introducing Afrika Bambaataa to the uptown hip hop scene.
Freddy was also featured in name and in person in Blondie’s 1981 hit “Rapture.” Not only does she mention his name in the lyrics, but if you catch the video, you’ll see him in the background painting on the wall. Actually he wasn’t really painting, but then again, it wasn’t a real building anyway.
In 1982, he was part of the first hip hop tour to Europe with Afrika Bambaataa, Rammellzee, Grand Mixer D.ST. & The Infinity Rappers, Rock Steady Crew, the Double Dutch Girls, and graffiti artists Phase 2, Futura, and Dondi.
One of his biggest early achievements was his collaboration with Charlie Ahearn that resulted in the monumental hip hop film Wild Style. Freddy was musical director of the film as well as starring in it himself. It stands as one of the earliest video recording of the hip hop culture as it was developing in the early 80′s.
He has a cameo on graf artist Futura 2000′s single “Escapades of Futura 2000″ on Celluloid 1983.
In 1983 he produced a single in Germany called “Hip-Hop-Bommi-Bop” by The Incredible T.H. Scratchers starring Freddy Love. It was a parody of another German tune.
In 1985, he unsuccessfully auditioned for the roll of Russell in Krush Groove.
He went on to direct several hip hop videos in the mid 80′s.
And, of course, in the late 80′s Ted Demme of MTV approached him to host Yo! MTV Raps. This exposure launched him into the forefathers of the culture as he was part of the group that introduced hip hop to much of the world.
He also appeared on the song “Change the Beat” on an album by Bill Laswell who also worked with Afrika Bambaataa.
Check Out a Yo MTV Raps Intro from 1995!
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Additional information by Ed Roberts and Matthias