DailyRapFacts

Category: 1980s

  • ‘Wild Style’ was released on March 18, 1983

    ‘Wild Style’ was released on March 18, 1983

    What is arguably the first mainstream rap film, Wild Style arrived in theaters in the spring of 1983. The movie debuted on March 18. It earned $15,122 USD at the box office. The movie is about a Bronx graffiti artist and features Fab 5 Freddy, Dondi, Rock Steady Crew, and other hip hop originators from the early daws of rap. It has since become a classic in the rap genre.

    'Wild Style' was released on March 18, 1983

    The movie was filmed in 1981, completed a year later, and finally released in 1983 in NYC. By 1984 it made it to various other large US cities. Raymond, the main character, was played by real-life street artist Lee Quiñones known for his full subway car murals.

    Read: Wild Style, written, directed and produced by Charlie Ahearn, was the first Hip-Hop movie

  • Bow Wow was born on March 9

    Bow Wow was born on March 9

    When was Bow Wow born? Bow Wow was born on March 9.

    Bow Wow, born Shad Moss, was born in 1987. He was a child rapper known as Lil Bow Wow and had a string of hits in the ’90s and ’00s. Early in his career, he was featured on Snoop’s debut album and Jermaine Dupri helped him become a solo star.

    Later, Bow Wow became a reality TV star and guest host on BET’s 106 and Park. He once dated Ciara. He has also tried it out as an actor in the movies Like Mike and Tokyo Drift and others from the Fast and the Furious franchise.

  • Jermaine Dupri was a backup dancer for Whodini

    Jermaine Dupri was a backup dancer for Whodini

    Many rap stars got their start as dancers. Tupac, Diddy, and Offset are a few. Superproducer Jermaine Dupri of So So Def fame is another rapper that can be added to this list.

    Back in the day, JD was a breakdancer for rap duo Whodini. He even stared in their video for “The Freaks Come out at Night” and can be seen pop-locking to the beat. The Atlanta native was only 12 at the time. He went on to produce classics for Da Brat, Kris Kross, Jay-Z, Mariah Carey, and many more.

  • Lauryn Hill was on Live at the Apollo

    Lauryn Hill was on Live at the Apollo

    In 1987, a 13-year-old Lauryn Hill took the stage at the Apolo Theater in New York. Before she started rapping, she was a singer and actress. This was all before she joined The Fugees.

    Unfortunately, things didn’t go so well. A nervous Hill sang on an amateur night. The New Jersey native sang “Who’s Loving You” and some of the people in the crowd weren’t feeling it. She warms up a bit and gets the crowd more involved as she goes on. Year’s later she would go on to become the first female rapper to go diamond.

  • Whodini’s ‘Escape’ was the first rap album in the Top 40

    Whodini’s ‘Escape’ was the first rap album in the Top 40

    Rap duo Whodini saw major success during the 1980s. The group’s second album, titled Escape, was the first rap album to crack the Top 40 in 1985. It was also one of the first rap albums to be certified Platinum by the RIAA.

    The album contains the classic rap tracks “Friend,” “The Freaks Come Out at Night,” and “Five Minutes of Funk.” While it was popular at the time, this classic album and group have fallen through the cracks over time. “Friends” has been sampled by 2pac, Nas, and Kanye West to name a few.

  • The Treacherous Three’s “The Body Rock” was the first Rap-Rock Song

    The Treacherous Three’s “The Body Rock” was the first Rap-Rock Song

    The first Rap-Rock song was “The Body Rock” by The Treacherous Three.

    In 1980, The Treacherous Three, which consisted of DJ Easy Lee, Kool Moe Dee, L.A. Sunshine, Special K, and Spoonie Gee (who left the group in the late 1970s), released their single “The Body Rock” (also known as Body Rock) which became the first Hip-Hop/Rap-Rock song. The single was released via Enjoy Records and off their 1984 self-titled debut album The Treacherous Three.

    The Treacherous Three's "The Body Rock" was the first Rap-Rock Song

    “Rock, the body body, rock, the body body
    Rock, the body body, rock, the body body”

    The first prominent Rap-Rock song was “Rock Box” by Run-D.M.C.

    Run-DMC’s “Rock Box” was the first prominent Rap-Rock Song. Run-D.M.C. released their single Rock Box in 1984.

  • Rappin’ Max Robot was the first Hip-Hop comic book

    Rappin’ Max Robot was the first Hip-Hop comic book

    The first Hip-Hop comic book was Rappin’ Max Robot by Eric Orr

    In June of 1986, South Bronx, New York artist Eric Orr created and published the first Hip-Hop Comic titled Rappin’ Max Robot – the first rappin’ comic, with the help of Pop Art icon Keith Haring. Eric’s love of Hip-Hop and Comics was the inspirition and motivation for the self-distrubuted, four-issue series, 500 copy, 12 page book, which had product placement in plent of record stores and comic stores in New York.

    Eric Orr followed up the first issue of Rappin’ Max Robot (which sold for $1.25) with two special editions, folded 11×17″ zines which sold for 50¢ each.

    Rappin’ Max Robot was the first Hip-Hop comic book
    The first Hip-Hop comic book was Rappin’ Max Robot by Eric Orr

    Graffiti artist, Eric Orr has also designed and illustrated flyers and logos for rappers such as Busy Bee, Masters of Ceremony, and Diamond D.

  • Q-Tip’s first rap name was J Nice

    Q-Tip’s first rap name was J Nice

    Q-Tip originally went by the moniker J Nice, then later, MC Love Child.

    Before Kamaal Ibn John Fareed (born Jonathan William Davis), was famously known as Q-Tip, he originally went by the moniker J Nice, eventually, MC Love Child then settling on Q-Tip.

    Q-Tip revealed he went by the moniker J Nice during an interview with Redbull Music. He would then be called MC Love Child in 1985, he and Ali Muhammad formed an MC and DJ duo before settling on Q-Tip because of the Jungle Brothers.

    Purchase our 100 Hip-Hop Facts (1973-2000) Book

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