From the Outside In: White Contributions to Early Hip-Hop

Hip-Hop music is an art form that started in the deepest recesses of black culture. From the gutted out streets of the South Bronx to the adoration of millions of fans worldwide, Hip-Hop has truly exceeded anyone’s initial ideas of what the art form would turn out to be. While even the most casual of Hip-Hop’s observers realize that the culture was founded by black people, about black people and for black people, what is not often chronicled are the early contributions of white people in the growth of the music.

Blondie

The earliest foray into rap music by a white artist was the 1981 hit “Rapture” by the New Wave/Punk Rock group Blondie. The group’s lead singer, Debbie Harry, often liked to hang out at various nightclubs to explore the latest and most cutting edge sounds on the music scene. It was during one of these excursions that she became exposed to rap music. Harry met Fab Five Freddy, and the two struck up a friendship. Freddy took Harry to a P.A.L. show of Grandmaster Flash in the Spring of 1980, which she mentions in the “Rapture” song.

Whether intentional or not, Blondie helped spread Hip-Hop by broadening its fan base. Before “Rapture”, most white people had never heard rap music.

Malcolm McLaren

McLaren was the manager of the punk rock band, The Sex Pistols, in the 1970s.
Malcolm McLaren stumbled upon the sounds of Hip-Hop during a trip to Harlem while promoting Bow Wow Wow, one of the groups he was managing at the time. McLaren happened upon a block party that Afika Bambaataa was Djing. Hearing Bambaataa rock was an extraordinary moment for McLaren. He instantly loved the energy of Hip-Hop. He would later say he always thought Hip-Hop was the black Punk Rock.

Intrigued by the art form, McLaren recorded his debut album Duck Rock, which featured the single “Buffalo Gals”, which would become a Hip-Hop classic. The song featured See Divine the Mastermind and Justice Allah the Superstar, who were dj’s on WHBI radio in New York City. The duo would record under the name “The World’s Famous Supreme Team,” and who go on to record two other notable song s with McLaren, “Hey DJ” and “World Famous”.


Trevor Horn

Trevor Horn, a white British Pop music record producer, was the producer of Malcolm McLaren’s Duck Rock album. He was the man behind the sound of “Buffalo Gals”. He also produced “Double Dutch” (1982), and “World Famous” for McLaren in 1983. Horn was also the head of the group Art of Noise, who later went on to record another Hip-Hop break dance anthem, Beat Box.

Rick Rubin

As a kid, Rubin loved hard rock music. Rubin still lists AC/DC’s Highway to Hell album as one of his favorite records. While in high school, Rubin got his first taste of Hip-Hop music through his black classmates. He quickly became fascinated with the music.

While attending New York University, Rubin collaborated with T.La Rock and DJ Jazzy Jay and produced their single “Its Yours”. The song would become a Hip-Hop classic. Rubin’s next project was with a sixteen year old LL Cool J. Rubin produced LL’s first single “I Need a Beat”. The single sold well, so Rubin then produced LL’s debut album Radio. The album went platinum and sparked Cool J’s legendary career. Rubin then went on the produce the Beastie Boys album Licensed to Ill, and Run-DMC’s Raising Hell album, both in 1986.

Rubin’s idea to fuse Rock and Rap music was tremendous. MTV, which largely ignored rap music, began to play rap songs in its regular rotation. Rap’s core demographics began to change, and the genre became solidified as a profitable form of music.


The Beastie Boys

Formed in 1981, The Beastie (Boys Entering Anarchistic States Towards Internal Excellence) Boys used a background in Punk Rock music to form their own style of Hip-Hop music. The group switched to performing Hip-Hop under the influence of producer Rick Rubin. At the time, Hip-hop was considered Black inner-city music. With the emergence of The Beastie boys, rap music became more multicultural. White kids from the suburbs suddenly began to take to the music and it showed in the spike in record sales.

With the success of their LP Licensed to Ill, The Beastie Boys became pioneers of the music genre. Licensed to Ill was the first rap album to reach #1 on the Billboard album list. Licensed to Ill also became the best selling rap album of the 1980’s. They helped break down cultural barriers to bring rap music mainstream recognition. Their success helped to open up rap to a wider audience across America and abroad.

Although their next album, Paul’s Boutique, did not measure up to the success of Licensed to Ill, it met much critical acclaim. Paul’s Boutique took the art of sampling to the next level. Produced by the Dust Brothers, the album used over 100 samples and is listed by many as one of the greatest Hip-Hop albums of all time.

