Blow slaps you in the face again with some staccato electric guitar chords higher than Joe Rogan and brings it all together with some kind of synth-bass that you probably couldn’t find after 1993. The chorus shifts from acapella to a simple boom-clap beat, followed by the hi-hats and a snare drum so wet it would make Cardi B jealous. I gotta shift back to Music Writer Joe for a second. That’s the contiguous beauty and mystery of Kurtis Blow. Who is this unnamed “they?” Hoopers? Rappers? Just everyone in general? We might never know.
The masterpiece begins with a beautiful chorus of women explaining exactly what they are doing (playing basketball) and what “we” love (that basketball). So let’s dive into “Basketball.” I’ll try to stop myself from going line-by-line since I don’t want my EICs and Copy Chiefs to hate me more than they already will for my overly-long analysis. Songs like “The Breaks” and “Christmas Rappin" use classic tropes and repetition, and it’s no coincidence that those are two of his most popular songs.īut alas, no matter how much I pine to describe the arts, I’ve been cursed to be a sportswriter. He incorporates old-school hip-hop style with parts of pop music that, by design or not, make his music a lot more marketable. I mention this because, well, you can tell the superiority in every note while listening to Blow’s music. He was one of the first true originators of hip-hop to take the genre from parties in the Bronx to the recording studio - emphasis on “true” because the Sugar Hill Gang are frauds. Most historians will tell you that Blow was one of the first commercially-successful rappers and one of the first to sign to a record label. Bird was the Most Valuable Player, Michael Jordan was the Rookie of the Year and the Knicks, even with a rookie Patrick Ewing, went 24-58 - some things never change.Īnd then, one fateful day in the Bronx, hip-hop godfather Kurtis Blow decided to absolutely bless the world with, in my opinion, the greatest song of all-time in the aptly-titled, “Basketball.”īlow was an expert in selling his music before most hip-hop artists were.
Was kurtis blow basketball a hit full#
The year was 1984, the air was crisp (probably, I wasn't there), spirits were high (again, probably) and the NBA was looking good with the Magic/Bird rivalry in full swing. The NBA wasn’t unpopular beforehand, but, for reference, it wasn’t until 1986 that the NBA Finals were shown live rather than on tape-delay. There’s even the song that tells the story of how former Backstreet Boy Aaron Carter beat 15-time NBA All-Star Shaquille O’Neal in a game of one-on-one, which to this day is nothing short of traumatizing.īasketball and hip-hop grew together in the 1980s as the foundations of hip-hop were laid out by Bronx natives like Grandmaster Flash and DJ Kool Herc, the NBA was truly breaking into the mainstream with Magic Johnson & Larry Bird. Rappers haven’t been shy to name-drop their favorite athletes or teams, whether it’s Kanye West mentioning LeBron James or the Beastie Boys referencing Anthony Mason (RIP). The AllHipHop Family wishes a speedy recovery to Kurtis Blow.Music and basketball are forever intertwined specifically, hip-hop and basketball. In the play, the 61-year old also performed some of his hit records.
Blow had been promoting the “Hip-Hop Nutcracker,” a holiday musical that has been a hit all over the nation.
Was kurtis blow basketball a hit movie#
Run of Run DMC began his stellar career as a young DJ known as “The Son of Kurtis Blow.” Kurtis Blow, along with Run DMC, Sheila E., the Fat Boys, Blair Underwood, and others, starred in the hit movie “Krush Groove,” which was loosely based on Russell Simmons’ life. He also helped launch the careers of Run DMC and the Fat Boys. His impact is undeniable and has permeated through the culture for decades. “The Breaks,” “America,” “8 Million Stories,” “AJ Scratch” and “Basketball” were other hit songs by KB. He was scooped up by Mercury Records in 1979 and, that year released the hit “Christmas Rappin’.” The song would go on to sell over 400,000. He was once regarded as the “King of Rap,” as he first rapper signed to a major label. Kurtis Blow is a legend for a number of reasons. In 2019, he had several surgeries repairing arteries to his heart.Īnother legend, Grandmixer DXT confirmed that the rapper had the surgery and also that it was successful. This is not the first time the rapper-turned-preacher has had issues with his heart. The rumblings of the surgery quickly spread throughout the OG’s of the culture, who yesterday offered their prayers and expressed concerns across internet platforms. Kurtis Blow, one of Hip-Hop’s first superstars, successfully received a heart transplant Sunday in Los Angeles.
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