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Most folk agree that hip hop or rap music grew up in New York, during the early 1970s, when MCs improvised on the mic, entertaining the crowd as they waited for the next DJ to take over the booth. Though certainly there are earlier examples, many point to the 1979 commercial release, “Rapper’s Delight” by The Sugarhill Gang, as one of the first.
But how come no one ever gives any credit to Led Zeppelin? Way back in 1973, the released the song “The Ocean” on their Houses of the Holy album, which featured their drummer, John Bonham, rapping the following in silence, as he Led up to opening bar of the song:
“We’ve done four already but now we’re steady and then they went: One, two, three, four…”
I’d like to challenge someone to find an earlier recorded example of rap. I’m sure it exists, but I think it would be cool if one of your readers sent in a link, or a reference.
Even if it doesn’t deserve singling out for being the first recorded rap on record, Zeppelin’s “The Ocean” is surely one of the only hit songs ever written in 15/16. Common time signature in pop or rock music is, of course, 4/4, or 4 beats to the bar. 15/16, which is missing one 16th note per bar, is extremely hard to dance to, as you’ll hear if you play the YouTube clip. Listen for it in the hard rockin’ opening.
“The Ocean” also had a big influence on a couple other rappers, as well. Check it: The Beastie Boys sampled the song on “She’s Crafty” and more recently, Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda sampled it in “Dolla”, a song he recorded with his other band, Fort Minor.
An earlier recorded example of rap is Bob Dylan’s Subterranean Homesick Blues.
posted by Dan O'Hara on 10-10-2006 at 4:43 pm
Good one, Dan! What is that, 1965? Though for some reason I equate that lyric more with beat poetry than rap… not only because of the content/influence, but the attitude.
That said, I’ll give it to you! How ’bout an earlier song, though?
posted by David on 10-10-2006 at 4:59 pm
How about Chuck Berry’s “Too Much Monkey Business”? That sounds like rapping to me.
posted by Adrian on 10-10-2006 at 5:11 pm
What about “Zilch” by the Monkees?
posted by Jill on 10-11-2006 at 2:26 am
What about the song from the 60s “They’re Coming to Take Me Away”? The artist was billed as Napoleon XVI, who was actually the engineer, Jerry Samuels.
http://it.stlawu.edu/~x0tsing/takeaway.htm
http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=675
posted by Russ on 10-11-2006 at 9:57 am
Chuck Berry, the Monkees, Napoleon XVI: all awesome rappers ahead of their time, I say. Thanks for suggestions… I think we need to write a book and lay claim to this idea, no?
posted by David on 10-11-2006 at 2:08 pm
I know of a great example of “early” rap.
The song is called “Rock Island”, from the movie “The Music Man”…. Traveling salesmen are rapping to the rhythmic sounds of the train they’re on.
posted by Christopher on 12-15-2006 at 9:57 pm
I know a great example of “early rap”. The song is called “Rock Island”, it’s the first one featured in the movie “The Music Man”. Traveling salesmen are rapping to the rhythm of the train they’re on.
posted by Christopher on 12-15-2006 at 11:11 pm