The Beastie Boys have had a lasting affect on pop culture. The group, which is one of the longest tenured rap groups in history, are still recording and performing today. They have influenced other rapcore groups such as Limp Bizkit and Korn. The group members, Mike D (Michael Diamond), MCA (Adam Yauch) and King Ad-Rock (Adam Horovitz) also brought a Rock and Roll party atmosphere to Hip-Hop with their music.
Most importantly, The Beastie Boys presence helped make Hip-Hop legitimate in the eyes of young white music consumers and gave Hip-Hop its first exposure to mainstream audiences.


Charlie Ahearn

Ahern was the filmmaker who captured the early days of Hip-Hop on film in the groundbreaking movie “Wild Style”. Wild Style became an instant Hip-Hop classic and is the earliest documentary of the Hip-Hop Movement’s history.


Aaron Fuch

Aaron Fuch is the owner of Tuff City Records. Fuch started out as a trade journalist and editor for Cash Box magazine.

Tuff City released records by artists such as Spoonie Gee, Davy DMX, and The Cold Crush Brothers. In addition to owning the label, Fuch also is credited as the Executive Producer for “The Big Beat” by Spoonie Gee, Producer for Spoonie Gee’s “The Godfather”, and the Producer for the early rap classic “Fresh, Wild, Fly, and Bold” by The Cold Crush Brothers.


Paul McKasty

Paul McKasty, known to the Hip-Hop world as Paul C., was a producer and engineer. Paul C. may in fact be the most influential producer that you never heard of, but to industry insiders he left his mark on the sound of Hip-Hop long after he has gone.

Paul C. was the engineer for the Super Lover Cee & Casanova Rudd hits “Girls I Got Em Locked” and “Do the James.” Paul C. was the man behind the hard, crisp sample of The Honey Drippers “Impeach the President”. In addition to being the Engineer for several of their songs, Paul C. also produced the group’s hit “I Gotta Good Thing.”

Paul C. worked at Studio 1212 in Jamaica, Queens, New York as a studio engineer. He mastered the SP-12 drum machine, which was the ultimate recording tool for Hip-Hop music at the time. He started the art of “chopping “ and “panning” drums in Hip-Hop, and producers Pete Rock and Large Professor have emulated his technique.

He worked with Ultramagnetic MC’s on their Critical Beatdown album, and was an integral part of the development of the groups’ musical sound. For that album, he produced “Give the Drummer Some”, which is known for its hard pounding drum track.

He also worked on Organized Konfusion early in their career. He produced several of the group’s early demos.

Although not credited for his work, Paul C. also worked on several tracks on the Let The Rhythm Hit Em album. He is acknowledged as the force behind the tracks “In the Ghetto”, “Run For Cover”, and the album’s title track, “Let the Rhythm Hit Em.”


Perhaps one of Paul C’s most lasting contributions to Hip-Hop is that he was the mentor to Large Professor. He taught Large Professor how to use the SP-12 drum machine and also introduced him to the art of “chopping” and “panning” drums.


Dave Ogrin

Dave Ogrin is an Engineer who worked on some early Hip-Hop classics. Ogrin produced “Fresh” by the Fresh 3 MC’s (1984), “Sex Machine” by the Fat Boys (1986). He was the Engineer for several important early rap songs such as “Biters in the City” by the Fantasy Three (1983), “Fast Life/A.M. P.M.” by Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde (1984), and “Here Comes That Beat” by Pumpkin and the All-Stars (1984). Ogrin also was the Engineer of Fat Boys, the first album by The Fat Boys.


Tom Silverman

Tom Silverman started in the music business after he graduated from Colby College. He and a friend started a newsletter for DJs called “Disco News” in 1978. While publishing the newsletter, Silverman was able to gain first hand knowledge about the music business.

After meeting Afrika Bambaataa, Silverman decided to start Tommy Boy Records. The first single of the label was “Having Fun” by Cotton Candy, a group whom Bambaataa brought to Silverman’s attention. The single made enough money to release a second single “Jazzy Sensation.” The song was recorded and released in two different versions, one by Afrika Bambaataa & the Jazzy 5, and the other by th Kryptic Krew. “Jazzy Sensation” sold 35,000 copies and gave Silverman enough cash flow to release “Planet Rock” by Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force. The single sold more than 620,000 copies.

Tommy Boy Records went on to become the home of other successful groups such as The Force MDs, Stetsasonic, Queen Latifah, De La Soul, Naughty By Nature, Digital Underground, and House of Pain.

Bill Adler

Bill Adler was a New York City journalist in the early 1980s. After doing an interview with Kurtis Blow, Adler met Russell Simmons. Simmons hired Adler as the Director of Publicity for Def Jam Records. During his time with Def Jam and Rush Management Adler worked with mega groups like Public Enemy, Eric B. & Rakim, EPMD, LL Cool J, Whodini, Kurtis Blow, De La Soul, Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince and Run-DMC.