A Super Natural Electric GigoloBoogie Jam: DJ Afrika Bambaataa & Jazzy Jay, DJ Red Alert, Funky 4, Cosmic Force, DJ Breakout, Keith-Keith, Sha-Rock, Jazzy Jeff, at Harlem World, New York, NY, December 18, 1981

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.

Known as the Harlem World Cultural and Entertainment Complex everyone called it “The World.” Located at 116th and Malcolm X Boulevard (Lenox Avenue), from 1978 to 1985, it was the home of legendary Disco. Harlem World was a three-story club with a lighted dance floor, chandeliers, wall-to-wall gold shag carpeting, mirrored walls, and a one-of-a-kind, one-hundred-foot lightning bolt-shaped bar.  Chuck Foster was the co-owner of the Harlem World and was known as one of the men that were responsible for building Harlem World before becoming an owner. Harlem World hosted some of Rap music’s most historic M.C. battles and many of Rap’s earliest lyricists who birthed the idea to put Rap music on records were found at Harlem World. Anyone who was important came to perform at Harlem World such as Busy Bee, Love Bug Starski, Grand Master Flash & the Furious, Fantastic Romantic, Lady Smiley, Cold Crush, L. A. Sunshine, Treacherous Three, Doug E. Fresh, and Kool Moe Dee.

Funky 4 + 1 included K.K. Rockwell (Kevin Smith, b. unknown), Sha-Rock (Sharon Green, b. 1962), Keith Keith (Keith Caesar, b. unknown), Rahiem (Guy Todd Wiliams, b. unknown) until 1979 when they decided to join Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Lil’ Rodney C (Rodney Stone, b. unknown), MC Jazzy Jeff (Jeff Miree, b. 1962) D.J. Baron (Baron Chappell, b. unknown) and D.J. Breakout (Keith Williams, b. unknown). The Funky 4 + 1 is considered a legendary Hip-Hop group emerging out of the South Bronx, forming at the end of the Disco era in 1978. Funky 4 + 1 was one of the first battle groups, the first Rap group to have a female MC, the first Rap group to be signed by a major record label, and the first Rap group to perform live on national television (Funky 4 + 1 performed ‘That’s the Joint’ on Saturday Night Live, February 1981). Their debut single was the 15-min track “Rappin and Rocking the House” released in 1979, which was the same year they signed with Enjoy Records for three months then signed with Sugar Hill Records where they released “That’s the Joint” in 1980.

Jazzy Jay (John Bayas, b. 1961) is known as The Original Jazzy Jay or DJ Jazzy Jay and was a protégé of Afrika Bambaataa as well as his older cousin, Kool DJ Red Alert. Jazzy Jay is a DJ and producer and one of the original members of the Soul Sonic Force, The Bronx River, and the Universal Zulu Nation. Jazzy Jay also assisted Rick Rubin with the founding of Def Jam Recordings and introducing Rick Rubin to Russell Simmons. Jazzy Jay is a legend of Hip-Hop and DJs alongside many iconic Hip-Hop artists during the early period.

Afrika Bambaataa (Lance Taylor, b. 1957) belonged to the Black Spades and became one of its most influential leaders. Bambaataa grew tired of the local gang violence and established the Zulu Nation as a kind of musical Hip-Hop collective to provide positivity and unity in the Bronx community. He accepted donations of gang members’ colors as a symbol of their commitment to his Hip-Hop movement. Under his influence, fighting once carried out by fists, guns, and physical violence was accomplished with microphones and turntables, and it was carried out by Hip-Hop “crews,” not gangs.