Kurtis Blow facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kurtis Blow
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Kurtis Blow performing in Hannover, Germany on March 30, 2012
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Kurtis Walker |
| Born | August 9, 1959 New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupation(s) |
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| Years active | 1979–present |
| Labels | |
Kurtis Walker (born August 9, 1959), known as Kurtis Blow, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He was the first rapper to become very successful in music. He was also the first rapper to sign with a major record label.
His song "The Breaks" came out in 1980. It was the first rap song to sell over 500,000 copies, earning a "gold record" award. Throughout his career, Kurtis Blow has released 17 albums. He is also an ordained minister, which means he is a leader in a church.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Kurtis Walker grew up in Harlem, a neighborhood in Manhattan, New York City. He went to college at CCNY and Nyack College. There, he studied subjects like communications, film, and ministry.
Music Career and Achievements
In 1979, when he was 20 years old, Kurtis Blow made history. He became the first rapper to sign with a major record company, Mercury Records. His first song with them was "Christmas Rappin'". It sold more than 400,000 copies. This made it one of the first hip hop songs to be a big commercial success.
His next song, "The Breaks", sold even more copies, over 840,000! Over the next 11 years, he released ten albums. His first album was called Kurtis Blow. His album Party Time mixed rap with another music style called go-go. His 1984 album, Ego Trip, had popular songs like "8 Million Stories" and "Basketball".
In 1985, his album America was praised for its music video. A song from that album, "If I Ruled the World", became a top 5 hit on the Billboard R&B music chart. By 1983, Kurtis Blow also started working as a music producer.
Working with Other Artists
Besides his own music, Kurtis Blow helped create hits for other groups. These included The Fat Boys and Run DMC. In fact, Run from Run DMC started his career known as "The Son of Kurtis Blow". Many other artists, like Lovebug Starski and Russell Simmons, have worked with Kurtis Blow.
He also helped produce the song "King Holiday". This song celebrated the first Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a special holiday in the U.S. that started in January 1986.
Acting and Documentaries
Kurtis Blow has also appeared in movies. He acted and helped with music in films like Knights of the City and the hip hop movie Krush Groove. He was also a host and producer for a film called Das Leben Amerikanischer Gangs in 1995. This film looked at the hip hop culture on the West Coast.
He also helped create Rhyme and Reason, a film that explained the state of hip hop music. In 1998, he worked on a three-volume music release called The History of Rap. More recently, Kurtis Blow was a producer for the Netflix TV show The Get Down.
Community Work and Recognition
Kurtis Blow has always spoken out against racism. He was part of the "Sun City" record, which was made by artists against Apartheid in South Africa. He has worked with important civil rights leaders like Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rev. Al Sharpton.
From 1995 to 2004, he worked in radio. He hosted "The Old School Show" on Power 106 in Southern California. He also worked for Sirius Satellite Radio on a classic hip hop station.
In 1996, Kurtis Blow's work was featured in a hip hop exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. That same year, the rapper Nas had a big hit with his own version of Blow's song "If I Ruled the World". In 1998, the group Next released "Too Close". This song used a part of the music from Kurtis Blow's "Christmas Rappin'".
In 2002, he traveled to the Middle East. There, he performed 17 shows for the U.S. troops stationed there.
Recent Activities
In December 2014, Kurtis Blow was the special host for the first show of The Hip Hop Nutcracker. This was a new, modern version of the classic ballet. The show has become very popular and tours across the country during the holidays.
In 2016, Kurtis Blow was chosen as the Chairman of the Universal Hip Hop Museum. This museum is planned to open in 2023 in the Bronx, New York City. In 2017, he formed "The Bboy Committee". This group includes some of the first people who created the dance styles known as Bboying, Rocking, and Break Dancing. The committee helps with the Bboy section of the Universal Hip Hop Museum.
Kurtis Blow became an ordained minister on August 16, 2009. He founded the Hip Hop Church in Harlem. There, he serves as a rapper, DJ, and worship leader.
In 2016, Kurtis Blow appeared in a documentary series called Hip-Hop Evolution. This show explored the history of hip hop music through interviews with many famous artists. The series won important awards, including a Peabody Award and an International Emmy Award. It can be watched on Netflix.
Discography
Studio albums
- Kurtis Blow (1980)
- Deuce (1981)
- Tough (1982)
- Ego Trip (1984)
- America (1985)
- Kingdom Blow (1986)
- Back by Popular Demand (1988)
- Just Do it (2004)
- Father, Son & Holy Ghost (2009)
- Group albums
- Urban Gypsys as part of Urban Gypsys (1999)
- Collaboration albums
- Just Do It with The Trinity (2004)
- Father, Son & Holy Ghost with The Trinity (2009)
Images for kids
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A robot for kids
See also
In Spanish: Kurtis Blow para niños
