Filed under: Black Music Month
Just as influential as Herc and Bambaataa, the Barbadian-born Grandmaster Flash (Joseph Saddler) refined breakbeat deejaying by adding record scratching, cutting and mixing to his repertoire.
As his DJ reputation grew, Flash also realized a shift was occurring in hip-hop where rappers were increasingly being regarded as the main attraction. To maximize his profile, he formed his own group, the Furious Five featuring MCs Melle Mel, Kid Creole, Cowboy, Rahiem and Scorpio.
The crew went on to release "The Message" in 1982 and a 12" single of "White Lines (Don't Do It)" the following year, two songs which were game-changing breakthrough hits. Until that point, most rap songs tended to be more light-hearted, party songs. But the former song's sharp critique of the system and vivid depictions of urban life was a prime example of rap's power to address social conditions. The latter track had a similar effect, turning a tune about the perils and popularity of snorting cocaine into a potent anti-drug anthem.
Through the 80s, the group endured a rocky period during which there were legal battles over royalties and struggles with drug addiction (Cowboy died in 1989). More recently, the crew has been first hip-hop act to be voted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Flash's turntable is on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, DC.
Influence is felt by ... Public Enemy, Boogie Down Productions, Ice-T, Kool G Rap, Mobb Deep, Nas, Wu-Tang Clan and a whole generation of coke rappers from Raekwon to Pusha T.