Kurtis Blow ~ Christmas Rappin' 1979 Funky Purrfection Version

This was the first single that Kurtis Blow released near the end of 1979, just before he recorded his debut LP for Mercury Records that included his breakout hit, "The Breaks" and rapped his way into hip hop history. Kurt Walker was born on August 9, 1959 in Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan, NY. At the age of 19, he recorded this ode to the season of Santa Claus cleverly updating the story by rappin' to a funky disco beat. The one off single got him signed to Mercury to record a full album. "Christmas Rappin'" sold half a million copies and made recording history as the first rapper to be signed by a major label. His music has been sampled by many, and "Christmas Rappin'" was no exception, the R&B group Next used a clip from it for their 1998 blockbuster hit "Too Close" which spent five weeks at #1 on the Hot 100, and three weeks at the top of the R&B charts. Blow went on to release ten LPs over the next eleven years and experienced a revival for his song "If I Ruled The World" that was include on the 1985 "Krush Groove" soundtrack which was entirely composed of rap music. Then he lent his talent to the Artists Against Apartheid album that included the fiery "Sun City" a plea for social change. Blow has kept active and in touch with his audience and toured the world even playing for US armed forces overseas. He suffered a heart attack wile arguing with his son near a Woodland Hills, CA bus stop on October 29, 2016. The LAPD received a call about a robbery and when responding, found instead that Blow was suffering a heart attack and he collapsed. Kurtis stated “The police saved my life, a Black man. In this day and age, people need to hear that,” the “The Breaks” rapper said in a statement. “They got there so fast. If they got there any later, I would have died. I want to thank the officers from the bottom of my heart, no pun intended.” He is currently on the mend, and hopefully will be creating more music in the future... his son is following in his footsteps.