your man BM again...I'd like to throw this at yall, I know that many OG's and Hip Hop heads would agree.In the Disco vs.Hip Hop perennial debate.Like a few of the brothers mentioned before in the past at different websites; there is a distinct starting point and separation of both.
I will give you the simplest of explanations;
Breakbeats did not become breakbeats until the first person went to dance
on the floor instead of standing up.Henceforth,the term
breakbeats itself.That is your definitive starting point!
Some of those beats ..WAS available for the DJ's that were out at that time to play.Guys like GM Flowers,DJ Ras Maboya,DJ Plummer,DJ Divine,Fantasia,Hollywood,Eddie Cheeba,etc..Maybe even some of the early guys played them.
BUT they were not played specifically for dudes to break dance! they were just played for people to get down to with dances like the hustle, the freak,the bump,the bus stop,
the rock,etc...BECAUSE breakdancing did not exist yet! In the form we know of course.
So whatever DJ..(Kool DJ Dee, DJ Kool Herc,Disco King Mario,Africa Bambaataa or even GM Flash) that became the first DJ to
specifically and
exclusively play those breaks in the record for the young teenagers in the party crowd to dance ON THE FLOOR; not standing up.WAS THE OFFICIAL start of Hip Hop.In my opinion.The DJ's
before that should be categorized as INSPIRATIONS FOR the Hip Hop generation but NOT IN or apart of the genre itself!
No one can ever dispute that music was being played in parks,clubs,schools,other venues in The Bronx and other boroughs before Hip Hop blew up.BUT what they was playing was dance music,funk,soul,etc.. NOT Hip Hop as we know it.The REAL cut off point is when the first guy (whomever he was) decided to do the first floor moves.At that point the
breaks that were in records now became
breakbeats and that is what started Hip Hop!
There was DJ'ing before,
people talking and scattin' on the mic before,
there was even Graffiti before!
but there was no HIP HOP until BREAKDANCING started.
That is where the line is drawn between the Disco Dj and Hip Hop DJ
Disco and Hip Hop worlds.
Just food for thought.
