Meeting Kurtis Blow

 

HIP HOP LEGEND KURTIS BLOW

Last night I received the honor of meeting Hip Hop Legend and pioneer Kurtis Blow at the 2019 Salute to Greatness Awards Gala in Observance of Martin Luther King’s 90th Birthday. It was held at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta. I was a guest of boxing mate Kool Moe Dee, who I met at Jabs and Abs W/DJ Nabs at Decatur Boxing Club.

Kurtis is the first rapper to be signed to a major label and the first rapper to have a certified gold record. He started out as a dancer and a DJ, and later became an MC. At the time, MCs made announcements, but were not the stars, as they are today, it was the DJs that controlled the room. Yet, after Grandmaster Flash’s invention of the turntables, the MCs came out in front, and became the rappers and entertainers, we know of today, due to extended breaks.

Kurtis Blow honed his craft as an MC, and while in college he teamed up with Russell Simmons, and landed a major deal with Mercury records. He was passed over by several record labels, before landing a deal. What’s interesting is he was signed to the Mercury UK label, and then the music was brought to America.

He is the first rapper to do major press, a world tour and receive endorsements.

As I watched Kurtis Blow perform last night, I was blown away by his showmanship, and delivery. I was also blown away by the cleverness of his subject matters to his environment and our culture. I was blessed to receive an opportunity to share the mic with him, and do my runway walk in the dance cypher.

It was an amazing night. The stars truly aligned.

- Linda Pearl #aladynamedpearl