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Great M.C. Show Down:  A Rappers Convention:  special guest, the Force Md's, at Mosque Disco & Rink, Bridgeport, CT, February 2, 1985.
Great M.C. Show Down: A Rappers Convention: special guest, the Force Md's, at Mosque Disco & Rink, Bridgeport, CT, February 2, 1985.

Great M.C. Show Down: A Rappers Convention: special guest, the Force Md's, at Mosque Disco & Rink, Bridgeport, CT, February 2, 1985.

Performing artist Force MDs
Production company Sound 2 Productions
Venue Mosque Disco & Rink
Date1985
Mediumink; paper (fiber product)
DimensionsOverall (HWD): 11 × 8 1/2 in. (27.94 × 21.59 cm)
Credit LineMoPOP permanent collection
Object number1999.733.63
Text Entries

Party flyers were a staple in the early years of Hip-Hop and hard-copy invitations were the main medium for communicating information and promoting an event. The flyers symbolized many key appearances, acts, conventions, DJ performances, and contests in the Hip-Hop scene. Many flyers were created by local graffiti artists such as Buddy Esquire and Phase 2. The flyers were often presented by Hip-Hop promoters, DJs, and MCs who hosted the parties. Money was given to the artist to draw creative art and graphics for about $40-$60 for approximately 1,000 party flyers. The parks’ open public spaces have provided the perfect venues for park jams, impromptu dance-offs, DJ battles, and rap battles that established the sound, fashion, art, and message of Hip-Hop. Most of the Hip-Hop parties were a space for positivity where many of the Hip-Hop community could escape the realities of racism that included police brutality, drug abuse, and gang violence in their surrounding communities.

Many of the original Hip-Hop parties took place at local roller rinks, community centers, parks, and clubs. Roller rinks were an important cultural site for fun in the late 70s and 80s where adults and teens would attend roller discos and Hip-Hop parties.  The space would be used as a place for DJs to spin, rappers to show their talents, and for breakers to showcase their dancing skills on the large skate floor. Community centers were another important space in the early years of Hip-Hop for youth to gather and escape their everyday life. Additionally, community centers and recreation centers were the original spaces where DJ Kool Herc would spin in his early era of DJing. The community centers such as the Bronx River Center and the PAL were usually located in the middle of the projects. But local promoters would give parties and give money back to the center for books and trips for the local kids in the community.

The Force M.D.'s/Force MC's/Might Force Four (MD stands for Musical Diversity) was a hip-hop/R&B group that was formed in 1981 in Staten Island, New York. The hip-hop/R&B hybrid group — which was foundational to the new jack swing movement of the 1980s — signed to Tommy Boy Records in 1984. They are best known for two classics, "Tender Love" and "Love is a House". They are considered major leaders of the new jack swing movement. The group was composed of brothers Stevie D. (Stevie D. Lundy), T.C.D (Antoine Lundy, d. 1998), and Khalil (Rodney Lundy), DJ Dr. Rock (d. 1996), along with their uncle Jessie Lee Daniels (1962-2022). Later, friends Trisco (Trisco Pearson, d. 2016) and Mercury (Charles Nelson, d. 1995) from the Mariners Harbor housing projects joined the group.

Party flyer in black ink listing performers, location and details of event.
CopyrightThis work is issued under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) License. For more information, go to https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
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Barbara Mason, The Force MD's, DJ Superman-J, Sweet G, Jamilah, and DJ Dr. Shock, Bridgeport, CT, 1984
Force MDs
Date: 1984
Medium: ink; paper (fiber product)
Object number: 1999.733.44
Dr. Shock and Force MCs
Force MDs
Date: c. 1980
Medium: chromogenic color prints
Object number: 1999.733.16
The  Rappers Convention of 83: Great M.C. Show Down, at C.C.P.Rec, New York, NY, February 5, 1983
Sound 2 Productions
Date: 1983
Medium: ink; paper (fiber product)
Object number: 1999.733.56
Tender Love (Extended Vocal Remix) / Tender Love (Extended Instrumental Remix)
Force MDs
Date: 1985
Medium: polyvinyl chloride; paper (fiber product); ink
Object number: 2001.235.22.A,.B
Forgive Me Girl (Vocal) + Forgive My Beats / Beat Me Girl (Dub Instrumental) + Auld Lang Syne (Vocal)
Force MDs
Date: 1984
Medium: polyvinyl chloride; paper (fiber product); ink
Object number: 2001.337.42.A,.B
Let Me Love You (Vocal) + Love Beats / Let Me Love You (Instrumental)
Force MDs
Date: 1984
Medium: polyvinyl chloride; paper (fiber product); ink
Object number: 2001.337.49.A,.B
Itchin' For A Scratch (Vocal) / Itchin' For A Scratch (Instrumental)
Force MDs
Date: 1985
Medium: polyvinyl chloride; paper (fiber product); ink
Object number: 2001.337.56.A,.B
Let me Love you + Love Beats / Let me Love you
Force MDs
Date: 1984
Medium: polyvinyl chloride; paper (fiber product); ink
Object number: 2001.482.1.A,.B
TICKETS