1983 beginning of new-school hip hop rap music...
Item # 726811
June 14, 1983
THE VILLAGE VOICE (weekly), Greenwich Village, New York City, June 14, 1983
* Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five
* Performance at the Ritz nightclub advertisement
* Beginning of new-school hip hop - rap music
* DJ Scratching - vinyl record turntable moving
Page 109 has a full page ad for various upcoming performances at the "RITZ" in Manhattan with one of the performers being "Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five" (see images)
Background: The performance by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five at The Ritz on June 9, 1983, serves as a pivotal historical marker representing hip-hop’s aggressive expansion from a localized Bronx subculture into the prestigious "downtown" New York rock and art circuit. By taking the stage at a premier venue typically reserved for punk and new wave icons, the group validated rap as a commercially viable and artistically complex genre, effectively bridging the cultural divide between the inner city and the mainstream music industry. This specific show occurred at a volatile crossroads in music history: it showcased the group at the height of their technical powers following the socially revolutionary success of "The Message," yet it stood as one of the final performances of the original, unified lineup before internal legal disputes with Sugar Hill Records led to their permanent fracture. Consequently, the event is remembered not just as a concert, but as a definitive "crossover" milestone that proved hip-hop's theatricality and the DJ's technical virtuosity could command a global stage, setting the blueprint for the stadium-level success of the Golden Age artists who followed.
I suspect this to be an extremely rare item because there was really no reason to save it at the time.
The Village Voice was an American counterculture newspaper known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. It introduced free-form, high-spirited, and passionate journalism into the public discourse - a tradition it maintained throughout its 60+ year history. It is quite common to find great political cartoons, satirical cartoons and articles, thought-provoking editorials, and ads and reviews for both concerts and theater productions - both on and off Broadway. Many iconic writers and musicians credit their appearance in The Village Voice for at least a portion of their success.
Complete with 144 pages, tabloid size, one fold along the center, small red library stamp on the front page, very nice condition.
Provenance note: This issue comes from The Village Voice's own archives, part of their in-house collection used to create their digital archive. Rare as such.
Alert: Many issues of The Village Voice contain articles and/or photos which some consider offensive, and are certainly inappropriate for children. Please purchase with discretion.
* Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five
* Performance at the Ritz nightclub advertisement
* Beginning of new-school hip hop - rap music
* DJ Scratching - vinyl record turntable moving
Page 109 has a full page ad for various upcoming performances at the "RITZ" in Manhattan with one of the performers being "Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five" (see images)
Background: The performance by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five at The Ritz on June 9, 1983, serves as a pivotal historical marker representing hip-hop’s aggressive expansion from a localized Bronx subculture into the prestigious "downtown" New York rock and art circuit. By taking the stage at a premier venue typically reserved for punk and new wave icons, the group validated rap as a commercially viable and artistically complex genre, effectively bridging the cultural divide between the inner city and the mainstream music industry. This specific show occurred at a volatile crossroads in music history: it showcased the group at the height of their technical powers following the socially revolutionary success of "The Message," yet it stood as one of the final performances of the original, unified lineup before internal legal disputes with Sugar Hill Records led to their permanent fracture. Consequently, the event is remembered not just as a concert, but as a definitive "crossover" milestone that proved hip-hop's theatricality and the DJ's technical virtuosity could command a global stage, setting the blueprint for the stadium-level success of the Golden Age artists who followed.
I suspect this to be an extremely rare item because there was really no reason to save it at the time.
The Village Voice was an American counterculture newspaper known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. It introduced free-form, high-spirited, and passionate journalism into the public discourse - a tradition it maintained throughout its 60+ year history. It is quite common to find great political cartoons, satirical cartoons and articles, thought-provoking editorials, and ads and reviews for both concerts and theater productions - both on and off Broadway. Many iconic writers and musicians credit their appearance in The Village Voice for at least a portion of their success.
Complete with 144 pages, tabloid size, one fold along the center, small red library stamp on the front page, very nice condition.
Provenance note: This issue comes from The Village Voice's own archives, part of their in-house collection used to create their digital archive. Rare as such.
Alert: Many issues of The Village Voice contain articles and/or photos which some consider offensive, and are certainly inappropriate for children. Please purchase with discretion.
Category: The 20th Century
