Inspirational Rap Music Artist Kurtis Blow

Kurtis Blow the first rapper to sign with a major record label and rap's first millionaire, was instrumental in bringing rap from the underground to the masses.

Born in Harlem, Kurtis "Blow" Walker began to immerse himself in the newborn hip-hop culture in the early '70s; in 1976, he enrolled at City College of New York, where he became program director at the college's radio station. During his college years, Kurtis fell in with a group of friends, acquaintances and collaborators that would become the core of early-'80s hip-hop. Kurtis worked with, among others, Grandmaster Flash, Russell Simmons and Mele Mel. After college, he embarked on his music career with Simmons as his manager and Simmons' younger brother Joey (who was once called 'son of Kurtis Blow' and was later known as Run) working the turntables.

In 1979, Kurtis recorded "Christmas Rapping," a novelty single CO-written by Billboard columnist Rocky Ford. The song was a hit, landing Blow a contract with Mercury Records. Later that year, Kurtis released his landmark "The Breaks," included on his self-titled debut. The record was a major success both within the hip-hop community and outside, with certified gold sales. It earned him a place in the pantheon of influential early rappers.

In 1984 Kurtis released his Ego Trip album, which featured the single "Basketball." The next year, he made his film debut in Krush Groove. Kurtis's production work for artists such as Sweet G was also getting notice: He was named Producer of the Year in New York for three consecutive years (1983-85). Blow expanded his production work and became one of the first rappers to infiltrate mainstream television, appearing in commercials for Sprite in 1986 and writing rap segments for the soap opera "One Life to Live" in 1991-92.

Today, Kurtis is a minister and has three holy hip-hop churches (Los Angeles, New York and Philadelphia). Kurtis's objective is to bring together children, teens and young adults from numerous races, countries, creeds, religions, and colors and relay his message to take the streets back from violence.

His new CD with Kurtis Blow and The Trinity has been well received. The purpose of the CD is Peace in the Streets. The CD is to be used as a mechanism to create awareness of a much larger goal and to spread the message of peace and harmony to the world through the power of rap-instead of killing and stealing.

Kurtis Blow states, "Ministry is my mission and my message is love and salvation. The music and message are intended to transcend all ages, genders, races, and religions to help create a harmonized, peaceful world."

Just Do It (click to listen)

Kurtis Blow has been instrumental in raising up a generation of MC's by carrying the torch for Hip-Hop music into new arenas. Kurtis helped legitimize Hip-Hop and now, he intends to help redeem it with his latest release, "Just Do It."

He speaks out emphatically against racism. His raps, with cinematic sensibilities, open the world's eyes and ears to inner-city truth. In a Christian culture often divided by cultural differences, the message of "Just Do It" proves to a much-needed catalyst to help bring about change in a 'body' divided against itself along racial and political lines

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